Odell Beckham Jr. reaching out in preparing for Jets game
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Odell Beckham Jr. did a lot homework getting ready to face Darrelle Revis and the New York Jets.
It may have gone for naught.
When the biggest playmaker on the New York Giants offense lines up on Sunday, he probably won't be going against Revis, arguably the NFL's best cornerback.
Revis missed the Jets' game against Miami last week with a concussion and his chances of playing this week are not good after sitting out practice on Wednesday and Thursday.
''You just got to move on,'' Beckham said Thursday after practice. ''We still play the Jets. Last time I was concerned, it wasn't me versus Revis. It would have been fun to be able to go against a guy like that. Obviously, you know I have high praise for him. Unfortunate that he's not playing, but down the road, you never know, there may be a matchup there. But right now we're focused on beating the Jets.''
Beckham and Revis worked out in Arizona in the offseason and got to know each other. It's why Beckham went above and beyond to get ready for this game. He telephoned DeAndre Hopkins of the Houston Texans and Jarvis Landry of the Miami Dolphins and he was trying to reach Amari Cooper of the Oakland Raiders to pick their brains. All played against Revis this season.
''Definitely prepared and looked into it,'' Beckham said. ''I mean, you have to, you have to study a guy like that. Obviously we know that he studies, studies in the offseason, during the bye week.''
Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo said Beckham's preparation happens more often than we sometimes realize.
''It's their own culture. I think a lot of guys talk in and out of the locker room, with different locker rooms and a lot is said,'' McAdoo said. ''They have their own mini game plan, the players do, within our game plan. I think that's a neat part of our league that you really don't get to hear a lot about.''
McAdoo said the Giants are prepared should Revis not play and the game plan would tilt a bit.
The key for the Giants will be giving Manning time to throw against one of the best pass rushing teams in the league.
If Manning gets that, there is no doubt he will target Beckham.
Over the past four games, Manning has thrown 176 passes, with Beckham being targeted 56 times, or roughly 32 percent of the time. The two have connected 30 times for 481 yards and five touchdowns.
McAdoo doesn't feel the Giants are forcing the ball to Beckham, who was targeted 18 times in the 20-14 loss to Washington.
''That's just the way it went last week,'' McAdoo said. ''Every week is a new week. The last few weeks, he's been targeted a bunch and we'll see how this game goes.''
Beckham doesn't care how many passes come his way. He just wants to win and get to the playoffs, and the Giants (5-6) have that chance despite losing their last two games. They are tied for first place in the NFC East with the Redskins with five games to go.
''Life is all about opportunities and how you seize them and make the most of them,'' he said. ''We had an opportunity to do some pretty big things last week, as far as putting ourselves in good position to be where we want to be. It didn't happen, so you move on, you keep going, keep preparing, keep getting better. You still have got five games and you try to win them all.''
NOTES: Right tackle Marshall Newhouse missed his second straight day of practice with back problems. Coach Tom Coughlin said he will probably get a shot to see if it will help. ... Left guard Justin Pugh is feeling much better and practiced fully for the first time since sustaining a concussion against the Bucs on Nov. 8. Coughlin refused to say whether Pugh will move to right tackle if Newhouse can't go. He played there last year. ... Safety Brandon Meriweaether (knee) did not practice so expect Craig Dahl to start Sunday with Cooper Taylor backing up. ... Linebacker Devon Kennard (hamstring-foot) took a step back and did not practice. .... Giants Deon Grant visited the locker room Thursday.
