Getty Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The Cleveland Browns recorded their most important win of the season on Sunday against the Ravens, turning the conversation around the team from disappointing to hopeful after a 40-25 victory.
But one name that was missing from the box score in its usual big way was Odell Beckham Jr., who had just two catches for 20 yards. However, it was obvious that OBJ did the little things — like blocking and running good routes — that helped the Browns win.
But on Monday morning, there will always be critics, especially of a guy like Beckham, who can never avoid the crosshairs of the talking heads.
The latest big critic of Beckham was Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, who delivered the comments on the Herd With Colin Cowherd (of course). Cowherd posed the question if the game plan for teams is to chatter and get physical to rile him up and get him off his game, referring to an incident between Beckham and Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey, who pinned the Browns star to the ground and held him by the throat after a brief scuffle.
“Absolutely,” said Gonzales when asked if Beckham is letting things people say go to his head. “He let’s all that stuff. That’s why he couldn’t handle New York. New York ate him up. That’s why he had to get out of there. There were too many eyes on him and too much pressure.”
.@ColinCowherd: Do you think Odell Beckham Jr. is letting people get in his head?
@TonyGonzalez88: Absolutely, that’s why he couldn’t handle New York. It ate him up. Too many eyes on him, too much pressure.
Browns Firmly Have Odell Beckham’s Back After Unselfish Performance
The Browns won handily and Beckham didn’t complain one bit about his lack of personal success in the box score. On a conference call Monday, Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens sounded more than impressed while discussing his star pass-catcher.
“If you want to judge Odell Beckham, everybody knows about his skill level and his skill set,” Kitchens said. “But if you want to know about Odell Beckham, put on those plays where Jarvis Landry is down the field 40 and 50 yards. Look who’s down there with him trying to get him into the end zone. Look who’s down there making their block. Look who’s blocking 44 (Humphrey) before he gets punched in the throat. So if you want to tell about Odell Beckham as a football player and as a person, look at those plays.”
Beckham’s blocking was particularly impressive on an option play where he didn’t get the pitch and instead used his speed to get in front of Landry, nearly springing him for a TD.
“It’s something that we’ve been running,” Beckham told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I’m just upset. I was trying to get that block, so I could get him into the end zone. I just couldn’t get to him.”
Browns WR Jarvis Landry Officially in Concussion Protocol
Landy ended up with a huge game, eight passes for 167 yards. However, he missed part of the second half after being diagnosed with a concussion. Kitchens confirmed that Landry is now in the concussion protocol.
Last week safety Damarious Randall said that he didn’t believe he suffered a concussion during practice that kept him out for two games. There’s no set timeline for a return for Landry.
Luckily, the Browns do get one weapon back as second-year speedster Antonio Callaway returns from a suspension.
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Odell Beckham Ripped by Hall of Fame Tight End