Odell Beckham Says ‘I Can’t Get the Ball to Save My Life,’ per Analyst

Getty Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. breaks a tackle against the Broncos.

It’s safe to say a 2-6 start is not what Odell Beckham Jr. thought he was getting himself into when he arrived in Cleveland via a blockbuster offseason trade.

Limited targets and opportunity wasn’t expected either.

The latest situation came late in the Browns 24-19 loss to the Broncos on Sunday, when Baker Mayfield decided to throw into double-coverage on a 4th and 4 over the middle rather than look to the sideline for Beckham — who had just made two massive catches in the second half and had a step on his defender

That seemed to be the boiling point for Beckham, who finished with 5 catches for 87 yards.

Sideline reporter Jay Feely reported on the CBS broadcast that Beckham said after the play: “I can’t get the ball to save my life.”

Mayfield finished the game 27-of-42 for 273 YDS yards and 1 touchdown.


Browns Face Uphill Battle for Playoff Berth

Beckham has just 39 catches for 575 yards and 1 touchdown this season, but has repeatedly gone to bat for Mayfield, who has struggled this season.

“I’m going to jump in the fire with him. I’ll be the first one,” Beckham said. “Some of these losses are on me. I need to be in the right place, the right time. I need to be better and that’s what I plan to do for the rest of the season.

“Some of the criticism that’s been on [Baker], you can’t sit here and say it’s all on him,” Beckham added. “You have to take a look at everything that’s going on around him. Obviously he has to play better. I have to play better. Jarvis. Chubb. We all need to do better.”

Even if the Browns do play great the rest of the way, they’ll need some things to go right if they want to make this playoffs. According to ESPN Stats and Information, divisional realignment in 2002, 64 teams have started with a record of 2-6, but none have made the playoffs.

The Browns have not won their division in 30 years and have missed the playoffs for 16 consecutive years — the longest active streak in the NFL.

Odell Beckham, Jarvis Landry Cause Cleat Controversy

Just because the Browns needed more distractions this week, Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry wore cleats that forced the NFL to make an ultimatum to the star duo: either change their cleats that did not meet NFL regulations, or sit out.

The NFL is notoriously strict on what kind of shoes players can wear during games and told the Browns Pro Bowl passing-catching duo that they would have to change their shoes or they wouldn’t be allowed to play, according to Feely.

Thankfully, both Landry and Beckham obliged, and they both had nice plays following the wardrobe change to help lead the comeback attempt.

Landry caught his first touchdown of the season to narrow the gap to a single score against the Broncos in the third quarter.

Beckham made two ridiculously skilled catches, including one late in the fourth quarter that left Denver cornerback Chris Harris Jr. scratching his head.

A lot has been made of the Browns schedule down the stretch, which features much easier opponents than their first seven games.

But if Cleveland can lose to a Denver team that is last place in its division, starting a quarterback that had never taken an NFL snap, no win is a given anymore despite the massive talent on the roster.


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