Odell Beckham Jr.

New York Giants: Eli Manning Will Utilize His Receivers Differently In 2019

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New York Giants, Eli Manning, Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard

Eli Manning and the New York Giants are entering a new era in 2019: the post-OBJ era. Odell Beckham Jr. was controversially traded during the 2019 NFL offseason after five rocky seasons with the team. Beckham Jr. was an incredible talent, but a controversial player.

The Giants were a highly competitive team only once while Odell was on the roster. In 2016 the Giants made it to the playoffs after an 11-5 regular season. Other than that 2016 season, the Giants never had a winning season during the OBJ-era and their best record was 6-10.

Now the New York Giants’ offense is not lead by Beckham, but rather by the 2018 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, Saquon Barkley. Along with Barkley are a couple of other receivers. Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard will now be Eli Manning’s primary receivers, and he will have to utilize them much differently than he utilized Odell Beckham Jr.

No More Forcing The Ball To Beckham

Many NFL analysts and Giants fans alike have been highly critical of Giants quarterback Eli Manning for the way he forced the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. even though he was heavily covered. It happened time after time during the 2018 NFL season.

Eli Manning threw 8 interceptions during the first 12 games of the season, the games that Odell was present for. Beckham missed the last 4 games of the season. Of those 8 interceptions, 4 of them were passes intended for Odell Beckham Jr. while he was blanketed in coverage (1 v. CAR, 1 v. WAS, 1 v. PHI, 1 v. CHI).

The worst of them all came in Week 12 on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. Eli and the Giants were playing a near perfect game in the first half. But then, Manning got Odell-induced-tunnel-vision. The Giants were leading 19-11 with 20 seconds left in the first half. Big Blue was in field goal range, so all they had to do was play it conservatively, kick a field goal, and take an 11 point lead at halftime.

Instead, Eli Manning decided to force the ball into triple coverage down the middle of the field, despite having Saquon Barkley and Corey Coleman wide open underneath. Take a guess who this pass was intended for. Yep, Odell Beckham Jr:

Here is another red zone interception from Manning intended for Beckham. The Giants were yet again in a prime position to score points. Eli felt the need to force the ball to Beckham in the red zone constantly, and sometimes it came back to bite him. Take this pick versus Washington as an example:

Sterling Shepard And Golden Tate Are Reliable And Quiet

Eli Manning will not feel pressure to force the ball to anyone in 2019. There is no longer a big-name superstar receiver demanding the ball in high volume on the Giants. Instead, Manning has two reliable, quiet receivers to get the ball to in Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate.

The Giants offense will be missing a superstar. However, Eli Manning will no longer have tunnel-vision for that superstar. Losing Odell Beckham was tough for Giants fans. But there is a silver lining.

2019 might finally be the year that Sterling Shepard surpasses 1,000 receiving yards. Shepard has seen his yardage total increase every year and posted a career-high 873 yards in 2018.

According to Pro Football Focus, Shepard dominated the intermediate range of the field a season ago, hauling in 19 receptions on throws targeted 10-19 yards past the line of scrimmage. All 19 of those receptions achieved a first down, and 14 of them went for well more than 15 yards. On those receptions, his 19.5 yards per catch ranked fifth among all NFL receivers.

Sterling Shepard has proven himself to be a reliable receiver in only three seasons. His veteran counterpart, Golden Tate is also as reliable as they come. Tate has had three seasons with 1,000 or more receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl in 2014 with the Detroit Lions.

Since 2014, Golden Tate has lead the league in forced missed tackles with an insane 118 missed tackles forced. Here is a play that Giants fans will love where Golden Tate puts his elusiveness on display and embarrasses the Dallas Cowboys defense:

The New York Giants’ offense will be much different in 2019. However, the loss of Odell Beckham Jr. does not mean the Giants’ offense will be bad; just different. Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard are two excellent receivers who will be reliable and productive for the Giants in 2019.

New York Giants News, 6/22 – Odell Beckham Jr. just can’t let go

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New York Giants, Odell Beckham Jr.

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

Imagine this, Odell Beckham Jr. is STILL talking about his time with the Giants and how he’s in a much better place mentality, physically, and spiritually to reach his potential.

As if he didn’t set numerous offensive records with the Giants and quarterback Eli Manning, Beckham felt as though his former team was holding him back. Now, I hate to revert back to the tired storyline, but the reality is, the Giants might be in a better position post-Beckham.

When’s the last time the Giants have had to deal with any antics, legal issues, or overall madness? It seems he took all of those issues with him. Let’s get one thing straight, though, I’m by no means a hater of OBJ, in fact, watching him every Sunday made the Giants even slightly enjoyable.

His presence on the field and ability was next to none, but the New York media ripped him apart at every chance they got. He’s better off in a smaller market where he can be himself and not receive the extra attention that big-media companies feed off of. Imagine the advertising dollars he earned those companies over the course of his career in the Big Apple.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

Dan Pizzuta (Big Blue View) – Ranking how NFC East teams are set up for future at wide receiver and tight end

Matt Lombardo (NJ.com) – Browns’ Odell Beckham: Giants stunted my physical, mental, spiritual growth

Dan Schneier (247sports) – PFF: Giants have one of the five best guard tandems in the NFL

Ed Valentine (Big Blue View) – What should the Giants expect from Eli Manning in 2019?

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: 3 rookies that could earn playing time on starting team

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Check out the best news from yesterday!

New York Giants News, 6/21 – Daniel Jones’ intelligence on full display

New York Giants: War Of Words With Odell Beckham Jr. Continues

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The breakup between the New York Giants and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. might just be the messiest one of the NFL offseason so far – Beckham is just one of the players that the Giants moved on from this offseason, and like Landon Collins, has been plenty vocal since joining his new team. It doesn’t really seem like either player left the team on their own terms, and as a result, there’s been plenty of talk about the circumstances that led to the departures of both players.

There’s also been a lot of talk about Beckham not fitting into the Giants as an organization, and that was one of the driving factors for the plentiful trade rumors that were abound before the deal to send Beckham away actually happened. When Beckham spoke to Complex recently, it became clear just how deep the divide between the player and the Giants as an organization really was.

“I can’t wait to get going. I just felt with the Giants I was just stuck at a place that wasn’t working for me anymore. I felt like I wasn’t going to be able to reach my full potential there; mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing, I just couldn’t see it happening there,” Beckham said, able to speak more honestly after moving on from the team.

“I’m just excited about being able to play football again and not have to deal with all the other stuff and politics that came with my previous role,” Beckham added, which is likely referencing his interactions with the front office and the media during his time in New York. One of the major controversies of last season was Beckham’s ESPN interview with Lil Wayne, which drew direct criticism from co-owner John Mara and became more of a controversy than it initially seemed like.

From controversies over celebrations, attendance at offseason activities, and tense contract negotiations, plenty of drama has followed Beckham throughout his career in New York. Potentially, moving to Cleveland offers a fresh start in a less demanding market, with an organization that’s more willing to accept a star player as they come rather than asking as much as the New York press and the Giants front office did.

We’ll have to wait to see, however, if the move to Cleveland benefits the Giants as much as it benefits Beckham – the team’s passing offense with an aging quarterback and without their main receiver is still largely a question mark.

New York Giants News, 6/18 – Evan Engram primed for a big year?

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New York Giants, Evan Engram

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The departure of Odell Beckham Jr. will certainly hurt the production from the offense in the coming season, but the positive is that it will help incorporate all of the playmakers more frequently. If we look at Evan Engram’s numbers dating back to the four games Beckham missed in 2018, we see that his yards-per-game jump from 36.7 to 80.

The fact of the matter is, OBJ drew Eli Manning’s attention more than any other receiver. Improving the offensive line will provide Manning with more time to move through his progressions with added efficiently. It will also enable him to spread the ball around to his receivers.

Manning often used Beckham as a safety net in 2018 and utilized his high catch-rate to supplement his lack of time in the pocket. Engram should benefit from having two receivers in Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard that will move around the field and draw extra attention. I anticipate Engram dominating the seam in 2019 and having his best statistical season yet.

Hopefully, Engram can further develop his blocking skills and make more of an impact in the running game with Saquon Barkley. Adding that element to his game would make him significantly more dangerous, yet there’s little reason to believe he will emerge as an improved blocker. Staying healthy should be the priority, as Engram has already missed time this offseason with a pulled hamstring.

Nonetheless–

Your Giants top news of the day!

John Schmeelk, Lance Medow, Dan Salomone (Giants.com) -Cover 3: Final takeaways from OTAs, minicamp

Dan Schneier (247 sports) – 10 Giants players whose stock is up heading into training camp

Matt Lombardo (NJ.com) – Giants to face their ‘franchise killer’ in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: How Corey Ballentine will make an impact in 2019

Mike Moraitis (Giants Wire) – Baldy Breakdown: Giants ‘struck gold’ with Will Hernandez

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Check out the best news from yesterday!

New York Giants News, 6/17 – Oshane Ximines needs to pan out

 

New York Giants: Sterling Shepard competing with Golden Tate for No. 1 spot

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New York Giants receiver, Sterling Shepard.

With Odell Beckham Jr.’s departure, the New York Giants need to establish a new No. 1 wide receiver, and the competition will be between Sterling Shepard and new signing, Golden Tate.

From an outside perspective, it might seem as if Tate would be the top option considering his past success and trustworthiness. However, Shepard is familiar with the playbook and has chemistry with starting quarterback, Eli Manning. Those two factors might be more determining.

The New York Giants are in good hands with Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate:

As a duo, I believe they will be extremely effective, especially when you consider their ability to play on the exterior and interior. Flip-flopping and moving around on the line of scrimmage will be a frequent action on the Giants offense, keeping the opposing defense on its heels and forcing them to adjust, pulling players away from Saquon Barkley.

One of the methods of success I anticipate from Shep and Tate is their innate ability to catch the ball. They both have stellar hands, both securing over 61% of balls thrown their way in 2018.

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Tate is one year removed from a 76.7% catch rate, and Shep 70.2%. Eli Manning’s days of heaving passes into triple coverage in hopes of Beckham coming down with it are over, and that’s a positive thing.

Often times, we would see Manning force the ball to OBJ, causing turnovers and incompletions. Relying on your top pass-catcher isn’t a bad thing, but he was so dedicated to finding him he would often miss wide open receivers in the flat.

That negative response will now be eradicated after his departure. The position battle that will ensure to replace the No. 1 spot will be fierce. Both Giants receivers haven’t dropped a ball this spring and are showing they’re capable of handling the load. It’s possible the Giants simply consider them both a No. 1 receiver and utilize them in a similar fashion.

 

New York Giants: Golden Tate is exactly the receiver Eli Manning needs

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New York Giants, Golden Tate

How many times did we witness Eli Manning toss up a 50/50 ball to Odell Beckham Jr. in triple coverage with players wide open in the flat? Too many. This is not to denounce the impact Beckham had on the New York Giants, but rather the attention he drew for being such a talented player. He even forced Eli to resort to him when all else was failing.

Now, the Giants are down one generational talent and up one yards-after-catch specialist. General manager Dave Gettleman added former Detroit Lion and Philadelphia Eagles pass-catcher, Golden Tate. The Eagles didn’t utilize the talented receiver well.

The Giants can utilize Tate to his potential, something head coach Pat Shurmur has effectively executed with players like Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Manning will have the luxury of spreading the ball around the field and not feeling obligated to throw in the direction of one specific option.

Additionally, the rebuilding of the offensive line will give Manning more time to move through his progressions. One of the biggest concerns with Eli so far this offseason has been his arm strength. If you are feeling wary, check out this clip.

Manning throws this pass on a rope to Tate, running a deep post route, something we are going to see a ton of with Golden acting as the primary possession receiver alongside Sterling Shepard.

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Additionally, one of the concerns with Tate was the contract he was signed to. The deal set up with the Giants was stellar, as there’s an out after the second year with a $5 million dead-cap hit. Therefore, if the Giants feel they don’t need the trustworthy pass-catcher anymore, they can simply release him for a minimal loss. A well-worked deal that benefits the Giants in the short terms and can provide value down the road as well if they elect to keep him.

 

Did The New York Giants Dodge Drama With Beckham Trade?

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Everyone knows by now that character concerns are one of the reasons why the New York Giants traded star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns, whether or not the team itself admits that and whether or not those concerns are actually justified. How Beckham performs in Cleveland both on or off the field will be one of the deciding factors in the ongoing debate over whether or not the trade is justified.

Now that offseason training is heating up and OTAs are underway, there’s some reports coming out on that very subject.

With one OTA left for the Browns, Cleveland head coach Freddie Kitchens didn’t seem like the most satisfied person in the world with Beckham – who skipped optional minicamp and only attended one day of OTAs.

“I just want to see him,” Kitchens said of Beckham when asked by Cleveland.com what he expected of the player during mandatory minicamp. He continued and claimed that Beckham missed “a lot,” and “the offense.”

Cleveland quarterback Baker Mayfield, however, defended Beckham’s decision. “You let a guy like that be him. Everybody has their routine. Stick to what is working, and for him, obviously, it’s been working for a while. He’s going to do what he’s going to do. You have to trust that he is going to be there when it matters, and we know who he is.”

Of course, mandatory practices haven’t begun yet, and so Beckham technically isn’t in the wrong for not attending. However, it’s also hard to make an argument for a star player being in the right to skip optional practices when joining a new team. After stepping into an unfamiliar organization and offense, most players would benefit from getting as much practice time in as possible before the season. Additionally, Beckham hasn’t yet built up enough trust with Cleveland to skip the majority of OTAs and not have it mentioned with a suspicious eye.

The New York Giants have largely avoided problems during their own OTAs this year. The questions about the team’s quarterback situation have mostly been settled by now and there hasn’t been drama over a star player not showing up, which might not be the case if Beckham was still with the team. And with the media focusing intently on issues like this, such drama could have been a major distraction.

However, despite providing some distractions, Beckham is still one of the best receivers to ever play for the team. It looks like the Giants did duck some drama by trading him away, but if they want that trade to be worth it, they’ll still have to find production out of a group of players that’s still largely unproven playing without Beckham. Will they be successful? We’ll find that out during this season.

Why the New York Giants’ Offense will be better off without Odell Beckham Jr.

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This would have been a touchy subject for New York Giants fans just a few weeks ago, in fact, maybe it still is for some, but the reality is, the offense can be even more efficient and productive without Odell Beckham Jr.

Trading Beckham Jr. certainly sent shockwaves throughout the NFL, and the Giants received a decent haul in return for his talents. We’ve already seen the benefits of fewer antics and distraction this offseason, as Beckham has attacked talking heads on Twitter and skipped OTAs when he should be building chemistry with his new team.

We are beyond the days of watching Beckham’s private workout videos to soothe our minds that he’s not attending team practices. The Cleveland Browns are now on the hook for his transgressions, and head coach Freddie Kitchens has already expressed his concern with Beckham not attending OTAs.

“I have never disputed the fact that it is not important for him to be here, but it is also important for him to be mentally ready to be here,’’ Kitchens told reporters after practice. “I’m not giving him an out by any stretch of imagination, and nobody here knows the conversations that Odell and I have. I’m just saying it is better for him to be here when he can present his best self – emotionally, physically, everything.”

However, this is about the Giants and why their offense is going to be even more productive in 2019. Not only will the ball be spread out significantly more without OBJ on the field, but it will give the Giants a chance to execute a possession-based offense.

How has the New York Giants offense operated?

In recent years, we saw Big Blue center their entire scheme around the home run play. Forcing the ball to Beckham and watching Eli Manning track down his number in triple coverage. Now, we are going to see something much different. An offense with balance and unpredictability. The signing of Golden Tate attests to that ideology.

Tate and Sterling Shepard are two of the most efficient possession receivers in the NFL. They’re built for yards-after-catch and moving the chains consistently. They’re not big red-zone targets, but that’s why the Giants drafted Saquon Barkley – he has a knack for getting into the endzone, 15 total scores tell the story.

But the primary catalyst of this idea boils down to Manning. How many times have we seen Eli throw balls astray in hopes of Beckham coming down with it? I recall a specific scenario against the Philadephia Eagles where Manning tossed a ball into triple-coverage while Barkley was wide-open in the flat. That pass was intercepted on a drive that was progressing well.

Without Beckham and Manning’s tunnel-vision, that play would have never happened. Focusing on the short game and moving the chains slowly will not only help the offense succeed, but it will aid the defense as well.

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Keeping the defense off the field is essential for success in the NFL. Fatigue is a very real negative response from playing too much and delivering too many hits. The offense can limit the playing time significantly for the defense by maintaining possession and wasting time off the clock. Time-management is a very important aspect of coaching, and something we will witness takes a front-seat in 2019.

To recap, letting Beckham go promotes a possession-based offense with receivers that move the chains incrementally instead of advocating a home-run style. This is a very proven method – ask the New England Patriots, the New Orleans Saints, even the Philadelphia Eagles (2017 version). Hopefully, the Giants can execute this style efficiently in the season ahead, as it could pay dividends if successful.

 

 

New York Giants: Why Sterling Shepard Might Struggle in 2019

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New York Giants, Sterling Shepard

The New York Giants will be without Odell Beckham Jr. in 2019 and the offense will look completely different. The Giants will no longer have their superstar wide receiver for Eli Manning to force the ball too.

Instead, the Giants will have a couple of dependable slot receivers in 2019. Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate are the new primary receivers in the Giants’ passing attack.

Many believe that the subtraction of Odell will lead to the addition of increased performance by Sterling Shepard. Unfortunately, that might not be true.

Shepard’s Stats Without Beckham

It would be easy to assume that without the Giants’ primary receiver on the field, the secondary receiver’s stats would improve. Sterling Shepard’s stats did not improve when Beckham was off the field.

The New York Giants made a serious commitment to Sterling Shepard in the 2019 offseason. They signed him to a four-year, $41 million extension. This extension solidifies Shepard as the Giants’ primary receiver for the foreseeable future.

However, there is an argument to be made that Shepard has not proven himself entirely worthy of this extension. In the 11 games that Shepard played in 2017 and 2018 without Odell Beckham Jr. on the field, his stats were underwhelming.

Shep hauled in 58 receptions for 746 yards and only 2 touchdowns in those 11 games. That is only an average of 67 yards per game, and just barely over 5 receptions per game. Shepard has not been a highly productive receiver without Odell Beckham being double covered on the outside.

Why He Might Succeed:

Sterling Shepard did struggle when he was the primary receiver in 2017 and 2018. But there could be reason for him not to have the same struggles in 2019.

The Giants traded away Odell, but they replaced him with Golden Tate. Tate is a yards-after-catch monster. The receiving duo of Shepard and Tate could be among the league’s best if Shepard can reach his full potential.

Sterling clearly struggled when there was not another primary receiver on the field alongside him. But that should not happen in 2019. Golden Tate will play alongside Sterling Shepard and this should keep Shepard from struggling too much.

Whenever Odell Beckham Jr. is on the field, he requires extra defensive help and pressure. Golden Tate might not require the same assistance, but he still needs to be held in check more than Bennie Fowler or Russell Shepard. This could give Sterling Shepard the opportunity to flourish in the Giants’ new offense.

Tiki Barber Backs New York Giants In Odell Beckham Jr. Trade

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New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr.

The debate around whether or not the New York Giants should have moved on from top receiver Odell Beckham Jr. or not is one that isn’t going to end any time soon. Most likely, the debate isn’t going to be over until years have passed and it’s possible to compare the trajectories of both sides following the trade. For now, that’s not possible, and all we can do is speculate on the merits or downsides of the trade.

And right now, there’s a lot of voices speaking in favor of either side. One of those happens to be former Giants running back Tiki Barber, who shared his thoughts on the situation with the New York Post last week.

“I think Odell wanted to go and Dave Gettleman and the New York Giants acquiesced. He’s in a better place. And I think it may actually be OK for the Giants he’s not here. He wasn’t reaching his potential. He felt like he was being constrained, either by the offensive play-calling or whatever it may have been. He wasn’t happy,” Barber said about Beckham.

It’s true that Beckham wasn’t able to reach his potential for the last couple of seasons with the Giants, both because of injury reasons and because of tensions with the front office that would eventually make the decision to ship Beckham off to Cleveland.

The question is whether or not the Giants will be better off for making the trade or not, even if Beckham almost surely will be. That’s something that Barber isn’t sure about just yet.

“I thought it was the right thing [to do]. I don’t know if it was the best thing, because he’s a brand and iconic in ways I don’t know if a Giant player has ever been since [Lawrence Taylor]. But football is not about an individual. It’s about a team. And I think the Giants are trying to build a great team right now.”

The Giants seem to have a strange approach to team building right now and this season could be the make or break one for the man behind that plan, Dave Gettleman. There’s one thing that’s sure, and that’s the fact that there will be much more pressure on Gettleman if there’s not an immediate payoff for making such a dramatic move as trading Beckham.