Giants’ Odell Beckham: “I’m in a great place right now”

Earlier in the week, New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo indicated that wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. needed to be “less of a distraction” following a sideline outburst during Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins. Does Beckham agree?

“No,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“I’m in a great place right now mentally, physically and spiritually. There’s not really much that bothers me at all, to be honest. I’m going to go out and play football the only way I know how to play. Try my best to be the best teammate that I possibly can be,” Beckham said. “At the end of the day you play for the guys who are wearing the jersey. They’re the ones that take the field for you. They’re the ones who you shed blood, sweat and tears with. I’m just going to go out and be who I am.”

Beckham was asked if it’s possible to want something too badly.

“I don’t think anything is wrong with it. You know what goals you have and what you want to achieve. Anything less than that, I don’t think you’re going to be satisfied with,” he said. “I don’t live life setting goals and being okay with not achieving them. By any means, that’s not the standard I live by.”

Beckham’s outburst Sunday came after a fourth-quarter interception of Eli Manning at the goal line. Manning’s pass was intended for tight end Will Tye.

“Listen, Odell works hard. He works his tail off, he worked his tail off again today. Winning is important to him, his teammates are important to him, the Giants are important to him,” McAdoo said Thursday. “Just like everybody else in the locker room, we want to be our best when our best is needed and he's been that for us. It was no factor in the outcome of the game in any way shape or form. We're moving on.”

On not having any touchdowns this season

After scoring 25 touchdowns in his first 27 NFL games, Beckham has been kept out of the end zone so far this season. His yards receiving per game average of 93.3 is impressive, but still a career low. He said opposing defense are doing “everything” to keep him from making big plays.

“Especially last game and the game before. It was corner, safety over the top, linebacker running out. There were all kinds of things. It’s not like it’s one-on-one and there’s no safety over the top. There’s all types of things. I’ve never really been in that situation (one-on-one) besides my dropped touchdown against the Saints. That’s probably the only time. Other than that, they’re playing off and making sure that there’s no big plays,” Beckham said. “It’s smart. As a receiver, it stinks. Not too many people want to catch a six-yard route and have someone right in their face when they turn around. You want to be able to catch the ball, run and do other things. Teams have done a great job eliminating the big plays and putting the safety over. Doubling, tripling at some point.

“Like I said, it’s only a matter of time before it all just breaks. I’ll say it again, you have the Rookie of the Year on this team, the Comeback Player of the Year on this team. You have three phenomenal receivers. It’s just going to be tough. It’s only a matter of time.”