Odell Beckham-FINALLY

Giants vs. Falcons Game Story

By Michael Eisen

Oct. 5, 2014

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – It wasn’t officially designated prior to the event, but Sunday was Rookie Day in MetLife Stadium.

Odell Beckham Jr. and Andre Williams, the Giants’ first and fourth-round draft choices in the 2014 NFL Draft, led the team in receiving and rushing, respectively, and scored the Giants’ only second-half touchdowns in a 30-20 come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

And let’s not forget second-round selection Weston Richburg, who played the entire game at left guard for the fifth consecutive week as the new Giants continue to make an increasingly vital contribution to a team that has won its last three games.

“Whenever we get new guys and rookies coming in and playing well for you, that’s great,” said quarterback Eli Manning, an 11-year veteran who was also invaluable, throwing for 200 yards and two touchdowns without an interception.

“I think they’re doing exactly what we needed them to do – step up and make plays,” said safety Antrel Rolle, who, like Manning, is a team captain. “Although they’re rookies, we expect them to be a huge asset to our team, and I think they’ve been doing a phenomenal job.”

All eyes Sunday were on Beckham, the draft’s 12^th overall selection, who made his long-awaited debut after missing the preseason and first four regular-season games with a hamstring injury. He caught four passes (tying fellow LSU alum Rueben Randle for the team-lead) for 44 yards. Beckham put the Giants ahead for good at 24-20 with 10:02 remaining when he got behind cornerback Robert Alford (who was flagged for holding on the play) and caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Manning.

“Words can’t even describe (it),” Beckham said. “To be out this long and have to deal with the adversity I’ve had, I just want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play and allowing me to score in my first game. It’s just great to get that under your belt. It’s like you get that off of your chest.”

Beckham also was wide open down the left sideline for what could have been an 81-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but Manning threw the ball out of bounds.

“We missed the protection, and so I had a guy running free at me and so it was really a throw-away,” Manning said. “I knew he had a go-route. I wasn’t going to be able to sit there and wait for it, it was one of those where you throw it real early and the corner ends up jumping and thought I was throwing a quick throw and he jumped in. It looks bad on film, but really, under the circumstances, it’s a throw-away. It was a hard decision, but obviously it might look bad on film.”

Beckham’s performance received positive reviews from two very influential Giants.

“I was impressed,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “He is certainly going to add a lot to our weapons and our opportunities. He made a nice move and ran right by him; if we only got the ball i-bounds, that would have been something. For the first time back and for not having the preseason and all of those types of things…the athleticism was obvious to everybody and his speed will have to be reckoned with.”

“He came in and made some great plays for us,” Manning said. “He had a couple catches, some good things, a big touchdown, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do. We’re really only on four days of practice together, so a lot of routes we have not thrown. The touchdown route – we have never thrown that route in practice, so we’ve got to get in practice and get on the same page with the timing of things so I can understand his body movement, his feet, and everything that he can do, so that we can be on the same page.”

Beckham happily shared the spotlight with Williams, who became the Giants’ primary back when Rashad Jennings sprained his knee in the third quarter. Williams finished with 20 carries for 65 yards and a three-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. He also caught two passes for 18 yards.

“Rashad is my big bro and I just wanted to be able to get in and pick up for him whenever I could, even if it didn’t mean I was going to get a bunch of carries,” Williams said. “Just to be able to pick up for him and let him get a little bit of rest at times. Him going out, that really hit me in a place where I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to pick up for him and just make sure that his absence is not in vain.’ I’m just glad that I was able to contribute in the way that I was able to today.”

The Giants’ rookies are a close-knit group, as are many first-year classes. They got to know each other at events such as the NFL’s rookie symposium and are reveling in each other’s success.

“Oh, it’s awesome,” Richburg said. “I take pride in it, because we’re the young guys coming in… I don’t know many teams that have three rookies playing, contributing, scoring two touchdowns. Obviously, I can’t score touchdowns but contributing, I take pride in it, I definitely do. I’m extremely proud to be in the same class as those guys. I just hope we continue to get better and better.”

“I think the Giants did a great job (drafting),” Williams said. “I think they picked up a lot of great guys and we’re going to have a great future here with the Giants.”

As happy as they were that their own play helped the team, Beckham and Williams seemed just as pleased the other had contributed so much to the Giants’ winning effort.

“I know what he’s capable of, I’ve seen him,” Beckham said. “He has one of the meanest stiff arms I think I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I’ve been looking forward to seeing him run.”

“Eyes have been on Odell since he got here,” Williams said. “He’s the first-round pick, he didn’t really get to do too much, but when he showed up to play, he played really well. I’m just really proud of him that he had the debut he should have had.”

Both youngsters could see their roles expand as the Giants enter a crucial two-week stretch with road games at NFC East rivals Philadelphia and Dallas. As Beckham continues to practice, he will become more fully integrated in game plans. And though Jennings is confident his injury is not serious, he will undergo an MRI tomorrow.

“I think I’m as ready as I’m going to be,” Williams said. “There’s no time to really analyze whether I’m ready or not, because the decision was made now that I have to be in the game and this is what I was brought here for, to play football. There are only 53 men on the roster and you’ve got to be ready to play at any time, so that’s how I prepare during the week.”

Now that he’s healthy, so does Beckham.

“Like they tell us, ‘There’s no such thing as a rookie,’” Beckham said. “So we just go out and do our assignment and do our job and do it to the best of our ability.”

Now they just have to keep doing it as well as they did against the Falcons.