Giants WR Odell Beckham doubles down on referee criticism
By Dave Holcomb
Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. says he’s turned his attention towards the Dallas Cowboys, but the wideout couldn’t help but criticize the officiating from this past Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers one more time.
On Wednesday, Odell Beckham Jr. made perhaps his strongest and most controversial comment yet in regards to how the referees treat him.
“Like I said, everybody knows what is going on on the field,” he said. “Everybody can see it. Stevie Wonder can see it. It is what it is. You can’t do anything about it. There is no point.”
Yet, Beckham still felt compelled for the second time in four days to be so vocal about referee Terry McAulay’s crew that he suggested they shouldn’t work any more Giants games. McAulay’s crew, of course, did the December game last year between the Giants and Panthers, in which Beckham and cornerback Josh Norman were practically at each other’s throats.
In his defense, there were some questionable calls against Beckham versus the Steelers. The one that sticks out the most was an offensive pass interference call against Beckham in the first quarter. The replay indicated it could have easily been defensive pass interference, which would have helped the Giants move away from their own end zone.
Instead, New York moved back inside their own 5-yard line after the penalty, and three plays later, another Giants penalty – a holding call in the end zone – resulted in the game’s first points.
Having said that, the officiating in Sunday’s game wasn’t anymore outrageous than it’s been in practically every other NFL game this season. Every team faces bad calls throughout the year, and the best teams are the ones that overcome them.
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Officials appear to unnecessarily target Beckham at times, but the receiver has no one to blame but himself for that due to his charades in various games over the last year and a half.