Odell Beckham Jr. needs to play it cool against Jaguars

Odell Beckham Jr. showed real maturity in his contract negotiations with the Giants this summer. He needs to play football the same way on Sunday.

The individual battle between Odell Beckham Jr. and Jalen Ramsey should be one of Week 1’s more intriguing matchups. If the Giants receiver wants to come out on top against the Jags defensive back, he’s going to need to keep a cool head on the field.

In other words, Beckham can’t afford to let his emotions get the best of him. That’s exactly what happened when he lined up against Josh Norman during the corner’s time with the Panthers back in 2015. The two stars jawed at one another in the weeks leading up to the game and Beckham ended up being flagged four times. His last foul included an attempt to hit Norman in the head which landed Beckham with a suspension.

The good news for Giants fans is that Beckham seems to be aware of that potential pitfall. He claims to have “different outlooks and different perspectives” on various issues since his battle with Norman. New York fans should hope that leads to cool, calm and collected Beckham Jr. on Sunday.

In an ideal world, Beckham Jr. can play things so cool that he causes Ramsey to overheat. The talented defensive back has garnered numerous headlines this summer with his opinions on quarterbacks around the NFL. He’ll certainly try to get into Beckham’s head during the game. Expect to see Ramsey talking all game long.

The key for Beckham Jr. will be to find the right competitive balance. He can’t play like a choir boy for the Giants. Some of what makes him a great receiver is the edge he plays the game with. Anyone can see that trash talking on the field motivates the Pro Bowl receiver. Playing too conservatively would be just as damaging as losing his cool.

The best plan for the Giants offense is to make sure they get their best receiver into the game early. They can’t afford to let Beckham Jr. simmer without a catch for a quarter or two. That might cause his emotion to boil over in a rage. Giving him an easy catch or two early would do a lot to increase his poise on the field.

For neutral fans, the Beckham Jr.-Ramsey matchup should make for appointment television. The franchise wide receiver will need to make sure he stays on the right side of the mental match up to experience success against the Jaguars.