with it One of the big reasons the New York Giants felt comfortable entering into negotiations that ended up making Odell Beckham Jr. the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history is that they were impressed by how Beckham handled the last few months. It made them believe that at age 25 and coming off the first serious injury of his life White Darian Thompson Jerseys , that Beckham had finally found the maturity the Giants have been looking for him to display.“I think Odell personally is moving in the right direction,” co-owner John Mara said at the beginning training camp when he acknowledged that contract negotiations would be coming. “It certainly had an effect on our desire to start negotiating. So, he’s had the right attitude all along and we expect him to have a great season.”Now that Beckham has that mega-deal, one that puts him 10th in the NFL in terms of guaranteed money at $65 million, second among non-quarterback to Von Miller ($70 million) and just behind Eli Manning ($67 million) Beckham has responsibilities beyond being a great player.Beckham is the face of the Giants franchise. That used to be Manning, but in reality it’s been Beckham for a while. One day, that mantel will pass to Saquon Barkley. The historic commitment the Giants just made to one of the two most talented players to ever wear a Giants uniform — the other, of course, being Lawrence Taylor — places that responsibility officially on Beckham.And it is a responsibility.Mara said Tuesday that it was “important” for the Giants to see how well Beckham handled the last few months.“I think he’s matured quite a bit. I think that stuff [off the field distractions] hopefully is in the past,” Mara said. “I think he’s ready to go on and be the type of player and citizen that we expect him to be, and I think he will be.” The numbers show just how historically good Beckham has been, especially of course in his first three seasons. In those first three seasons, Beckham netted more than 1,300 receiving yards, 10+ touchdowns and 90+ receptions each year.His records include:Most receptions through the first 15 games of an NFL career (110)Fastest player to reach 100 career receptions (14 games)Youngest player in NFL history (22 years, 53 days) with multiple games having 10+ catches in a single season (4)First player since 1967 with 30 receiving touchdowns in his first 35 gamesOnly receiver with 3,000 receiving yards or more in his first 30 games (3,035)Only player in NFL history to reach 200 catches in 30 or less gamesSecond-most touchdowns by a wide receiver in his first two NFL seasons (since 1992)Second-most 60+ yard touchdowns (9) by a wide receiver in a three-year spanBeckham also holds Giants franchise records for most receptions (91) by a rookie, most rookie receiving yards (1,305) and touchdown catches (12) by a rookie and is already 10th on franchise’s all-time receptions list.He is a great player. He’s lightning, a guy turns the ordinary into the extraordinary in the blink of an eye.What Beckham needs to do now is keep the focus on those extraordinary talents. He needs to show that the last few months were a real sign of a maturing person and not just an orchestrated effort to be on his best behavior so that he would get paid.There can’t be any more boat trips. No more peeing in the end zone celebrations that embarrass the head coach, especially one like Pat Shurmur who has gone way above and beyond in an effort to forge a bond with Beckham. There can’t be any more on-field meltdowns that lead to suspensions.There has to be a Beckham who focuses solely on displaying those extraordinary gifts he has on the field. A Beckham who leads his teammates, teammates who love him and want him to lead them. A Beckham who represents the Giants, an iconic NFL franchise, the way such a franchise deserves to be represented.A Beckham who’s purpose is to help the Giants win football games, to win titls, and who doesn’t find ways to draw attention to himself for things that have nothing to do with how wonderfully gifted he is.Beckham’s legacyBeckham know what he wants his legacy to be.“This [contract] is kind of just something that you get out of the way,” Beckham said of the five-year contract extension he signed yesterday. “Honestly, it sounds crazy enough, but I don’t think I’ve done anything really since I’ve been here. I have goals for myself. I don’t think I have truly been able to achieve them, even with the success that I’ve had. It’s not really where I want to be. Like I said, before I was even in the NFL I wanted to be legendary. Yeah the money is great, you can take care of your family, you can take care of kids one day that you’ll possibly have. But my goal was always to be in the Hall of Fame, to win trophies, to be able to leave a legacy that will be remembered way past any money that you make.”Some things will have to be different if he is to be remembered the way he wants to be.Beckham was asked directly if he felt he had matured. His answer?“Do you see this polo? I’m growing up,” he said. “Honestly, it just was something that Darian Thompson Jerseys 2019 , I won’t say proud of anything that’s ever happened, but I’m able to take everything that’s happened for me and make myself into a man and learn from those mistakes and be able to look myself in the mirror and have to deal with those things. It wasn’t the best thing to happen to me to date, but what I got to learn and take and grow from, was everything that I needed in my life and now I’m able to take that and keep going forward and just be the best me that I can be.”Does he feel added responsibility because of the money?“I don’t know if it puts any extra that I haven’t already put on myself. Coming in early in training camp, being able to be here and knowing where I’m at in life, and knowing that I do need to be a leader, and there are guys that are watching me and I need to be there on days that I need to be bringing energy somewhere else,” Beckham said. “I don’t know if it’s any extra responsibility that I didn’t already put on myself going into this year, year five, being a vet. I couldn’t say it was any extra, but I know that my goals are if not the same, higher. I just want to be able to be my very, very best.”Beckham’s “very, very best,” on and off the field is what the Giants are paying for. Right now, there is lots of optimism that they will get it.When Carolina has the ball: Can the Giants slow down the Panthers’ running game? The New York Giants are once again watching their season slip away almost before it begins. The team might have one last chance to save their season when they travel to take on the Carolina Panthers this Sunday. If that is to happen, the defense might need to carry the day.The Giants’ defense has played well enough for them to win each of the games they have played, giving up just 20 points to both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys, and they played far better than the 33 points they gave up to the Saints would suggest. However, their Achilles heel this year has been running quarterbacks, and they face one of the best in the league in Cam Newton. Will the Giants’ defense be able to do enough to slow down the Panthers’ rushing attack and hope the offense can find an identity?Stats at a glance Panthers’ offenseRushing yards: 166.0 per gamePassing yards: 203.7 per gameTotal yards: 369.7 per gamePoints: 23.7 per gameGiants’ defenseRushing yards: 126.0 per gamePassing yards: 228.8 per gameTotal yards: 354.8 per gamePoints: 23.8 per gameCan the Giants finally defend the Zone-Read offense? The Carolina Panthers don’t have much of a passing attack. Their 203.7 yards per game is only good for 25th best in the league. However, they don’t need to throw the ball to move it, because they boast the league’s best running game, averaging 166 yards per game. And while Christian McCaffrey is a good runner of the ball — he averaged 6.6 yards per carry against the Cincinnati Bengals when he had 28 attempts — the reason for the Panthers’ success on the ground is Cam Newton. Or rather, the zone read. The Panthers are one of the few teams in the NFL to feature the zone read as a fundamental part of their offense. But then, they are the only team in the league to have Cam Newton at quarterback. The zone read exploded on to the NFL’s scene about eight years ago with the drafting of players like Newton and Colin Kaepernick — big, athletic quarterbacks who were runners as well as passers. The offense enjoyed a season or two of wide-spread success before retreating to be more of a trick play than an offensive staple. Defenses in the NFL are too smart, too big, too fast, and quarterbacks far too valuable for any scheme which consistently exposes them to hits to last long. But Newton is unique in his size, athleticism, and natural ability as a runner. The Panthers would be crazy to not feature the zone read with Newton running their offense. Combined with McCaffrey, the zone read is especially effective. The two players represent a stark contrast in styles, with McCaffrey’s shifty agility and Newton’s size and power. As well, even when McCaffrey is split out wide as a receiver, Newton’s presence always keeps the threat of a run on the table. Defending the zone read is relatively simple in theory: Maintain discipline on defense, play assignment-sound football, do not over-pursue White Kevin Zeitler Jerseys , and tackle securely. However, it is more difficult than that in practice. The defense must be able to force the quarterback to make the read they want him to make, and the players must have the discipline to trust their teammates to play their assignments even though the offense is trying to create a numbers advantage.So far the defense has looked lost defending the zone read against the Jaguars, Cowboys, and Saints. The Giants will continue to see the zone read until they prove that they are able to stop it, and if they want to have a chance at winning this week, they will need to do just that.Run CMCChristian McCaffrey occupies a unique place in the NFL. He is not only his team’s top running back, but also effectively their top receiver.McCaffrey has three times as many carries (46) as the number two running back (C.J. Anderson, 12). He also has nearly twice as many receptions (22) as the next receiving option (Devin Funchess, 14). It isn’t accurate to say that he is the engine that makes the Panthers’ offense go — that would be Cam Newton — but McCaffrey is clearly their biggest threat. His receiving ability will likely get the most attention; he does run routes and catch the ball like a wide receiver. But McCaffrey’s running ability shouldn’t be ignored either. He is only listed at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds, but his lower body is remarkably powerful for a small back. Combined with his vision and rare short-area quickness, that power makes McCaffrey very hard to bring down around the line of scrimmage. All too often he manages to fight his way through arm tackles and pick up far more yards than one might expect just by looking at him. Now, back to that receiving ability for a moment. Like Alvin Kamara, McCaffrey lines up all across the offensive front, from the backfield, to slot receiver, to wide receiver. He is a natural catcher of the ball who runs good routes and adjusts well to the ball in flight. With his lower body power and movement skills, McCaffrey is a tough cover for most defenders — he doesn’t have the speed to run away from most defensive backs, but quick feet and remarkably fluid movement let him change directions very easily. If stopping the read option is the Giants’ first order of business, then containing McCaffrey must be the second.Who will be on the field?Despite giving up 33 points to the New Orleans Saints, the Giants’ defense has played well enough for the team to win in each of their games in 2018. But now, reinforcements might be on the way for their road trip to CarolinaDefensive tackle Josh Mauro’s suspension is over, and he is eligible to rejoin the team — though they will need to make a roster move to add him to the 53-man roster. The former Arizona Cardinals lineman was added to both help fill a role in the new defensive scheme and aid the transition to that scheme. Mauro played well with the second team in preseason, and was often around the ball, though that was against backup linemen. Top edge rusher Olivier Vernon could be on his way back as well. Vernon is still working his way back from a high ankle sprain suffered in practice during the preseason. However, he practiced twice in a row last week before being ruled out for the Giants’ game against the Saints.If Vernon has not suffered any setbacks, he could make his 2018 debut for a Giants team in desperate need of a true every-down threat off the edge. They have been getting along without him, with players like Kareem Martin, Connor Barwin, Lorenzo Carter, Dalvin Tomlinson, and B.J. Hill providing their meager pass rush. Adding Vernon to the mix could be the spark the front seven needs.Finally, we come to Eli Apple. the third year corner got off to a fantastic start in the first two games, but was lost in week two to a groin injury. B.W. Webb has played about as well as could be hoped in Apple’s absence, but there is a clear step down between the two. Apple had limited participation in practice before Week 4, and says that he is feeling “much better.” Getting all three players back — particularly Vernon and Apple — could be a tremendous boost for the Giants’ defense. Having two cornerbacks capable of matching up one-on-one with the Panthers’ receivers and their best EDGE player back could be huge against the Panthers’ run-based offense.