Eli Manning isn’t backing star wide receiver Odell Beckham’s claims officials are unfairly targeting him.
Beckham was not a happy camper after getting an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in Monday’s 24-10 loss to the Vikings. The New York Giants star received the penalty after getting knocked out-of-bounds on a short pass in the second quarter. Beckham took exception to Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes hit and immediately ran towards him and got in his face. The talented 23-year-old complained referees were constantly looking to penalize him following the defeat, telling the Associated Press “it’s always, it’s just my fault.”
Quarterback Eli Manning isn’t defending Beckham’s complaint. Speaking with Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News, Manning said Beckham needs to be smarter.
“He’s got to play smart,” Manning said. “He can’t afford to do anything they’ll call. He’s kind of brought that upon himself, so he’s got to realize that . . . No doubt. Can’t afford the penalties.”
It’s hard to blame Manning for calling out Beckham. Was the call an obvious one? No. Did it warrant a penalty? Yes. The didn’t go into the gray area to target Beckham, but instead, saw an unnecessary reaction to a clean play. He went over to Rhodes aggressively following the catch and proceeded to get in his face. It certainly wasn’t a good example of sportsmanship.
Manning is calling out Beckham because he knows when he’s focused, he’s among the best in the game. When he’s not, he’s acting reckless and crying wolf. Manning is probably hoping his words will re-focus his talented wide receiver.
