The biggest game of the weekend is the tilt between the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants, who have a propensity for snapping undefeated seasons –– just ask the New England Patriots. But the real heavyweight fight that will go down at MetLife will take place between just two individuals: Odell Beckham Jr. and Josh Norman.
The Panthers’ undefeated record may hinge on one very ‘edible’ matchup
It’s not every week when perhaps the best receiver in football is matched up with arguably the game’s top corner.
On Sunday afternoon, arguably the best wide receiver in football will be paired up against perhaps the game’s top corner. Norman described the matchup as “edible” earlier this week. And based on how well Beckham and Norman have played over the last several weeks, this matchup promises to live up to the hype –– even if Tom Coughlin doesn’t appear to be all that thrilled about it.
Coach Coughlin on anticipating Odell Beckham vs. Josh Norman - "Sure."
— New York Giants (@Giants) December 16, 2015 It's not hyperbolic to say Beckham's career is off to a historically good start. In 25 games, he has more receptions and receiving yards than any other player in history. Beckham only trails Randy Moss by 101 yards for the most receiving yards ever through the first two seasons of his career, and he still has three more contests to play.
Beckham’s coming out party on a national scale occurred early last November, when he torched Richard Sherman for seven catches and 108 yards. Following that affair, he was the first Giants rookie receiver to record back-to-back 100-yard games since Byron Williams in 1983.
Since then, Beckham has made heads turn on nearly a weekly basis. Monday night against the Miami Dolphins, he unveiled some ridiculous footwork to stay in-bounds and reel in his first of two touchdown catches of the evening.
Over his last six games, Beckham has averaged seven catches, 133 yards and one touchdown per contest. Oddly enough, the cornerback who’s enjoyed the most success against Beckham during this stretch was the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler, who only held him to three catches and 17 yards after his 87-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. Butler, last season’s Super Bowl hero, was an undrafted rookie out of West Alabama who couldn’t fight his way into the starting lineup for the duration of his rookie campaign.
From that standpoint, maybe Norman is the man who can contain Beckham. Much like Butler, NFL success didn’t come easily for the 2012 fifth-round selection. Just two years ago, he was inactive for five games.
But last season, Norman started to find his groove. According to Football Outsiders, he was the fourth-best cornerback in the league in 2014.
This year, though, Norman has elevated his game to atmospheric heights. He’s emerged as arguably the game’s top shutdown corner, shutting down No. 1 receivers on a regular basis.
Wow. Josh Norman has held DeAndre Hopkins, Mike Evans, TY Hilton, Dez Bryant, Julio Jones to combined 9 rec/89 yards (@nflnetwork research).
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 16, 2015 In addition to his play on the field, Norman is developing the chippy attitude that's befitting of most top corners. He's spent much of the last two weeks engaged in a feud with former Pro Bowl safety and NBC analyst Rodney Harrison, who wrongly predicted Julio Jones would torch Norman in their matchup Sunday.
Because he's horrible at his job. RT @Campinthe803: Harrison,last week said the Seahawks r better ... https://t.co/m6j22T6f7Q
— *Joshua R. Norman (@J_No24) December 10, 2015 Given Beckham's performance over the last two months, and really, the first two his years of his career, it's safe to say matching up with him will probably be Norman's biggest test of the season. But even if Beckham does find a way to get into the end zone, Norman can take solace in the fact the Giants are only 6-9 in games in which Beckham has recorded 100 or more receiving yards.
But still, though the Giants don’t always win when Beckham lights it up, they almost certainly won’t be victorious Sunday if he gets shut down. Norman seems to be up to the task.
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