New York Giants Odell Beckham Jr. stands on the field in the first half against the New Orleans Saints in week 2 of the NFL at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on September 18, 2016. File photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
License Photo
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants are not only winless through five games, but they're facing the very real possibility of having to get that elusive first win without their best player moving forward.
The Giants confirmed that star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. suffered a fractured left ankle in the fourth quarter of the Giants' 27-22 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The NFL Network also reported that Beckham fractured his fibula, but the team did not confirm that report.
Beckham, who first suffered a high ankle sprain to that same ankle back in Week 2 of the preseason, had finally turned the corner with that injury until this latest ailment.
Beckham's injury seemed to be the final gut punch to a Giants team which for the third week in a row saw its once staunch defense fail to lock down a lead.
"It's tough to see any guy leave the game," said offensive lineman Justin Pugh. "He was in some pain. I'm just praying that he's alright."
Punter Brad Wing, who is Beckham's closest friend on the team -- the two attended LSU together -- struggled to find the words regarding his friend's predicament.
"It's tough. He's more than a teammate to me. I consider him very, very close to me," Wing said. "I know how much he loves playing football and how much he wants to do well and for him to not be out there no matter how serious it is, I know it upsets him and it is upsetting to see our best player feel like that."
Wing, who earlier in the game was seen consoling a distressed Beckham when the Giants were losing, said he didn't think Beckham's injury sucked the life out of the Giants sideline, but he did admit that it's a tough pill to swallow.
"It's a tough feeling," Wing said. "We're trained as professionals to take whatever is thrown at us, I think we do a good job with that at times, but having 13 being the type of player he is and then having these last few weeks be the way they've been, I wouldn't say it takes the life out of us, but it's something that every one of the sideline is aware of, I can promise you that."
The Giants said that Beckham, who left the stadium in a cart, will undergo further tests, including an MRI exam, to determine if he has ligament damage, adding that no decision has been made regarding surgery.
Beckham was not the only receiver to suffer an injury. Dwayne Harris suffered a broken foot in the second half and his injury is probably season-ending. And both Sterling Shepard and Brandon Marshall both suffered ankle injuries in the second quarter, with Marshall needing to be carted off the field after landing awkwardly on his ankle.
The injuries to the receivers meant that head coach Ben McAdoo abandoned the "11-personnel" package (three receivers) late in the game when they attempted to run their two-minute offense.
"Yeah, I mean, it significantly altered the game," McAdoo said. "We had one receiver left at the end of the ball game. The guys fought hard, the tight ends stepped up and went out and worked to execute the two-man offense. They don't get a lot of reps with what they're being asked to do, but they went out, they played fast and played hard.
Meanwhile, Giants quarterback Eli Manning took a knee to the head by teammate Ereck Flowers late in the fourth quarter and underwent an X-ray on his neck, accord to a report by the New York Daily News.
Manning's X-ray came back negative, per the report, though he's probably headed for more tests this week.
