The Giants expect opponents to borrow a page from Sean Avery’s playbook when it comes to Odell Beckham Jr.
With his star receiver seemingly unable to control his emotions amid an NFL crackdown on taunting, Big Blue coach Ben McAdoo won’t be surprised if foes model their approach after the Rangers’ notorious former on-ice pest.
Asked Wednesday if he thinks teams — having witnessed Beckham melt down in each of the past two weeks — would send a defender out to intentionally bait him early in games, McAdoo smiled.
“You mean like it’s hockey? Possibly,” he said.
Beckham didn’t speak with the media Wednesday, but he and his fragile psyche remained by far the No. 1 topic of conversation with the 2-2 Giants, as they tried to turn their attention to the Packers this weekend in Green Bay.
McAdoo said he wouldn’t begrudge opponents for trying to goad Beckham, considering Josh Norman of the Redskins and Xavier Rhodes of the Vikings did that to great effect in two straight Giants losses.
“I’m sure that teams aren’t real thrilled about the idea of him having the ball in his hands, because he can do something with it,” McAdoo said. “So they’re going to do whatever they can do to keep him from having the ball in his hands. And if they feel that [baiting him] is a good strategy, we may see it.”
Getting Beckham under control is even more pressing for the Giants because the campaign against taunting — a campaign prompted by Beckham’s infamous slugfest with Norman at MetLife Stadium last December — is showing no letup from the league office.
NFL officials already have called almost as many taunting penalties (12) through the first four weeks this year than they did all last season (19). The league also already has equaled the number of 2015 ejections (three).
Beckham complained after picking up a taunting penalty in Monday night’s 24-10 road loss. He said he feels he is being picked on by the league and the officials.
Though ESPN reported Wednesday that officials have been ordered to do the opposite of Beckham’s complaint and instead watch out for players baiting him, Eli Manning said Beckham still needs to be cautious.
“You’ve just got to know you can’t do anything that looks like [taunting],” Manning said Wednesday. “You just have to be smart. Make plays and don’t show up anybody else.”
That’s because Manning agreed with the sentiment that the league so far hasn’t been consistent or specific enough with what it considers unsportsmanlike conduct or taunting.
“I’ve seen a couple of calls that were questionable,” Manning said. “You just have to be very careful, knowing that the refs are looking for it.”
“I think he’ll be fine. He got hit a little late on the sideline, but it was one play out of many,” Manning said of the play in which Beckham was flagged on Monday. “I don’t think we have to make a big deal about it. I don’t think he should have been called for it. I thought he was hit late, and if you hit anybody late, [they will be upset]. He really seemed to be complaining more to the ref about it than anything. He got called for taunting, but I don’t think that was taunting, necessarily.”
Teammate Justin Pugh defended Beckham, saying the All-Pro wideout hasn’t been a distraction and is under the microscope only because he plays in the world’s biggest media market.
“That’s the good and the bad of playing in New York City,” Pugh said. “I feel bad that one person is getting singled out. He’s not being a distraction. He’s emotional. There’s emotional players all over this league. Obviously, things aren’t going his way, so he’s got a microscope on him. I feel bad that has to be the case.
“It’s tough to see him, a 23-year old kid, every little thing he does is all over ‘SportsCenter,’ ” Pugh added. “There’s nothing else they can talk about besides Odell.”
But as much as the Giants would like for Beckham to dial back the antics, McAdoo said he still doesn’t want him to change too much.
“I think he has great passion for the game and a great desire to be one heck of a player,” McAdoo said. “One thing I’d hate to see him lose is that drive and that passion.
“I like him as a salty, competitive player,” McAdoo added. “That’s when he plays at his best. We just need to be productive when we’re doing it. You have to stay within the rules. I want him to play with a salty, physical, attacking mindset.”