Odell Beckham Jr. is the Cleveland Browns' No. 1 wide receiver. We know this. But whether it's wearing a $350,000 watch during games or taking shots at New York Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, Beckham has been in the news for all the wrong reasons this past week.
What's new?
Of course, Beckham is an extraordinarily talented receiver and is about the only Browns player who did much of anything in Cleveland's Week 1 loss against the Tennessee Titans, catching seven passes for 71 yards, but thus far, it has been more about Beckham's mouth and non-football actions than his actual play on the field.
With a lot of pressure on Beckham heading into the Browns' Monday night matchup against the Jets, fellow wideout Jarvis Landry is the main Cleveland player who needs to step up and have a big game.
Obviously, a lot of this also depends on Baker Mayfield playing better after an atrocious Week 1 performance, but assuming Mayfield gets it together, Landry could end up being his go-to guy.
Let's be clear: the Browns should win this game. The Jets are without Sam Darnold, and C.J. Mosley is also out on the defensive side. So, if Cleveland loses this one, it is in steep trouble.
But I will say that the Browns have accomplished nothing yet to make us believe that this win is a sure thing for them. They need to prove themselves, and it starts on Monday evening.
New York will surely be focusing a lot of its attention on Beckham, and based on his comments about Williams previously targeting him, it would not be surprising to see the Jets being extra physical with him in this contest.
It's not hard to get into Beckham's head, and that is unquestionably what Gang Green will try to do, which could open the door for Landry to have a monster game.
Landry has a synergy with Mayfield that Beckham simply does not have yet, so when times are tough, Mayfield will probably lean on Landry more, as he has already established himself as a reliable receiver on the ballclub.
He is someone who can open up the entire offense, including for Beckham, and I expect the Browns to try and get him involved early and often in this matchup.
So, while Beckham may have drawn the ire of the Jets, it could be Landry who ends up hurting them the most on Monday night.
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