Why Detroit Lions fans shouldn’t panic if Odell Beckham plays Monday
By Matt Bosko
A thin Detroit Lions defense was victimized by Odell Beckham Jr. last season. Here’s why that will not be the case if he plays in the 2017 meeting.
As Monday Night Football draws near, it seems more and more likely that the Detroit Lions will have to deal with the return of Odell Beckham Jr. The New York Giants’ star receiver, just four weeks removed from a preseason ankle injury, is on track to make his season debut after sitting out Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.
Lions fans are more than aware of the challenge that Beckham presents – he is a dynamic receiver who possesses breakaway speed and otherworldly pass-catching ability. All of those traits were on display in Week 15 of last year when the Giants defeated the Lions 17-9. Beckham caught six passes for 64 yards, including a one-handed and game-clinching touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
Fans are understandably concerned that Beckham’s return significantly decreases the Lions’ chances of escaping the Meadowlands with a win. Containing him will be a tall task, for sure, but not impossible.
A Primary Secondary
The Lions arguably have a much deeper secondary than they did last season when they faced Beckham. Gone are the days where Johnson Bademosi, a special teams ace, starts at cornerback. Gone are the days of Asa Jackson, who was victimized by this same Giants team a year ago, and at one point during that game literally forgot that he wasn’t supposed to be on the field.
Healthy Slaymaker
Lions cornerback Darius Slay exited last season’s contest against the Giants in the second quarter after aggravating a hamstring injury. Unlike last season, Slay has no lingering injury coming into this match-up with Beckham.
Recognized as one of the NFL’s top corners, Slay fears no challenge and is not afraid to be physical at the line of scrimmage against top receivers – just ask Dez Bryant.
Slot Machine
There is no guarantee that Slay will shadow Beckham all game. The Giants will surely use Beckham out of the slot at times to create matchup problems, but this is another area where the Lions are more prepared than they were last season.
In addition to Darius Slay, the Lions will also have the services of nickel corner Quandre Diggs, who ended last season on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.
Diggs’ performance last week against the Arizona Cardinals caught the attention of ProFootballFocus, who gave him an 84.4 overall grade:
"Diggs couldn’t have played much better in coverage this afternoon, as he did not give up a reception on four throws into his coverage and broke up two of the attempts. He rounded out his day by notching a defensive stop and three solo tackles."
Lawson-Hayden Rotation Situation
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin apparently likes the depth of talent on the opposite side of Darius Slay in cornerbacks Nevin Lawson and D.J. Hayden. He appears to like them so much, he did not commit to playing just one over the other in Friday’s press conference.
"Both guys have the ability to play and we want to give them to opportunity to play."
Austin’s trust in the duo is evident in last week’s game plan, where Hayden played 41 snaps to Lawson’s 32.
Truly Offensive Line
The Giants offense has struggled dating back to last season, whether Beckham has been on the field or not. This is mostly due to an offensive line that has largely been unable to open running lanes or protect Manning – a trend that continued last week against the Dallas Cowboys, a team that does not boast the most talented defensive corps.
For the Lions, this presents an enticing match-up. If their front four are able to get enough penetration to take away the running game and make the Giants one-dimensional, Manning could be in for another long night. If the Giants become predictable, Manning will be under pressure to unload the ball before downfield routes can develop.
Next: Lions 2017 game-by-game predictions
The odds are that Beckham will make his presence felt in this game in some way, but the Lions are much better prepared to handle the challenge than they were last season.