Odell Beckham puts on a show in Browns’ victory over Jets
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Odell Beckham Jr. had an 89-yard touchdown catch and a spectacular one-handed grab in his return to MetLife Stadium, and Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns did just enough to beat the short-handed and banged-up New York Jets 23-3 on Monday night.
Beckham, traded from the Giants in March, helped the Browns (1-1) bounce back from a 30-point loss to Tennessee in their opener to top the Jets (0-2).
New York lost quarterback Trevor Siemian to an ankle injury in the second quarter, and Luke Falk — promoted from the practice squad earlier in the day — played the rest of the game. Siemian was starting in place of Sam Darnold, who’s sidelined for at least a few weeks while recovering from mononucleosis.
The Jets couldn’t get anything going on offense, and the Browns blew open the game late in the third quarter.
Falk led the Jets on their longest drive of night to that point — 60 yards — but Le’Veon Bell could only get 1 yard on a fourth-and-2 pass, turning the ball over on downs at the Browns 11.
With Ben Roethlisberger out for the season and Drew Brees sidelined at least six weeks, the season gets much more complicated for the Steelers and Saints.
On the very next play, Mayfield hit Beckham with a slant pass, and the receiver outran the Jets’ defenders all the way to the end zone for an 89-yard TD that put Cleveland up 23-3 with 3:32 remaining in the third quarter.
The touchdown came after Beckham called out Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams last Thursday, saying the coach — then with the Browns — instructed players to hurt him in a preseason game in 2017. Williams denied Beckham’s accusations, jokingly asking reporters: “Odell who?” Williams, who led the Browns to a 5-3 record as their interim coach last season, also chided reporters for giving Beckham attention.
Well, Williams clearly knows who Beckham is now. The coach was seen shouting angrily on the sideline after Beckham’s touchdown.
And, that wasn’t all for Beckham, who finished with six catches for 161 yards and the TD.
He helped the Browns take a 3-0 lead on their first possession on Austin Seibert’s 23-yard field goal — a drive highlighted by a spectacular 33-yard, one-handed grab that got Cleveland down to the Jets 4.
It was reminiscent of Beckham’s highlight-reel, one-handed reception for the Giants on “Sunday Night Football” as a rookie in 2014. On this one, Mayfield found Beckham down the right sideline, and the receiver stuck out his right hand to snare the ball behind Nate Hairston — in nearly the same spot as his big catch five years ago.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ secondary suffered another big blow Sunday when Adrian Phillips suffered a broken arm against the Detroit Lions.
And, yes, Beckham was wearing his expensive watch — despite the NFL telling him last week not to.
Beckham then had to come out of the game because officials made him change his mirrored visor. He returned with a clear visor on his helmet.
Seibert’s 48-yarder gave the Browns a 6-0 lead with 6:15 left in the opening quarter as Cleveland outgained New York 101-4 in the first quarter.
Nick Chubb’s 19-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter put Cleveland up 13-0. The drive was helped by a defensive holding call on Hairston — starting in place of Trumaine Johnson — on fourth-and-2 from the Jets 24.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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