Will Norman get fined? Clearing up 5 Odell Beckham questions

But clearly, from where I sat Sunday, the major aggressor throughout the game was Beckham.

Play was vicious at times, particularly as the Panthers banged Beckham around.

During a one-sided first half, the young Giants receiver also charged cornerback Josh Norman and rammed his helmet into his side.

“He had some conversations and confrontations, but he knew he could strike fear with his play”, former Giants linebacker Carl Banks said Monday. On 69 snaps he got 1.5 sacks, five total QB disruptions, and three stops in the run game, all good for a +3.3 grade from Pro Football Focus. “When we get to that game, we’ll cross that bridge”.

Coughlin needed to be better than the woefully overmatched refs on Sunday, and he needed to be better than the response he gave Monday about keeping Beckham on the field. While that isn’t an especially impressive number, coming against one of the premier rush defenses in the NFL – Carolina allowed just 84.6 rushing yards per game coming into Sunday – it should be impressive. Veteran Chris Chester was signed to take his place.

Nope, he hasn’t done any of that… yet.

GEORGE MILLER/AP Lawrence Taylor did things right… on the field at least.

Beckham deservedly received a suspension, but others said Norman should have been fined for his actions as well.

Norman was the early instigator body slamming Beckham to the ground in the first quarter and repeatedly shoving him uTnder the facemask at the line of scrimmage. It appears that way.

“Like I said, it was two guys going at it, and I can speak for Odell and I can speak for Josh Norman, but at the end of the day just two guys going at it. You don’t want to get in between that, yeah the ref has say so but I did they did a great job not ejecting neither of them, and letting them play it out”.

Beckham was suspended largely because of his helmet-to-earhole shot that prompted New York City sports radio host Mike Francesa to say on Monday, “He damaged the legacy of his head coach and the legacy of his team”. He’s lucky he didn’t get hurt and he’s lucky he didn’t hurt somebody else.

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Odell Beckham Jr. might be the most physically gifted receiver ever to wear an National Football League uniform. It was a risky play that could have caused serious harm to both players.

For the Giants, losing the game and losing Beckham for a week may very well end their postseason hopes. As a result, Coughlin has lost the right to preach about accountability and responsibility.

Empty words that are now only appropriate when it suits his agenda.

Though I was stunned Sunday by the extreme manifestation of that rage, nothing Beckham did changed my opinion about what inspires him.

The Panthers claim the bat is a motivational symbol they bring onto the field before every game. It is supposed to symbolize going for the big hits. There were allegations reported Monday about the Panthers taunting Beckham with homophobic slurs and threats of physical violence. Officials failed to do it on the field. There is no need for a baseball bat to be taken on a field before a game, even if only with symbolism as the intention.

Well, Tom, as a matter of fact, this particular franchise and organization, under your direction Sunday, did tolerate Beckham’s actions for sixty minutes on the clock.