Josh Norman had the mic and opportunities to sound off on his upcoming reunion with Odell Beckham Jr. He could have shed light on the reasons behind their feud that took place on the field last December and spilled over into the offseason as they exchanged verbal barbs through the media.
But the Washington Redskins cornerback didn’t take the bait as he addressed the media from the podium after Wednesday’s practice, the first of the week in the team’s preparation for Sunday’s game against Beckham and the New York Giants.
Most weeks, Norman — Washington’s prized free agent signing from the spring — addresses the media from the midst of a scrum in front of his locker. But the intrigue over Norman’s first meeting with the Giants wide receiver since the two exchanged blows, shoves and jabs in a 38-35 Carolina Panthers win over New York called for special treatment. Even a handful of reporters from New York made the trip to Ashburn to hear Norman’s words first-hand.
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But Norman gritted his teeth, fought the urge to let his emotions and mouth run free and worked to steer the focus away from Beckham. “I’m looking forward to playing the New York Giants, man,” Norman said. “I think a lot has been said from this week all the way up to last time we played each other. They’re going to be just as ready as we are, and shoot, seems Sunday can’t get here fast enough.”
Norman added, “I’m focused on winning. Nothing more, nothing less. It doesn’t matter who you cover, how many yards he has, if you don’t win the game. If you don’t come up with a W, it’s really all for nothing. We’re trying to get a win and get our season started, and that’s our main focus and all we need to concentrate on to be honest with you.”
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Norman and Beckham’s spat certainly didn’t represent the first between two players, and it absolutely will not be the last. But because of the level of intensity it reached — with Beckham receiving three unnecessary roughness penalties and Norman two for action following plays — the squabble ranks among the most memorable in recent NFL history.
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Asked about the level of attention that the feud drew, Norman speculated it was “probably because of the New York media” and the fact that the game carried such importance because the Panthers’ record improved to 14-0 with the victory. But the cornerback refused to give any insight into what sparked the hostility.
At one point during the game, Norman broke off his coverage of Beckham to go help tackle a ballcarrier back upfield. Beckham got a 15-yard running start and drilled Norman with a blind-side helmet-to-helmet to hit. People close to Norman took offense to that head shot because of the risk for serious injury.
When asked about it on Wednesday, Norman’s eyes briefly widened and he clenched his jaw. But he again practiced restraint.
“God tells us to forgive all, so I’m working on that,” he said. “That was last year. I think things that happen in the past stay in the past, whether they’re here or not. I’m sure he didn’t want it to happen, just like nobody else did.”
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Asked for his scouting report on Beckham, Norman said, “He’s a good player. Really good player. No hate whatsoever. Guy can play ball. The competitor in me likes that. There’s a challenge to get up for that.”
Meanwhile, at Giants practice in East Rutherford, N.J., Beckham also took a tight-lipped approach. He told reporters that he expected the Redskins to try to get under his skin and described his approach to the game as “mental warfare.” But he gave a bland answer when asked about whether he expects to match up with Norman the whole game.
“They’re going to do what they have to do,” he said. “Whether somebody follows you or doesn’t follow you, that’s not my game plan. My game plan is if they tell me line up to the right, I go to the right. If they tell me to line up to the left, I go to the left. If they tell me to line up inside, I line up inside. That’s really it.”
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The Redskins’ use of Norman against Beckham carries great intrigue because of defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s strategy in the first two weeks of the season. In the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Barry kept Norman on the right side of the field rather than have him follow dangerous wide receiver Antonio Brown, who went on to have eight catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns while primarily facing cornerback Bashaud Breeland.
On Sunday against the Cowboys, after three quarters of keeping Norman on the right side, Barry had Norman start following Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant to limit his production in the game-defining moments of the fourth quarter.
It is expected that Norman will follow Beckham on Sunday. However, the Giants also have weapons in wide receivers Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard, so Norman could spend some time covering them depending on the flow of the game.
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Coach Jay Gruden naturally wouldn’t tip his hand on the plans for Norman. And Norman said he ultimately didn’t care who he covered. But if he did get the opportunity to face Beckham all game, he’d welcome the challenge.
“Heck yeah, why not?” he said with his first grin of the six-minute podium session. “Shoot, that’s the competitor inside me. I don’t shy away from nobody. I go into Sunday and it just reeks and oozes with confidence. I don’t bow down to nobody or their thoughts of me. I try to make my own and when I do, I try to impose my will. So, at the end of the day, give me your best shot. I’ll take it.”
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