Josh Norman can go over the top in theatrics but he's exactly what Redskins needed against Odell Beckham Jr.
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Before the game started, the NFL’s warning shot was delivered to Washington Redskins cornerback Josh Norman and New York Giants wideout Odell Beckham Jr. This time around, it would be zero tolerance.
“We’re not going to make a mockery of the game,” Norman said of the message officials delivered.
And his counterpart?
“If you do anything, we’re throwing you out of the game,” Beckham recalled being told.
With that, Round 2 of the league’s most intense one-on-one matchup was largely put on ice. And that was probably to the chagrin of many fans, who have delighted in the ratcheted-up rivalry between Norman and Beckham. This time around, the heated confrontation never really materialized – and that’s exactly what the Redskins sought. The coaching staff wanted a full, focused game out of Norman. And they would need it, losing two starting defensive backs among a spate of injuries, amidst an offensive game that continues to find its identity. In the end, Norman was there when Washington needed him most. And going forward, it will need him more than ever.
Round 2 went to Josh Norman in his rivalry against Odell Beckham Jr. (Getty Images)
“[It’s] a big relief it’s off our shoulders,” Norman said of Washington’s 29-27 victory. “… [The Giants] are 2-0 and we’re 0-2 and people think we lost hope. No, man. We came out there today and just put it all out there on the line. Guys went down, guys came in and made plays. You can’t ask [more from] a unit or a group that can do that.”
Despite playing a part in Beckham piling up 121 yards receiving, Norman’s pivotal moment came late in the fourth quarter, when he induced Beckham into a costly offensive pass interference penalty. The play negated a first down, cost New York time and pushed the Giants back to their 21. Two plays later, quarterback Eli Manning forced a ball down the middle of the field on third-and-14, a poor decision that was intercepted by Redskins rookie Su’a Cravens. And just like that, despite all the talk and buildup, Norman and a wounded defense walked the Redskins (1-2) out of MetLife Stadium with a badly needed win.
“I had been hearing chatter here, hearing chatter there,” Norman said, referencing a multitude of Giants comments directed at Norman and the Redskins defense before Sunday’s game. “The New York Giants defense [was] talking all about, ‘We don’t get any respect.’ Everybody [was] talking about Josh Norman versus Odell matchup. Well, they had their chance. I guess our offense and special teams did their job. We came out and we got a victory in a hostile environment – very hostile.”
“I don’t know if there is anything to prove. I dressed nicely to come here and get a ‘W.’ Everybody has their opinions of what this is, what that is. End of the day it really doesn’t matter when you come out victorious and you can get on the bus and get on the plane and talk to your guys and cut up a little bit.”
This one came with a fine line between needed victory and spiraling defeat. One that speaks to the Redskins still pulling themselves together as a team in the first month of the season. When Washington’s staff looks over the film, it’s going to see a plethora of offensive mistakes and missed opportunities. Solid drives repeatedly sputtered, translating to Dustin Hopkins finishing with five field goals.
Some of it was on quarterback Kirk Cousins, who had a handful of errant throws and also inexplicably took a sack at the end of the first half that eliminated an easy field-goal attempt. On that play, Cousins didn’t have much of an explanation for frittering away six seconds on a one-read play – pass to an open corner route or throw the ball away. Instead, Cousins let the play develop, running the clock out and leaving an easy three points on the field.
It wasn’t all bad as Cousins had moments that reminded many of his success last season. He commanded several solid drives and hit DeSean Jackson with a beautiful 44-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. It’s worth noting that score came with Washington trailing 21-9 and feeling like another Giants score would trigger a landslide. Instead, Cousins came through with back-to-back passes to Jackson for 75 yards, a consistent groove the Redskins would love to see develop in the coming weeks. That connection and the Redskins featuring a solid running game late hinted at offensive progress.
Kirk Cousins shook off a terrible gaffe at the end of the first half to help the Redskins beat the Giants. (Getty Images)
It also likely quelled some of the anonymous chatter about Cousins that surfaced after the 0-2 start, a familiar locker-room plague the Redskins can’t afford as the team tries to create a new culture. While Cousins largely shrugged off any pressure, both head coach Jay Gruden and Norman were more forthcoming about the resiliency mattering.
“We had many a reasons and many a times we could have hung our head and said, ‘Here we go again in 2016,’ ” Gruden said. “But these guys kept fighting and got the win. That’s all that matters.”
For now, it staved off a brutal week heading into a very winnable game against the 0-3 Cleveland Browns. It gives Cousins and Gruden some breathing room. And it proves some of the $75 million value attached to Norman, who lined up across from Beckham on every snap he wasn’t in the slot position or going into motion. With starting cornerback Bashaud Breeland suffering an ankle injury and safety DeAngelo Hall set to undergo a potentially season-ending MRI on his knee, the Redskins leave New York needing Norman more than ever. Not only from a talent standpoint, but from a leadership aspect.
While the win is a relief, there’s likely more trying times ahead. And Norman is going to have to be a steadying influence in the middle of that.
“We’ve got it in us,” Norman said. “We’re fighters. Fighters to the end. Scrapping [and] savagery as they come. Just gritty all the way down to the bone and gristle. Just fight, fight, fight.”
With the injuries and a still-forming identity, there will be more hurdles ahead. Sunday’s much-anticipated one-on-one showdown may not have materialized, but Washington’s self-anointed “best cornerback in the league” played a bigger role than ever. And it’s about to expand even further.