Covering OBJ Will Be A Chess Match For Jets Coach Bowles

When you look at the Giants on offense, they don't have a great deal. What they do have is a good QB and an elite receiver, and sometimes that's all you need.

So far this year, Odell Beckham Jr has been targeted 104 times, which is actually 3 less than Jets #1 receiver Brandon Marshall. However OBJ has come down with 72 receptions (Marshall has 71) for 1,005 yards and 9 TD's. He's averaging 91.4 yards per game and 14 yards per catch. Numbers that are very similar to Brandon Marshall in truth.

Recently we've talked about Brandon Marshall being doubled a lot, which happens with OBJ a lot of the time. We also commented that when Marshall sees that single coverage, that's where you need to take advantage. Knowing when to double a receiver and when not to is one of the key aspects of every game, and in the end, it's a lot like a chess match. Well according to Bowles it is anyway:

You know he's going to get the ball. Timing is everything. Obviously, there is a calculated risk and everything. You can't double him the entire game, so it becomes a chess game.

Odell is a fantastic receiver. He's open, even when he's covered. As Bowles described it "he catches himself open". It's difficult to cover OBJ, but it's not impossible. Just like it's difficult to cover Brandon Marshall, but it's not impossible.

The key aspect for the Jets is trying to limit the damage done by Odell Beckham Jr, a receiver who can do a little bit of everything.

Everything. He can run routes, he's quick off the ball, he's explosive, he can go up and get the ball with one hand or two. Whether you have him covered or not, he can catch himself open, which is rare. Most receivers can't do that.

He makes it hard to do a lot of things. It doesn’t matter whether you’re playing zone or man. He makes it hard. You just have to play your game. It’s not a one-on-one, it’s the Giants and Jets, not Beckham versus a corner.

Bowles is absolutely right when he says that this game is a game between the Jets/Giants, not between OBJ and whichever corner or corners are given the difficult task of covering him. However in football, there are individual battles that you need to win to come out on top. Lets hope that Bowles is the chess master on Sunday.