You can’t stop New York Giants star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., you can only hope to contain him. And by golly, that’s what Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio is set out to do on Sunday.
Fangio addressed the assembled media at Halas Hall on Thursday and fielded questions on how to stop the Giants offense. And while he noted it would take an 11-man effort to put the clamps on stud running back Saquon Barkely, Fangio seeks out a higher power to help keep Beckham at bay:
Vic Fangio's best advice to slow down Odell Beckham Jr.: "Going to mass on Saturday night."
— Colleen Kane (@ChiTribKane) November 29, 2018
Now that you mention it, it’s been a while since yours truly has attended a Saturday night mass. I suppose anything can help.
Beckham is in the midst of another amazing season. He’s already surpassed the 1,000-yard barrier, has 74 catches, and five touchdowns. Beckham will be a force to handle for Kyle Fuller, Prince Amukamara, Eddie Jackson, and the entire bears secondary. After being held out of the end zone in each of his first four games, Beckham scored five touchdowns in a six-game stretch. No wonder Fangio is going to new heights seeking answers on how to contain Beckham.
Perhaps a higher power will point Fangio in the direction of dialing up some more pressure. Pro Football Focus ranks the Giants offensive line as the eighth-lowest-graded in football. There are times where individuals have put forth great performances and occasions when the group collectively puts it together. In fact, you don’t have to look any further than last week’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, who generated only 12 pressures on Eli Manning’s 39 drop-backs.
If the Bears can get to Manning, they could effectively neutralize Beckham and what can be a potent passing game. But if they can’t, then Fangio might be searching far and wide for more answers.
Let’s eat.
Posted by Bleacher Nation Bears on Wednesday, November 28, 2018