Odell Beckham Jr. Showing He Can Be Counted on in Big Moments

The weather is getting colder but Odell Beckham Jr. is getting hotter.

The superstar wide receiver got off to a slow start this season, but has been heating up as the Ravens look to hold onto the No. 1 seed in the AFC heading into the final four weeks.

After recording four catches for 97 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens’ 37-31 overtime win over his former team, the Los Angeles Rams, this past Sunday, Beckham has 17 catches for 343 yards and three touchdowns over his past five games and has averaged 82.3 yards per game in his past three. He had just 14 catches for 159 yards and no touchdowns in his first six games as a Raven, as he dealt with ankle and shoulder injuries.

The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec said Beckham’s performance against the Rams was further affirmation of what the Ravens were getting for their money when they signed the three-time Pro Bowler to a one-year, $15 million contract.

“They didn’t know how well Beckham could still run after his knee issues. But they knew he still was a precise route runner,” Zrebiec wrote. “They knew he’d still be able to make adjustments to the ball in the air. And they knew he’d catch just about everything that hit his hands. The nifty touchdown catch Sunday displayed all those examples and showed he can still run a little bit, too.

“The other thing the Ravens knew? That Beckham loves the stage and can be counted on in big moments. … The 46-yard touchdown gave the Ravens a 14-10 lead. His three other receptions gave Baltimore first downs. His final catch, a 14-yarder, was on the Ravens’ go-ahead scoring drive late in the fourth quarter.”