After clearing up his controversial comments with the rest of the Giants on Sunday, WR Odell Beckham Jr. took the opportunity at Tuesday's practice to praise his teammates for getting Big Blue closer to where it wants to be.
"I think we all understand each other," Beckham told reporters. "Like I said, there's nothing that is going to come in between my brothers, my teammates, this is something that is going to pull us closer. I felt very close as a team this Sunday, and that's the way that we have to play. That's the way we're going to fight. Nobody in here likes to lose, we're all tired of losing, we want to change that culture, atmosphere, whatever it is, because this is a place that has a lot of pride and we want to be able to be proud of what we display and do all those things."
Beckham made headlines on Sunday when, in an interview that aired on ESPN, he answered "I don't know" when asked if the Giants have a quarterback problem. Sitting alongside rapper Lil Wayne, Beckham also said he felt he's been "outschemed" on offense, adding he didn't feel he's been in a place where he can play to his full potential. That prompted a summoning to head coach Pat Shurmur's office and a subsequent apology to the team for what he said was a "wrong message."
Asked if he believes he's back on track after recording a season-high 131 receiving yards along with a rushing and throwing touchdown during the heartbreaking loss to Carolina, Beckham declined to take any credit.
"No, what it made me feel like is that I like the direction that this team is going," he said. "I like the way we came out there and fought against every bit of adversity, like I said. I've never felt so close to where all of our mindset is and where we're heading and where we want to go, and I think that was a building point.
"I remember being in the huddle multiple times being like, this is the game that's going to be determining for our season of how we're going to be, what's our character, what's this team's identity? That fight, that grit, determination, all that -- that's who this team is and that's what we plan to bring every single Thursday, Monday night, Sunday game from here on out."
Beckham added that unlike most players in the NFL, he's glad to see a quick, four-day turnaround on this week's schedule, with the Giants hosting the Super Bowl champion Eagles on Thursday Night Football.
"This probably would be the first time where I would ever not be upset about the turnaround," Beckham said. "Coming off a tough loss like that, you just want to get back out there. When you lose a game like that, it's like you wish you had five more minutes to play and you've got to wait a whole week usually, but we get a quick turnaround this week, we get to go out on Thursday, and I know we're all excited about that opportunity. We've got to come out and make the most of it."
The Giants (1-4) and Eagles (2-3) will kick off at 8:20 p.m. Thursday at MetLife Stadium.