EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Odell Beckham Jr. had dropped a touchdown pass and another pass that could have led to a touchdown after he barely scrambled in time to recover his own fumble off a punt. In other words, against the Dallas Cowboys, he was primed for a prime-time meltdown that would have endangered a full supply of sideline kicking nets.Like most artists, Beckham is something of an odd duck (see that subsequent marriage proposal to the assailed net in October). He lives his football life on the edge, creating magical moments on one possession and threatening to blow up a weeks worth of his teams work on the next.But the New York Giants have been in the pro football business for more than 90 years, and theyve never had an offensive player like him. Never. If youre measuring by physical talent and physical talent alone, Beckham is the best Giant since Lawrence Taylor.So you need to understand this: Just as the franchise put up with Taylors considerable off-the-field downside for a reason (opponents couldnt block him), it will put up with Beckhams on-the-field downside for a reason no less obvious (opponents cant cover him). On Sunday night, when Eli Manning appeared about as comfortable and poised as a bloodied Y.A. Tittle on his knees, the Giants were in desperate need of one transcendent play from someone who plays offense for a living.Beckham made that play in this 10-7 victory, and it might ultimately put the Giants in the postseason for the first time since they won it all five years ago. They beat Dallas on a Sunday night to close out that 2011 regular season and qualify for the tournament, but that was then, and this is most definitely now. Given that Manning and his rookie coach, Ben McAdoo, were looking completely lost in their own building, Beckham was the lone Giant capable of seizing this game.The home teams defense had done all it could against Dak Prescott, the newbie the Giants defeated on opening night in September, back when people thought the Cowboys quarterback was little more than a promising fourth-round pick. Prescott had since won 11 consecutive games, taking Tony Romos job while taking the league by the throat, yet the Giants defense had reduced him to an amateur-hour act for much of this rematch.This is a championship defense, Beckham said.It wasnt going to matter if the Giants couldnt do anything about their 7-3 deficit. Beckham entered MetLife Stadium hellbent on making a difference. He hadnt scored a touchdown in two of his previous three games, including last weeks loss at Pittsburgh, where he seemed to spend a little too much time enjoying Antonio Browns friendship and skills.Then Beckham had a little conversation with the man in his mirror. He said he told himself, You need to wake up. I dont know whats going on with you, but you need to wake up. Youre on autopilot. Youre not out there affecting this game. Youre not really doing anything.The lack of production, Beckham said, eats me up. It just kills me to be able to come out here and not do what youre supposed to be doing. I just had to talk to myself. I talked to the man above and said, Wake me up. Its time to wake up. And sure enough, we came to life.Or at least Beckham did. Late in the third quarter, two plays after Prescott threw a dreadful interception, the receiver lined up wide left at the Giants 39 and ran a quick slant. Manning hit him in stride, and Beckham found a seam and exploded into the clear with Brandon Carr in pursuit. Carr is the cornerback who was burned on Beckhams signature three-fingered catch two years ago, the absurd reception that made the Giant an international star.Beckham loves competing against Carr, the kind of bigger, stronger cornerback who was supposed to give the receiver problems -- at least according to some pre-draft scouting reports. In the race to the end zone, Beckham felt Carr on top of him, running as fast as Ive ever felt somebody chasing me. I had to hit another gear.He hit that gear, pushing his hamstrings to the max. Carr couldnt catch him. Nobody can catch Odell Beckham Jr.Any time he touches the ball, Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins?said, you never know what might happen.Victor Cruz said of his teammates breakaway burst: Its amazing. To have that speed, to catch the ball and turn it on that quickly, its rare, not just in this league but in life.Beckham celebrated his 61-yard touchdown with a Michael Jackson leg kick and moonwalk and then a royal coronation-style wave to the fans. The entertainment was needed in the worst way; the Giants and Cowboys combined to convert a grand total of three third-down chances in 29 attempts.Yes, this game was awfully tough on the eyes. The Cowboys might have left the building with reason to be concerned about a possible playoff matchup with the Giants, who ruined Dallas 13-3 season during their Super Bowl run in 2007, but Prescott will be fine. He had a bad game. Thats all. It happens to the best of em.As a two-time Super Bowl MVP, Manning can attest to that. He deserves the benefit of the doubt, for sure, but hell be 36 next month, and the game isnt coming easily to him or just about anyone else on the Giants offense. (Manning had one pass intercepted on a night when he couldve had three or four picked off.) As hard as it is for a receiver to carry a unit, Beckham might be in that position right now.I want the defense to be sitting there eating candy, Beckham said, untying their shoes, knowing that the offense has the game in control.He knows that cant happen unless he elevates his game again and again. Beckham has 34 touchdowns in 40 career games, and hes averaging nearly 100 receiving yards per game in those three seasons. How much higher can he go? How much better can lucky No. 13 get?At his locker Sunday night, Beckham credited his all-world hamstrings to his mother, an all-American sprinter in college. He said he enjoyed the Cowboys-Giants atmosphere and compared it to an LSU-Alabama game. He said he needed to forget about his thumb injury, forget the drops and start working harder in practice.Beckham didnt blame the refs for anything this time, and he didnt trash an opposing cornerback. He didnt have to explain away some sideline rant or apologize for committing multiple personal fouls.This time, his talent did the talking for him against the Cowboys. Odell Beckham Jr. showed the world that hes a high-maintenance act who is worth the aggravation. Sonny Collins . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Al Burton . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. https://www.cheapnfljerseyschina.co/ . PAUL, Minn. Chase Vaughn . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Jason Buck . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Zane Najdawi scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and The Citadel rolled to a 146-84 victory over Division II member Johnson University of Florida on Sunday.It was the most The Citadel has scored since beating Bob Jones 121-111 in 2015. The Bulldogs made 46 of program record 107 shots, its most since making 50 against Coker in 1984 and 1985. The Bulldogs shot 102 field goals against USC Aiken in 1982.Najdawi was 8 of 13 from the floor and made 10 of 11 free throws.dddddddddddd Matt Frierson had 21 points and five steals. Brian White had 18 points, and Preston Parks and Warren Sledge had 10 assists apiece.Josh Grover scored 21 points to lead Johnson. Douet Broughton added 18 points and Caleb Winfrey chipped in 15.The Bulldogs had a double-digit lead midway through the first half. ' ' '