Odell Beckham Jr.'s 2020 season ended too soon, but he crammed plenty of memorable moments into the first half of it.
Beckham hauled in 23 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns, rushed three times for 72 yards and a touchdown and even tossed a pass, going 1-for-1 with an 18-yard completion to TE Austin Hooper. He did it all in six games, as he fell to the turf in pain after the Browns' first offensive play Week 7 against the Bengals. He'd torn his ACL and was lost for the year.
There was no replacing Beckham's unique skill set in the offense, but Cleveland's wide receivers (and more) did their best to replicate the production. Still, the Browns can't wait to see Beckham and the explosiveness he brings to the field back at work in 2021.
"I am excited to get him back here," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. "I know it was not easy for him being away from his teammates, especially as these games got bigger and into the playoffs. I know he definitely wanted to be a part of it."
Beckham's big plays helped give the Browns some early wins, all of which mattered when it came to making the playoffs. Andrew Gribble and Nathan Zegura explain their favorites below.
Gribble: Week 2 vs. Bengals - 43-yard TD catch
This play was both significant and symbolic. A quick refresher: The Browns were just a few days removed from a forgettable start of the season against Baltimore. The offense, especially the passing game, sputtered against the Ravens and managed just one touchdown. The Browns needed to rebound in a big way to show themselves and their fans this was going to be a much-improved offense. Beckham and Baker Mayfield wasted little time connecting on what would be the team's longest through-the-air completion of the season. The double move Beckham pulled on Cincinnati's William Jackson III was a work of art and it created more than enough separation for Mayfield to deliverable a catchable ball with yards to spare. This touchdown staked the Browns to a double-digit lead it would carry throughout most of its first win of the season, a game that opened our eyes to the potential of this Browns offense.
Zegura: Week 4 at Cowboys – 50-yard TD run
There is a star at the middle of the field in Dallas, but there was only one star who shined brightest, and his name was Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham would finish the day with 154 total yards and three touchdowns as the Browns would win a shootout 49-38 over the Cowboys. It was ridiculously productive day for Beckham, but one play stood out above all of the others. The Browns had just recovered the Dallas onside attempt at midfield and were clinging to a 41-38 lead with 3:37 to play. Earlier in the game, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski called for an end-around to Beckham that netted the team an easy 23 yards. With the offense needing a spark, Stefanski went back to the well, and Beckham did the rest. Unlike the first run of the play, Dallas DE Aldon Smith stayed home, and, for a second, it looked like Beckham would take a major loss. Instead, Beckham bent his path even wider (14 yards behind the line of scrimmage), got around Smith, turned the corner and hit the afterburners. He had a convoy of blockers in front, made one minor cut and then he was gone 50 yards to the house to clinch the big win for the Browns. Unfortunately, his season would be cut short just three weeks later, but Beckham made some memorable plays in his truncated season. The 50-yard rushing score to beat Dallas was at the top of the list.
