Cowboys' Dez Bryant on Giants' Odell Beckham Jr: 'The man's a monster'
On a night when he improved his all-time mark to 50 career touchdowns in the Cowboys' game against the Giants on Sunday night, Dallas receiver Dez Bryant reserved some praise for New York rookie receiver Odell Beckham Jr., according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Bryant caught two touchdowns against the Giants, his first from 31 yards in the first quarter to give his team the lead. The second came with just over a minute left and sealed the Cowboys' 31-28 win.
Even in victory, Bryant still offered compliments to his opponent. Specifically, he praised Beckham's leaping, acrobatic grab for a 43-yard touchdown.
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"The man's a monster," Bryant said. "You have to give it to him. He's one of those guys that loves to play the game. You can tell. He jumps around. He's got bounce to him. He wants to be out there. He wants to make a play."
"You've got to respect a guy like that. That catch? That's outstanding. Whew, some of my work. You've got to give it to him for real."
The game was a milestone for Bryant, as well. His 50 career touchdowns have come in just 70 games, making him the second-fastest Cowboy and the seventh-fastest player in league history to reach that mark.
"That's pretty cool," Bryant said when informed of his accomplishment. "Thank you, buddy. It don't mean anything to me."
The Dallas receiver added that his performance in the second half had more to do with supporting his team and less to do with matching Beckham's feats.
"I respect wideouts," Bryant said. "I respect playmakers. He is a playmaker. I just don't like it when he do it to us. I do like seeing wide receivers ball out in this league."
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Bryant totaled 86 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches, giving the fifth-year receiver eight touchdowns and more than 50 receptions for the season.
Beckham's spectacular grab was one of his 10 catches in a losing effort. The 22-year-old, in his first year out of LSU, finished with 146 yards and two touchdowns.
The win moves the Cowboys to 8-3; tied with the Philadelphia Eagles, who they play on Thanksgiving Day for the lead in the NFC East. New York is 3-8, well behind Dallas and Philadelphia in the division.
- Christopher Woody
