CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Odell Beckham Jr. was used by the Giants as their one and only punt returner in Sunday’s stunning 33-31 loss to the Panthers. It turned out to be a costly use of personnel by coach Pat Shurmur.
The football turned to folly early in the second quarter. Clearly desperate, Shurmur put Beckham back to field punts and his first one was a nice 15-yard return. His second was a complete disaster. Michael Palardy’s 51-yard kick sailed to the sideline, clearly out of Beckham’s range. He should have let it go. Instead, he ran to his right — a cardinal sin for a returner — and the ball bounced and glanced off his leg at the 3-yard line.