Odell Beckham Jr. Gives Giants More Than Just a Weapon; He's Their New Identity

This isn't basketball, where rosters contain only 12 active players, or hockey, where only five guys are on the ice at one time. In the football world, it's very hard for one player to become the face of an organization, especially if that player isn't a quarterback. 

But after another dominant performance Sunday against the St. Louis Rams, it's possible rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is on the verge of becoming exactly that with the New York Giants. 

The No. 12 overall pick caught eight more passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns, giving him over 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns since Week 9 and a league-high five 130-yard performances on the season. 

But this goes beyond the numbers. 

Beckham has the power to change this team's attitude. He has the ability to inspire hope within an organization that has lacked fire far too often during a six-year stretch in which it has missed the playoffs five times. 

Beckham isn't just on fire, he possesses fire. We've seen it time and again from a star receiver who seems to lack diva traits. That can of course backfire, as we saw when the LSU product was penalized for taunting after a first-quarter touchdown Sunday, but that intensity should benefit the Giants significantly more often than it hurts them. 

Beckham plays pissed off. And when your best player has a chip on his shoulder only 11 games into his NFL career, it's bound to rub off on the rest of the roster. It became apparent that was happening when Beckham sparked a brawl following a late hit from Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree Sunday. 

"The Rams clearly were trying to goad Beckham into a foul that could lead to an ejection, or at least get into his head to make his less effective," wrote NJ.com's Jordan Raanan. "They did neither."

Considering that Beckham scored on an 80-yard pass from quarterback Eli Manning less than an hour later—and it should be noted he didn't celebrate after that score—I'd say that's a correct assessment. 

This team has clearly become tired of losing, and a new leader is helping it realize that the results it's put up the last three seasons just aren't acceptable. 

Think about it: When was the last time the Giants had a player like this? Quarterback Eli Manning and Pro Bowl receiver Victor Cruz have the ability to change games, even seasons, but they lack the attitude that we're seeing from Beckham. 

That's the attitude this team so desperately needs, the attitude that's been missing since the days of Jeremy Shockey. 

I know, the Giants have won two Super Bowls since Shockey left, so they must have been doing something right. But within the locker room, Shockey and Plaxico Burress laid the foundation for those Super Bowl runs. 

The problem is that this team has slowly been losing its edge the last few years. And with the general manager and the head coach seemingly immune from firing, the Giants have become too comfortable with mediocrity of late. 

Beckham is good enough on the field and has enough swagger to change that right now. And if indeed he can help the G-Men beat a down-and-out Philadelphia Eagles team next week, he'll have them riding a four-game winning streak entering what will suddenly become a very promising new year. 

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFC East for Bleacher Report since 2012.

Follow @Brad_Gagnon