Cleveland Browns WR Odell Beckham explodes for three scores against Cowboys

Odell Beckham Jr. has been asked consistently about whether he feels comfortable as a member of the Browns.

It might be impossible to get more at ease than five receptions for 81 yards with two receiving TDs along with two rushes for 73 yards and another score.

It may have represented the harbinger of things to come for Beckham’s day on the Browns’ first drive when teammate and best friend Jarvis Landry found him for a wide-open 37-yard touchdown pass to begin the team’s scoring in their wild 49-38 win over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

“It just puts a hold on any words I can think of or thing that you can say,” Beckham said of the play. “Not that it’s not special to catch a touchdown pass from Baker [Mayfield] or catch a touchdown pass in general. Literally it reminded me of being outside [at LSU]. We would sit outside and talk for hours, go back and forth.  It felt like a joke and not in a bad way.  

“It felt unreal to be looking in his eyes and he’s throwing it. I was just smiling,” Beckham said. “He had his finger up and I was already pointing at him. I wouldn’t trade that play for any amount of touchdowns in a game or if I was the one to throw it to him.”

Beckham said that he and Landry just looked at one another after they walked off the field.

More:Browns lose Nick Chubb to knee injury, but OBJ delivers in 49-38 win over Cowboys

“Me and him, we have this thing where we can just look each other in the eye and I’ve said a thousand words to you,” he said.

The play has been on the Browns’ radar in practices, Beckham said.

“We was just ready for it. I pressed coach [Kevin Stefanski] about it,” he said. “ I gave him hell because we kept running it in practice and I told him you either got to stop running it in practice or call it.”

Beckham said he scored on the play every time during practices and walkthroughs. Stefanski called it Sunday, and it proved to be no different.

“It couldn’t have been at a better time,” Beckham said.

 Stefanski said the play should be filed under trying to be aggressive the entire game.

“It’s been on that call sheet staring at me and I hadn’t gotten it called, so I told the guys we weren’t going another week without that thing getting called,” Stefanski said. “Had to get it off the call sheet. We felt like it would be a good one this week against that defense and the guys were ready for it. Great execution.”

It wasn’t Beckham’s only huge play on the day. The second came on a 50-yard run on an end round when he took Cowboys defender Aldon Smith wide to the right – where it looked as if he would lose 20 yards – and Beckham instead turned it up the field.

The play came moments after the Cowboys completed a  24-0 scoring run to cut the Browns’ lead to 41-38. Beckham delivered again in his first multi-touchdown game since joining the Browns.

“We just needed a play and it came at the right time. It felt like a punt return or kick return or something,” he said. “It couldn’t have been blocked any better, perfect time to call it. Let’s put the game away. Let’s go home. It’s on to [Indianapolis].”

Running back Kareem Hunt offered the most appropriate description: “it was a walk-off home run for me.”

More:Browns notebook: Myles Garrett shows up, shows out in trip to hometown

Beckham produced the kind of game Stefanski appreciated. The Browns racked up 307 rushing yards, averaging 7.7 yards per carry, but Beckham’s explosive plays proved the difference.

“We’re finding different ways to win, which I think is important because there are some really good opponents out there and they run different styles of defense, so we’re going to have to attack them in different ways,” Stefanski said. “He was making plays all over the field.”

Still the connection with Landry will stand out for Beckham.

"These are moments we’ll look back on at 50, 60 years old as old men and really feel fulfillment,” Beckham said. “ I guess, would be the word. It’s truly special.  It goes down as one of my favorite plays in my entire career.”

George M. Thomas can be reached at gthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ByGeorgeThomas