Odell Beckham Jr. not content with season: '1,000 yards is a minimum'

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is hardly content after topping 1,000 yards receiving Sunday for the fourth time in his five-year career. That's the baseline. He's aiming more for 2,000.

Beckham has 74 receptions for 1,017 yards and five touchdowns in 11 games this season. He still hasn't been overly impressed with his own performance and expects more in terms of production and victories.

"Like I said, it's not a down year. My numbers are still my numbers," Beckham said Thursday ahead of a matchup with the Chicago Bears. "I guess that is where my mindset is different than everybody else. I expect way higher of myself.

"I expect ... I'm trying to reach 2,000 yards. I'm trying to go for 20 TDs. One-hundred receptions is tatted on me. Those are goals that hopefully in my career and future, along with championships and winning, because numbers don't mean anything without winning. You can go home with 300 yards in a game with an L -- it's not going to feel good.

"So it's really all about winning, and I just feel like I could've had a better year so far but this is where I'm at. You just have to deal with that, keep pushing to keep getting better day by day, work at your craft. That is all I can really do."

The Giants (3-8) have struggled this season. Their offense had trouble reaching the end zone earlier this year and Beckham didn't catch a touchdown pass in any of the first four games. Four of his five touchdown receptions have come in the past five games.

Beckham, 26, became the league's highest-paid wide receiver this summer. His new deal could be worth over $95 million over five years. With that, the Giants are expecting serious production. Beckham's career highs are 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns (in his second professional season).

He's on pace for 108 catches, 1,479 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He's doing this after missing most of last season with a broken ankle.

It's still not where the dynamic playmaker wants to be.

"Yeah, I don't feel like it's quite there. Each year I come in, 1,000 yards is a minimum," Beckham said. "I don't look at it like, 'I need to get 1,000 yards.' My season starts after 1,000 yards. I'm trying to see how many yards I can get after 1,000.

"Ten touchdowns minimum, that is just the goal. For me, this year I came in with the mindset of being efficient. When I was in college and making plays, it's third-and-11, being able to hit this first down and keep this drive alive. Just being effective and efficient."

Beckham and the Giants haven't reached the end zone with regularity this season. They're still 22nd in the NFL at 21.3 points per game. A good chunk of production has come late in losing efforts.

But they have done better of late. The Giants are averaging 29 points over the past three weeks. Beckham and Manning finally appear close to being on the same page. It could be a taste of what those two are capable of accomplishing together.

"I don't really know. Just like I said, we've been putting it together lately, besides the last game," Beckham said. "That's definitely something to look forward to."

The 2,000-yard, 20-touchdown goal might be difficult this season. Beckham and the Giants have their work cut out for them. They face three teams (Bears, Cowboys and Titans) ranked in the top 10 in defense over the final five weeks of the season.