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Manning hoping Beckham-Norman rivalry 'doesn't escalate'

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / Getty

When Josh Norman signed his five-year deal with the Washington Redskins, a lot of NFL fans quickly came to an entertaining realization: Josh Norman vs. Odell Beckham Jr. - twice a year.

The duo made headlines last season when they went head-to-head in a series of increasingly intense and violent incidents, culminating in an egregious headshot by Beckham that earned the talented receiver a one-game suspension.

Now that Beckham and Norman are in the same division, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning hopes his teammate can put the personal dispute behind him and focus on winning the game.

"It’s not going to be a battle between Odell and Josh," Manning told Newsday Sports on Sunday. "We’re not going to make that a point. It’s about winning the football game, doing our job and doing it well.

"We’ll game-plan for him just like all the other corners, but we have to be sure not to make it a bigger deal so it doesn’t escalate into something that’s not about football."

Manning, like most Giants players, coaches, and fans, was not happy with Beckham's behavior against the Carolina Panthers last season, but he believes the widely-covered incidents have taught Beckham a lesson.

"He started playing not team football," Manning said. "He was more about himself and more about the individual battle between he and Josh. That’s not what football is about. It’s about doing what is best for the team and playing within the rules.

"I think he understands you can’t do that, you can’t get away with it. It’s bad for the team, bad for him, bad for football. I think he’s definitely learned from that and he’ll be fine."

The Giants will play Washington at home in Week 3 and on the road in Week 17 next season.

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