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WR Victor Cruz Conference Call (Transcript)

Eric from BBI : Admin : 9/9/2014 5:27 pm
WR Victor Cruz
Conference Call -- September 9, 2014

Q: From your standpoint, where do you think the offensive problems came from?
A: I think it just came from a lack of rhythm and a lack of continuity. You can’t pinpoint one specific area, whether it is the O-line or the receivers or whatever the case may be. I think it is all of it in unison. It is us being able to get on the same page as an offense.

Q: Did you think after five preseason games that a lot of these problems would have gone away by now?
A: It is hard to tell, but I did think those problems would be over and that we would be able to get into a rhythm. Mainly because we were playing a full four quarters. We were playing more than we had in the preseason. It is unfortunate that we did not come out and have that rhythm that I thought we would have, but the great part is that it is only Week 1. We have time to fix this thing. We have a good practice week ahead of us and we will see what happens.

Q: Is there confidence in the locker room that this isn’t going to be like another start of last year?
A: Yeah, there is definitely confidence. We have improved the talent on both sides of the ball from last year, and I think that is not the case here at all. I am definitely still confident we can do the things that we set out to do this season.

Q: How do you stop any worrying about ‘here we go again’ after last year?
A: It is just a matter of being clear with the team and my teammates and letting them know this is not something that we are going to be carrying ourselves like we did last year. [We] just have to keep the team in the mindset that this is correctable and that all these mistakes are correctable. We can come out of this with some positivity with a win now come Week 2.

Q: It looks like there was a concerted effort to get the ball to guys other than you [against Detroit]… How did they play to you and how important do you think it was to establish other threats in this offense?
A: They played very well. I think Larry Donnell had a great game and made some big catches for us on a third and long situation to continue to move the chains. I think Jerrel [Jernigan] caught the ball well in the situation where he was manned up from a one-on-one coverage and made the best play possible. I think it is important to increase those guys’ confidence to let them know that we are going to need them this year and they are going to have to make some plays for us in order for us to win. I think it was important to get those guys started, as well as getting everyone else involved as well.

Q: On the same token, how important is it that [Eli Manning] needs to look at you a little bit earlier in the game?
A: I think it is important. I think in order for us to be successful, there needs to be an increased number of targets in my direction and other playmakers’ directions, just like Rueben Randle as well, in my opinion. That all comes with the continuity. That comes with getting the running game going. That comes with building what we want to build as the game continues. It is just a matter of once we find that rhythm early on, we can get into passing the ball and opening up the plays a little bit.

Q: Why was Rueben not much of a factor [against Detroit]?
A: I think it was just the progressions. I think it was just the way the game unfolded. I don’t think it was anything deliberate or [Eli] wasn’t looking his way. I just think it was the way the coverages panned out, and there were a lot of the plays we were calling that were being shifted over to JJ’s side or if it was a two-high shell, then we had some seams and Larry Donnell would get the ball. It was just one of those things where that is just how the game unfolded. I do believe we have to make a concerted effort to get Rueben Randle the ball as well as myself and build some continuity.

Q: A lot of the offensive linemen said there is really no set time [for Eli to release the ball after the snap] but is there a clock in your head as far as when Eli should be getting rid of the ball and when you should be expecting it?
A: There is a clock. I obviously can’t put a number on it because it varies from play to play. I think there is a clock as soon as you get out of your break or as you get to the top of your route and you cut in. You kind of think the ball is in the air or you are expecting the ball in the air at that point. So far that hasn’t been the case. It has been a little up and down. The ones we hit that are the three-step, those balls are coming out on time. The ones that are down the field haven’t been, so that is pretty much our clock and we just have to be able to understand that and continue to build on that type of timing.

Q: Can you go back to the touchdown by Larry Donnell… On that possession you had 1st and Goal from the 1-yard line and you didn’t see the ball on any [of the four plays]…Does that surprise you at all to not be involved down there?
A: Not really. Obviously there were calls that I was in and pass plays that were called when I was in, but it doesn’t frustrate me. I think that is just what the coaches wanted to do. He saw some guys on the outside he wanted to take advantage of and put our bigger guys on them and that is how it went down.

Q: Is there part of you that is looking forward to tomorrow… Now you get to see all the new guys come in and see how they respond to adversity and you have the [chance] to bond as a team?
A: Yeah, I am excited to see how we respond and to just get back on the field and shake off this game one and get on the field and run some routes and begin to feel good about ourselves and get our confidence back a little bit. I think we understand that we came into [the Detroit game] with such high hopes and for us to lose, it is tough for us, especially after the day after the first game. We want to get back out there and be focused and get our confidence back and be able to run some routes again and catch the ball and see football again, which is what we love to do and are excited about what we have to do, what is in front of us next weekend.
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