Wednesday Media Transcript: WR Victor Cruz

WR Victor Cruz

September 14, 2016

Q: Victor, how much are you looking forward to a home opener after two years of what you have battled through?

A: Definitely looking forward to it. Anytime we get to play at home, it is always a luxury, always a good thing. So we are excited to get out there, I am excited to get out there in front of our home field fans and hopefully put another win together.

Q: Are you expecting another shootout? Especially since you are playing Drew Brees?

A: You never know how these things turn out. Obviously, last time we played them it was definitely a shootout, so we just want to go out there and be efficient offensively and make sure that we are making the most of our possessions because, as you know, they can score and they can score in bunches.

Q: I asked a lot of the rookies what their home opener is going to be like. What is it going to be like for a guy who hasn’t had a home opener in a little while?

A: It should be fun. Obviously, it is going to be a lot of high energy, a lot of funs screaming and yelling and being excited for Giants football to be back home in New Jersey, so we are excited about the opportunity and look forward to putting on a good show in front of our fans.

Q: What about you personally getting a chance to play in front of these guys again in a regular season game?

A: It is exciting. Obviously, me coming back, second game, wanting to build off the foundation I have set, so I am excited to get after it a little bit, get after those guys and put my best foot forward.

Q: Can this receiving corps be the best in the league if you guys play like you did last week?

A: I believe so. I think we have all the talent, all the tools, but obviously it is going to take one week at a time. These practices are important in being able to build our roles and continue to focus on what each and every one of us do exceptionally well and excel on that, but I do think we have the tools to be the best that we can possibly be.

Q: What can you do as a veteran receiver to exploit young corners?

A: Just be disciplined in our route running. Not getting too excited because they have a lot of young guys playing this week, not getting too conscious or focused on that and just going about your business the way you do every week. Just going out there, executing your routes, making sure your route running is crisp and up to par and the rest will take care of itself.

Q: So not looking at them anything less than a veteran?

A: Exactly. You have to face every opponent. They got drafted and they are in this league for a reason. They have some talent, so you have to be able to understand that and prepare the same way that you would prepare for any other team.

Q: Victor, you have a chance to go 2-0 to start the season. What would that mean for this football team?

A: It would mean a ton. Obviously, we want to go out there and continue to put our best foot forward and continue to win, essentially. That is what we want to do, so to leave out of there 2-0 come Sunday, that is definitely our goal.

Q: Aside from the Saints corners being young, can you describe their style of play?

A: I think they are patient, they like to read us through the quarterback in some instances and others like to press and really kind of disrupt us a little bit, so we just want to be able to see what they are giving us. Obviously with the young guys, you don’t know exactly how they are going to play it, but we just want to sit back and see what they are giving us and take it from there.

Q: Is there anything you have to do physically that is different now to maintain your body?

A: Just warming up. Obviously, as you get a little older, not saying I am old, but as you get experience in the NFL, you have to warm up a little bit more and obviously to get your body ready to go, but that is about it. I think I played about 50 snaps this past week and I feel great, so I just want to continue to do that and continue to build on those 50 reps and see where I can go more.

Q: Odell said that last year one of the toughest things was standing on the sideline watching wins slip away. With the way the defense is constructed, that looks like it is going to be a little harder to do this year. Do you agree with him on that?

A: I do. I do. I think our defense is exceptional, I think they do a good job of getting after the quarterback and making things difficult for the other offense to be comfortable and I think offensively, if we are able to execute and do the things that we know how to do and that we are accustomed to doing, I think we can be tops in the league in a lot of different categories, so I think Odell is right, I think we can finish some of these games out, whether it be defensively or offensively given the circumstance.

Q: So no 52 points this week?

A: I want to see 52 points.

Q: On your end?

A: Yeah myself, not on their end, obviously I don’t want them to score 52. I want to keep them somewhere under 17, if we could.

Q: Do you remember where you watched last year’s Saints game?

A: I believe I was --- I forget. I think I was home. Those days were vague.

Q: But you remember the game?

A: Yeah, I remember the game. I also remember coming in with the team and watching the film on the game, as well.

Q: That game wasn’t a normal game. That was a shootout.

A: Absolutely. We have had our battles with Drew Brees before and we understand exactly how he likes to throw the football around and what he likes to do offensively. Sometimes we get into those too. We like to throw the ball around. Obviously, we have a veteran quarterback that has been around the block, as well, and understands how to play the game, so we will see how it unfolds. Hopefully it is us doing a lot of the scoring, but they get paid to play ball, too, so we will see what happens.

Q: Do you think keeping an offense like that under 17 is realistic or is that just a hope?

A: That is just a hope. I understand --- our defense is exceptional and do I think that is something that they can do? Absolutely. But, obviously, they are talented individuals over there. Drew Brees has complete control over that offense and he can do some really great things, so we will see how it goes.

Q: Eli threw 6 touchdown passes last year and lost. What do you say to a guy when that happens?

A: It is tough. It is tough to say anything to a guy like that, who throws six touchdown passes and we lose the game. It is just one of those things, one of those anomalies in the percentages that you didn’t see coming, but you just have to get back to the drawing board, get ready for the next week, put that one behind you and keep going.

Q: What did you think looking around? You see Sterling making that leaping catch and obviously you know what Odell is capable of.

A: Just smiling, man, because I just understand that if all of us are healthy and all of us are on the same page, we can do some pretty great things, so we are just excited about the opportunity to play with one another and continue to excel and progress with each and every week.

Q: Do you think everything is back to normal? No more questions, no more jitters.

A: Yeah, the only thing that is indicative of things being back to normal is you guys not asking me about my body anymore and asking me about how I am feeling, but yeah, for the most part it just feels like business as usual, getting out there, playing football again and worrying about our next opponent.

Q: You don’t think about your body anymore?

A: Obviously the next day you want to wake up and see how you feel and see how your body feels after game one, definitely. I am human, so I definitely wake up and kind of feel my limbs to see how I am feeling to make sure I am okay, so I still think about it, come days after the game, for sure.

Q: Did you ice it?

A: I definitely iced it.

Q: Knee and calf?

A: I just got in the ice tub. Took care of the whole body. Just general soreness, nothing specific in terms of soreness or anything like that.