WR Victor Cruz
November 17, 2016
Q: How is the injury?
A: The injury is doing well. I practiced today and everything feels good. I was running around, making some plays, so everything is feeling good.
Q: Is Sunday looking good?
A: Absolutely. Sunday at one o’clock, I plan to be out there helping my team win.
Q: Sunday is a chance to win five straight. What does that mean to the Giants and what does that mean to you personally?
A: It is a big deal. Obviously for us, we want to continue this path that we are on and continue the execution level that we have been performing at and continue to take it one game at a time, but to get this fifth one would be pretty huge for us getting to where we want to go.
Q: You have been here in this locker room for a while. Is there something in the air this year?
A: You would like to think so, but you would like to just continue to not look outside and stay within this locker room and stay locked in with what we have here and take it from there. But we do feel like this team is a special team and we just want to make sure that we are doing what we need to do to continue that trend.
Q: You have seen teams develop into winning and championship teams. Do you kind of have the same feeling with this team?
A: A little bit. Obviously you see some of the same feeling and emotions from those teams, but you just want to take it one week at a time. You don’t want to look too far ahead, but you just want to keep your goals intact and focus on each game as it comes.
Q: As a 30-year-old, do you have to remind your younger teammates that there are no gimmies?
A: (Laughs) I am reminded about a lot of things at 30. But absolutely, obviously being in this league the number of years that I have and seeing the best of the best and the worst of the worst, you have to remind everybody that you need to continue to keep it one week at a time and continue to keep your eye on the prize and not get comfortable or complacent with wherever we are in the season.
Q: JPP has talked about being proud about being on the field after what he went through. Did you ever lean on each other or did you ever speak with him on what he was going through?
A: Not necessarily. At least not while he was going through the meat of it, when he was going through that process, but I always understood it. JPP is a guy that I came into this game with, into this league with, and I understand him and I think he understands and we both do that this game isn’t for granted, not to take it for granted because it can be taken from you in the blink of an eye. So you just want to make sure that you are staying ahead of the curve and that you are appreciating every moment that you have out there on this field and in this locker room while you are part of this organization because you do not know what tomorrow has in store.
Q: Was it tough to miss Monday?
A: It was. It was. I mean, obviously you want to play Monday night and go out there with your team and help them win, but it was coach’s decision and it probably worked out for the better in the long run.
Q: Do you think they were being a little extra cautious?
A: Yeah, I assume so and he had every right to do so and I respect his decision.
Q: If it was a playoff game, do you think you would have played?
A: I would have begged and pleaded a little bit more than what I did. But that is all hypothetical, but obviously if it was a playoff game, I would have tried to go a little bit more.
Q: What did you see from your guys? How did you try and help them?
A: Just by talking to them and making sure, first off, what they are seeing out there, trying to communicate that with them and telling them how to combat certain routes and certain coverages as the game wore on, but I feel like they did a great job of maintaining their composure when things might have been going up and down. For those guys, Shep and Roger, to be young guys and maintain their composure, it is not the easiest thing to do.
Q: What did you specifically say to Roger after his struggles?
A: Just told him to take a deep breath. You are going to have ups and downs in this league. I have been through it and it happens, so you just want to make sure that he takes his time, takes a deep breath and goes out there to perform.
Q: (Crowd of reporters turns to Shepard and Roger Lewis who are singing and dancing)
A: This is what goes on in case you were wondering.
Q: The young guys.
A: So today I had the high white socks on. I was doing my best Keith Van Horn impression. I was like, ‘Shep, do you know who Keith Van Horn is.’ He was like, ‘Nope.’ I am just like, ‘Man, get away from me.’
Q: That is a fineable offense.
A: 1,000 percent.
Q: Shepard has a Ewing backpack, does he know who Ewing is?
A: I hope he knows who Ewing is. If he doesn’t know who Ewing is, we have a whole different set of problems.
Q: You are lucky he knows who Victor Cruz is.
A: Yeah. It is a good thing I am still out here, out and about for him know who I am.
