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Wednesday Media Transcript: WR Victor Cruz

Eric from BBI : Admin : 11/23/2016 4:59 pm
WR Victor Cruz

November 23, 2016

Q: Is facing a team that is struggling more challenging than taking on a team that is on a roll?

A: I think so, just mentally. You want to go in there and put your best foot forward and treat this game as if it is as important as any other game on your schedule. You don’t want to buy into the fact that they are 0-11 or whatever the case may be. You want to go in there and prepare yourself as if they have the same record that you do. So it could be a little bit of a mental thing, mental hurdle for us, but I think this team understands that and will be ready.

Q: Is one of the challenges that you haven’t been on a road trip in a while and you don’t want to go in there and play down to their level?

A: Absolutely. I think it is going to take a concerted effort by all of us to make sure that mentally and physically that we are into it and that we don’t take this one for granted or try to say that we are automatically going to win this one and keep it moving, that we are focused on this game and focused on the task at hand and our execution has to continue to be where it has been these last few weeks.

Q: Is it impressive to you the way that Terrelle Pryor has adjusted to the wide receiver position?

A: It is, man. To see the things that he has been doing, catching the football and not just catching the ball, I think his route running is what you see that just pops out at you. From a guy that is just that athletic to be able to switch things over and be as efficient and as dominant as he has been in these games. It has been fun to watch and I am happy for him. I know that he hasn’t had the easiest road coming into the NFL and I am happy that he found his niche and hopefully he gets to grow in that role.

Q: You scored four touchdowns the last time you played the Browns? What do you recall from that game?

A: Well, first of all, how much fun it was. We had a good time out there, running around, catching some footballs, scoring some touchdowns, but you can’t take much from it. It was so long ago, it was a whole different regime over there, a whole different crew of people from the staff all the way over to player personnel. What you do want to take from that game is that we had a high level of execution. We understood exactly how we wanted to attack this team offensively and we approached that game ready and I think it showed from the amount of touchdowns I scored, that we scored, the way we drove up and down the field and you just want to continue that from a mindset perspective going into this weekend as well.

Q: The Browns are notorious for how many quarterbacks they have used. How much does it mean to you having had one quarterback your whole career?

A: It is amazing, man. It is truly a luxury. You look around the league and you see how many quarterbacks go in and out of this game and to have one that has won championships here and has a high football IQ and understands everything that is going on. It is truly a luxury and is something that I never want to take for granted, never have and just want to continue this time that I have with him and enjoy these moments because tomorrow is never promised and yesterday is an afterthought.

Q: The offense has talked about how much the defense has done in this win streak. What do you need to do as whole to make sure that the execution is there and really put a team away offensively?

A: I think just understanding what we want to do, understanding the game plan. Once we understand exactly how we want the game plan to work from a coaches’ perspective and the players understand that game plan, I think that is what is going to make this easier as we go on here, offensively at least. To close these games out, have that high level of execution when it is time to close the game out in the last four minutes of the fourth quarter or whatever the case may be, we need to have that same level of execution and be able to close these games out in a way that is beneficial for the offense.

Q: There are some formations where you are out wide and Odell is in the slot. Do you ever think that is a little weird?

A: A little bit. Obviously I have grown more and more comfortable with the role of being outside. That slot position seems further and further away as these weeks go on, but initially it did feel weird, but we are so interchangeable. Guys are all over the place, we are mixing in and out, we are putting Odell inside, Shep inside, I am moving around from left to right on the outside. I am comfortable, man. It just feels good to be in an offense where everyone is interchangeable and we can just go out there and play fast and run around.

Q: How exciting is it that you guys are interchangeable and you haven’t even played your best offense yet?

A: It feels good. We just understand as a receiving corps to just stay the course. I think that we just have to stay the course and things will – we have had good games individually here and there, but I think that game where all of us come together and we are all putting up yards and catches and run after the catch and making big plays, I think those days are soon to come.

Q: How much attention will you pay to the other games being played?

A: I am not watching any football tomorrow, man. No, I am kidding. I will be tuned in. Well, obviously my Mom, literally my Mom watches more ESPN and Sportscenter more than I do. Anytime I come in the house, it is like plastered on NFL Live. I am like, ‘Mom, do you just have this in the background as you clean and cook?’ So I am sure that tomorrow will be full of all the football that we can take in, without taking naps between food breaks. But yeah, I will be tuned in, I will be watching how these games unfold. I will be taking mental notes on how these things unfold and I will take it from there.
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