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The Best of Victor Cruz

Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 9:19 am
We are 80 days away from the start of the season, and I’m thinking of Victor Cruz today. What an absolute find he was, and how much it sucks we only got to see him for a short window. We may gripe and complain about the roster now with good reason, but there was a time Cruz made the Giants must-see tv. Saluting Victor Cruz today, a humble guy who seems to still be about the Giants. Miss seeing this guy play.
CRUUUZZZZZ - ( New Window )
Really feels like we were cheated  
Greg from LI : 6/23/2022 9:35 am : link
Remember how good it felt in 2011, thinking they were set at WR for years to come? How quickly that dream was obliterated.
Greg  
Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 9:39 am : link
Yup. Felt the same about Nicks too. It’s surreal how good they both were in 2011 and a few short years later couldn’t catch on with any other teams. I felt sick reading how Nicks and Cruz couldn’t make the rosters of other crappy clubs like the Bears. Injuries are the worst part about football.
Same with Steve Smith  
MNP70 : 6/23/2022 9:41 am : link
He was stellar
RE: Really feels like we were cheated  
BLUATHRT : 6/23/2022 9:42 am : link
In comment 15738672 Greg from LI said:
Quote:
Remember how good it felt in 2011, thinking they were set at WR for years to come? How quickly that dream was obliterated.


It felt like a curse with our WR/TE starting back in 2008. Plax, Smith, Boss, Nicks, Cruz, Ballard.
RE: Same with Steve Smith  
Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 9:43 am : link
In comment 15738674 MNP70 said:
Quote:
He was stellar


And honestly the same with Shepard. Excellent when he plays, but never plays for long
Had some of the best footwork for a WR I'd ever seen until Beckham  
Ten Ton Hammer : 6/23/2022 9:49 am : link
. Just an incredibly fun player to watch. Ran routes with a streetball flair.
If you want to watch Victor Cruz at his best then re-watch  
chick310 : 6/23/2022 9:54 am : link
the first half of the NFCC game against the Niners back in 2012.

Eli to Cruz combo was on fire with great catches all over the middle of the field and giving their defense fits.
We don't win the Super Bowl that year without him.  
Dave in Hoboken : 6/23/2022 9:55 am : link
.
RE: We don't win the Super Bowl that year without him.  
Ivan15 : 6/23/2022 10:00 am : link
In comment 15738688 Dave in Hoboken said:
Quote:
.


Maybe the Giants wouldn’t have made the playoffs that year without Cruz.
Don't see how they make the playoffs  
Lines of Scrimmage : 6/23/2022 10:08 am : link
without him. He turned around the Jets game in one play on a short sideline pass.

That was a very dynamic offense in the pass game. Two outstanding WR's and a very capable third. Little like Cincy last year. Defense stepped up in the playoffs. Run game was poor.

TC always wanted balance. I think the Giants thinking they could replicate this style led to a lot of the decade issues we have had. Injury to a key weapon (or two) and your SOL.
Thanks...  
Brown_Hornet : 6/23/2022 10:12 am : link
...for posting this.
RE: RE: We don't win the Super Bowl that year without him.  
Ten Ton Hammer : 6/23/2022 10:22 am : link
In comment 15738693 Ivan15 said:
Quote:
In comment 15738688 Dave in Hoboken said:


Quote:


.



Maybe the Giants wouldn’t have made the playoffs that year without Cruz.


That Jets game with the 99 yard TD arguably saved the season
Perfect storm  
widmerseyebrow : 6/23/2022 10:27 am : link
Good athlete who happened to play in a similar system at a nothing football school (UMass). Cruz, Nicks, Manningham...I thought we were set for years.
Sometimes you find lightning in a bottle  
Sec 103 : 6/23/2022 10:44 am : link
More importantly he was a great example for young Hispanic kids growing up in the Paterson area.
My man and the Salsa!!!
Pretty sure he still holds the Giants all-time receiving yards record  
Dave in Hoboken : 6/23/2022 10:50 am : link
among all Giants WRs from his 2011 season.
Cruz was great  
OBJ_AllDay : 6/23/2022 10:54 am : link
And even had the bounces go his way. Remember the Eli ball thrown into traffic deep down the field vs Seattle that ping pong'ed off defenders hands and Cruz coming away with the catch? They later lost the game inside the Seattle 5 with time dwindling when a wr slipped on a slant route and the ball was picked. But he was always in the right spot.

Amazing yet brief run for Cruz. And yes the SF game he was dominant.

But I've said it before and I'll say it again... Nicks was better.
I'll still take Cruz over any other WR we had in that time.  
Dave in Hoboken : 6/23/2022 11:00 am : link
He was a superstar.
Victor Cruz 99 yards vs Jets  
RobCrossRiver56 : 6/23/2022 11:02 am : link
As my brother and I were watching the game I was screaming at the TV, "why the hell are we passing on 3rd and 10 from the 1" Manning then hits Cruz at the 10, he slips out of a tackle and goes 90 yards for the score. To this day he reminds me of how wrong I was on that one...
Nicks knew how  
Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 11:12 am : link
to position his body on jump balls, and had extremely large hands that they had to make custom gloves for if I remember correctly. But Cruz was so quick twitch. His jukes to get in and out of breaks were insane, and at his best he could make anyone miss. I really think injuries robbed us of a HOF caliber WR with him.
I know it seems like Cruz was here for only a few years  
Ben in Tampa : 6/23/2022 11:24 am : link
but he did play SIX years in New York. He really was lightning in a bottle in 2011 thats for sure. Great players, great Giant.

I was sick watching his brutal final injury in Philly  
gidiefor : Mod : 6/23/2022 11:35 am : link
That was one of my worst days as a Giants fan - it stayed with me for months
Also, has any team ever had a worse run with their starting receivers  
Ben in Tampa : 6/23/2022 11:35 am : link
Plaxico Burress: Shoots himself, career basically over

Domenik Hixon: From waiver wire to starter, blows out both ACLs, never the same

Stephen Smith: Second coming of Jerry Rice, blows out his knee, never the same

Hakeem Nicks: Foot injury, never the same

Victor Cruz: Out of nowhere, becomes a sensation, gets hurt. never the same

Odell Beckham Jr: All-time great potential, multiple injuries, never the same, shipped out

Sterling Shepard: Every year he's the guy, can never finish a season

Kenny Golladay: Massive contract, hurt and ineffective

Kadarius Toney: Game breaker, hurts foot, shoulder, hamstring, obliques and gets Covid twice in 6 months.


That's 12 years of lost wide receivers, crazy 😱


I will be forever grateful...  
Chris in Philly : 6/23/2022 11:36 am : link
to Rex Ryan for discovering him. Thanks, Rex.
RE: Also, has any team ever had a worse run with their starting receivers  
Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 11:41 am : link
In comment 15738786 Ben in Tampa said:
Quote:
Plaxico Burress: Shoots himself, career basically over

Domenik Hixon: From waiver wire to starter, blows out both ACLs, never the same

Stephen Smith: Second coming of Jerry Rice, blows out his knee, never the same

Hakeem Nicks: Foot injury, never the same

Victor Cruz: Out of nowhere, becomes a sensation, gets hurt. never the same

Odell Beckham Jr: All-time great potential, multiple injuries, never the same, shipped out

Sterling Shepard: Every year he's the guy, can never finish a season

Kenny Golladay: Massive contract, hurt and ineffective

Kadarius Toney: Game breaker, hurts foot, shoulder, hamstring, obliques and gets Covid twice in 6 months.


That's 12 years of lost wide receivers, crazy 😱



Shit like this makes me wonder if there is a common denominator. Is WR just a cursed position for NYG? I believe most of these injuries happened when they played away correct? Cruz’s happened in Philly.
RE: I was sick watching his brutal final injury in Philly  
Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 11:44 am : link
In comment 15738785 gidiefor said:
Quote:
That was one of my worst days as a Giants fan - it stayed with me for months


The injury in Philly was awful. A visibly distraught Cruz sitting in the end zone in pain while the Philly fan base cheered. Another reason to hate the Eagles.
RE: Don't see how they make the playoffs  
Spiciest Memelord : 6/23/2022 11:50 am : link
In comment 15738698 Lines of Scrimmage said:
Quote:
without him. He turned around the Jets game in one play on a short sideline pass.

That was a very dynamic offense in the pass game. Two outstanding WR's and a very capable third. Little like Cincy last year. Defense stepped up in the playoffs. Run game was poor.

TC always wanted balance. I think the Giants thinking they could replicate this style led to a lot of the decade issues we have had. Injury to a key weapon (or two) and your SOL.


Oline sucked ass too, although Cincy managed a decent run game statistically, so not sure how much of that is narrative.

Giants absolutely sucked and Eli had to carry that offense on his back.
Always love Victor Cruz  
GiantSteps : 6/23/2022 1:03 pm : link
He gave Giants fans a lifetime of awesome memories, and still reps NYG well whenever he appears. One of our all time greats.
reminder  
djm : 6/23/2022 2:09 pm : link
some of these guys (Cruz, Nicks, Mario and man many more) should have JUST retired.

We got extremely lucky (like any super bowl title team needs) but also extremely unlucky.

We kill Reese but i'm not sure any GM recovers when 7% of the hits he made in the draft were injured or out of football 5 years in to their respective career.

Kenny Philips was one of the best safety's in football and 2 years later he was DONE. TErrel Thomas. So many guys.

We're due some fucking good luck.
70% of the hits he made in the draft  
djm : 6/23/2022 2:13 pm : link
which honestly might be closer to 100%


JPP is like the only guy, and he blew off his hand prior to the biggest "need" season of the 20-teens which all but torpedoed any chance of Coughlin returning (2015) and all but sealed Reese's fate once bozo took over. JPP doesn't get hurt, Coughlin doesn't lose 10 games that year and is back in 2016 with a real defense. Seismic shift in history all because JPP had to light off a fucking blockbuster.

Again, we're really due for a good decade of fortune. I think the NFL gods have gotten a few extra pounds of flesh from the NYG franchise. Maybe find another NFL team to fuck with and curse. TIA.

RE: reminder  
OBJ_AllDay : 6/23/2022 2:14 pm : link
In comment 15738956 djm said:
Quote:
some of these guys (Cruz, Nicks, Mario and man many more) should have JUST retired.

We got extremely lucky (like any super bowl title team needs) but also extremely unlucky.

We kill Reese but i'm not sure any GM recovers when 7% of the hits he made in the draft were injured or out of football 5 years in to their respective career.

Kenny Philips was one of the best safety's in football and 2 years later he was DONE. TErrel Thomas. So many guys.

We're due some fucking good luck.


T. Thomas was going to be a STAR. What a shame.
RE: reminder  
Lines of Scrimmage : 6/23/2022 2:18 pm : link
In comment 15738956 djm said:
Quote:
some of these guys (Cruz, Nicks, Mario and man many more) should have JUST retired.

We got extremely lucky (like any super bowl title team needs) but also extremely unlucky.

We kill Reese but i'm not sure any GM recovers when 7% of the hits he made in the draft were injured or out of football 5 years in to their respective career.

Kenny Philips was one of the best safety's in football and 2 years later he was DONE. TErrel Thomas. So many guys.

We're due some fucking good luck.


No doubt they had a lot of really bad injury luck with perimeter players. The problem with Reese's back half is did not have the trenches overcome it.

The Giants 2010-13 WR corps was very inexpensive. Little reason to not have a high quality line with depth.
RE: I will be forever grateful...  
Joe Beckwith : 6/23/2022 2:49 pm : link
In comment 15738788 Chris in Philly said:
Quote:
to Rex Ryan for discovering him. Thanks, Rex.


And releasing him.
RE: reminder  
Ten Ton Hammer : 6/23/2022 3:10 pm : link
In comment 15738956 djm said:
Quote:
some of these guys (Cruz, Nicks, Mario and man many more) should have JUST retired.



This is always what I default to when people crush Reese for the things he didn't do correctly.

He landed multiple players that should have carried the flag for the franchise for a decade and they all had to retire early to injuries.
I see it sometimes.  
Keaton028 : 6/23/2022 3:19 pm : link
But how can you truly crush Reese? His time came and expired, but the Giants still won 2 Super Bowls with him at the helm. You’d think he was a Gettleman-esque disaster the way he’s talked about sometimes. Honestly, his name should be celebrated by Giants fans as they do with Coughlin and Eli.
Those charts and comparisons...  
D HOS : 6/23/2022 5:22 pm : link
statistics and all... what they don't measure, is the need to be great! Athletes always say they want to be great? Look at Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw to see what that really looks like. Want-to and desire.
RE: Also, has any team ever had a worse run with their starting receivers  
Bobby Humphrey's Earpad : 6/23/2022 7:17 pm : link
In comment 15738786 Ben in Tampa said:
Quote:
Plaxico Burress: Shoots himself, career basically over

Domenik Hixon: From waiver wire to starter, blows out both ACLs, never the same

Stephen Smith: Second coming of Jerry Rice, blows out his knee, never the same

Hakeem Nicks: Foot injury, never the same

Victor Cruz: Out of nowhere, becomes a sensation, gets hurt. never the same

Odell Beckham Jr: All-time great potential, multiple injuries, never the same, shipped out

Sterling Shepard: Every year he's the guy, can never finish a season

Kenny Golladay: Massive contract, hurt and ineffective

Kadarius Toney: Game breaker, hurts foot, shoulder, hamstring, obliques and gets Covid twice in 6 months.


That's 12 years of lost wide receivers, crazy 😱



You forgot Golden Tate, oh wait....
...  
SFGFNCGiantsFan : 6/23/2022 7:22 pm : link
I was @ a bar when he got injured vs. the Eagles. An Eagles fan about 6 stools down was cheering. I have never been more upset @ a person over sports as I was @ that moment. I've never started a fight in my life, but the wife had to tell me to relax because I was THAT heated.
Here’s a couple more.....  
Simms11 : 6/23/2022 9:25 pm : link
Mario Manningham ACL, Mike Sherard degenerative hip IIRC.....it’s unbelievable how unlucky our WRs and TEs have been with injuries ending careers here! We have had good years with many receivers however. Toomer lasted a long time here, he became the GOAT of Giant WRs. It’s just that the WR careers never seem to last with the Giants?!
RE: 70% of the hits he made in the draft  
nyfootballfan : 6/24/2022 10:02 am : link
In comment 15738959 djm said:
Quote:
which honestly might be closer to 100%


JPP is like the only guy, and he blew off his hand prior to the biggest "need" season of the 20-teens which all but torpedoed any chance of Coughlin returning (2015) and all but sealed Reese's fate once bozo took over. JPP doesn't get hurt, Coughlin doesn't lose 10 games that year and is back in 2016 with a real defense. Seismic shift in history all because JPP had to light off a fucking blockbuster.

Again, we're really due for a good decade of fortune. I think the NFL gods have gotten a few extra pounds of flesh from the NYG franchise. Maybe find another NFL team to fuck with and curse. TIA.

i am in the camp that reese got too much blame.
People really forget how dominant Nicks was  
OBJ_AllDay : 6/24/2022 12:06 pm : link
He had 8 td's in 8 games before being hit with compartment syndrome. He abused Aquib Talib for 200 yards in the comeback win in Tampa. An absolute master of the backshoulder fade in the redzone.

But they were all great. Hell, I even loved Mario Manningham when he was getting so much sh*t from the fanbase for not always running the best route. If you rewatch the 2011 tape and all the comebacks during the regular season - just look at how big he came up in several 2 minute drives before the half. Deceptive wiggle and speed.

Cruz, he was just a magician that year. I remember a few stop on a dime and jump backwards plays to avoid would be tacklers and result in massive gains.

The 3 of them were great and probably will never be topped.

Then getting the best wr in the NFL outside of Antonio Brown and having him injured and shipped out of town. It's true... The giants have been snakebit at wr.

And thats without even discussing the gun incident of Plax that potentially cost us a back to back championship and losing a 100 catch wr in Smith before his career even took off.

Now, all eyes are on Toney... An electric skill set but needs to stay healthy and not play the back and forth game with the piranha Ny Media...
Nice combination of quickness and speed.  
short lease : 6/25/2022 5:44 pm : link

Can Kadarius Toney have the same production? KT seems to have the same physical attributes.
The craziest thing about Victor Cruz's ascent...  
Klaatu : 6/26/2022 2:37 pm : link
Is that it took an injury to Brandon Stokley for Cruz to get his shot. But, man...talk about making the most of an opportunity, lol.
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