Former New York Giants Super Bowl Champion Victor Cruz spoke on his view of how the team has performed through the first 10 Weeks of the year, and there were not many positives in his assessment.
Cruz spoke with USA Today’s Mackenzie Salmon and had this to say about the Giants’ woes, if they can overcome them, and how they compare to last year’s squad:
“On paper, yes. It’s supposed to look like we are. But I think we’re probably in the same position as last year. It feels like the same question marks I had last year at this time are the same ones I have now. I think it’s interesting to see where they net out and where their season kind of ends them, and it’s interesting to see where we go the rest of the season. But man, I’m a little discouraged on how the first quarter, quarter-and-a-half of the season has transpired.”
Is Victor Cruz Wrong About the Giants Looking Similar to Last Year After 9 Games?
Interestingly enough, Cruz likening last year’s Giants to this year’s team comes as a head scratcher. Many things are different from then to now. From a winning perspective, their records are a mirror image of each other, and not in a good way. The Giants started 7-2 in 2022 as compared to the 2-7 hole they’ve dug for themselves thus far.
QB Daniel Jones started 16 games and upped his game across the board. This time around, a neck injury cost him three games from Week 6 to Week 8, and his torn ACL has ended his season prematurely. Jones is one of several Giants players to be banged up, leaving less room to fully evaluate how far they’ve regressed from their previous playoff campaign.
At this same juncture of the season in 2022, the Giants were not looked at as serious Super Bowl threats but were viewed as a team to be feared in the NFC East and a dark horse playoff contender. Now, the Giants are getting an early start on draft scouting as they look for a potential replacement for Jones.
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Cruz Interested to See How Giants End the Year
With eight more games to go, the Giants have an uphill battle to climb. New York is without Jones, backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and no longer enjoying the services of DL Leonard Williams. They are relying on third-string QB Tommy DeVito and a host of practice squad call-ups on their offensive line and dispersed throughout the rest of their roster.
The short-term poses additional threats for the Giants on their schedule. They will take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Nov. 12, before a rematch against the Washington Commanders the following week.
The Cowboys handed the Giants a crushing 40-0 defeat in their opening game and are looking strong at 5-3 in the NFC East. Meanwhile, the Giants secured a 14-7 victory over the Commanders in their first matchup but without Taylor under center, they’ll have to execute on an even greater level to win and sweep the series.
Cruz knows what it’s like to win at the highest level, and also struggle through down seasons. As a former player and Super Bowl champion, he’d know better than most what the Giants need to turn things around, and what they can make good on from last year.
