Victor Cruz literally dropped the ball in the New York Giants season-opening loss to the Dallas Cowboys -- again, again and again.
Nothing went right for the Big Blue on Wednesday (Sept. 5), but one of the most disappointing performances were from Cruz, who finished the game with six catches for 58 yards. His three drops pretty much summed up the evening for the Giants, who were defeated by the Cowboys, 24-17.
So what should we make of the three drops? Were they a result of opening night jitters or was last year's record-breaking season a fluke? Last year, Cruz set a single-season franchise mark with 1,536 yards receiving. He also had five touchdowns of at least 68 yards, including his season-saving 99-yard catch-and-run TD against the New York Jets in week 16. His 18.7 yards per catch was the highest average among 1,000-yard receivers. That's not a fluke. Three drops in one game is a fluke.
"I think it was just a matter of moving without catching the ball," Cruz told the New York Daily News after Wednesday's game. "There was times where I was trying to move before I caught the ball. And just understand that I can't do anything without the ball."
Don't worry about Cruz getting the ball. Eli Manning is going to keep throwing it to him. Keep in mind, Cruz nearly was invisible through the first two games of last season with a combined two catches for 17 yards. Then he burned the Philadelphia Eagles for 110 yards and two touchdowns in week three and it was off to the races the rest of the season. It's only a matter of time before Cruz blows up again.
"You're going to have days like that," Manning said, "and as long as he keeps getting open, which he's done a great job doing, he'll start catching the ball and we'll start making plays and we should have a great season."
If Manning's not worried, I'm not worried.
Adam Martini is a freelance sports writer who proudly wears his Rodney Hampton jersey on Sundays during the football season. He grew up in Queens, N.Y. rooting for the Giants despite being surrounded by Jets fans. Adam follows back Giants fans on Twitter @PegCitySports.
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