Was Victor Just a "Cruz"?

I heard it somewhere that one of Victor Cruz' New York Giants teammates told him before the game against the Eagles that it was just a preseason game...

...That could well be the stuff of Giants folklore, tales to tell your grandchild down the road.

But it made me think, was Cruz' performance last Sunday comparable to his 3-touchdown day against the Jets in that preseason game last year?  Obviously, I understand the monumental difference in scoring 2 TDs during a crucial regular season game against a "Dream Team."  My analysis is whether it's just a flash in the pan.  As you may remember, after that Jets game, Cruz sustained a season ending injury, missing the entire 2010 season.

Let's face it, some players in the NFL are blessed with luck and some just seem to roll snake eyes.  Look at the career of Domenik Hixon.  The guy's got mucho talent, but seems to have the luck of Tony Romo.

Victor Cruz on the other hand...I see something very special.  As I turn back the clock to that 3 TD preseason game, I remember thinking, "Wow, there's something special about this kid.  Preseason or not, you score three touchdowns in a pro setting, you must have some degree of talent."

I think it's important for the Giants to understand what kind of gem they have on their hands.  This is the kind of guy the Giants need at wide-receiver...A local kid with heart.  I think Tom Coughlin will have the prudence to not rush Cruz either.  Cruz needed to step up in Manningham's absence, but if you expect this kind of performance every week, you could be setting Cruz up for a minor let-down.

That being said, the way he made the Eagles "stud," Asomugha, look like a dud, we might be seeing the rise of a career begin as quickly as Victor Cruz chugged to that 74 yard TD, the first of his career.

Dare I say it?  We may have a star on our hands at WR.  Something the Giants have rarely ever seen.

One last thing...In a age of Ocho-Plinko's and Terrell No-wen's, let's recall the play of Hakeem Nicks during Cruz's 1st TD.  Now this is the current #1 guy of the Giants WR core who stands to become #2 if Cruz rises up quickly.  He didn't pout because he wasn't thrown the ball...He ran with Cruz all the way, and provided a great block to help solidify the score.

That's the way you play the game.  It makes me proud to be a Giants fan.

Go Big Blue!