The New York Giants are officially down their biggest offensive star. With the team finally starting to find their strive under new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo, they took two steps back after an injury has left a giant hole on the roster. Victor Cruz is officially out for the entire season after suffering a torn PCL and now the remaining wide receivers will have to step up in his absence.
Cruz went down in the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and immediately the team knew it was not good. The wide receiver will be out the rest of the season leaving quarterback Eli Manning without his favorite target on the field. Cruz has been the leading man the past two seasons and with Hakeem Nicks out of the picture, the pressure was on for him to step up. Cruz and the rest of the Giants' offense started the season out incredibly slow, but right when he was starting to find his legs, this injury knocks him out and now the team is scrambling to replace him.
With Cruz out, the pressure officially falls on first-round draft pick Odell Beckham Jr. The rookie wide receiver made his long-awaited debut in Week 5, scoring a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons. Against the Eagles he only caught two passes for 28 yards, but then again the whole team looked just as unimpressive. Beckham showed plenty of promise against the Falcons, displaying the speed and route running the Giants drafted him for. Beckham admits that he must step up with Cruz out of the picture.
"I told him, I said, 'Big Bro, I've got you.' I have to step up," Beckham said, via NJ.com. "All of the receivers have to step up. The offense. Everybody on the team has to step up. I just told him, I said, 'I got you' because he's had me since Day One. That's the only thing that I feel like is the right thing to do - play for him. He's been there for me. He's mentored me, showed me what to do and what not to do, and any time you feel something like that, you have to do it for him."
Rueben Randle will also be carrying the heavy weight of the passing game. Tight end Larry Donnell will also be more heavily involved with the offense as he continues to put together a breakout season with the Giants. Rashad Jennings is still out meaning Andre Williams will need to keep pace to help keep the offense as balanced as possible.
