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WR Victor Cruz

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On how it felt to contribute in the way that he did:"It felt good. Initially I just wanted to come in and contribute any way I can and just help my team, and just understand that my role is to do whatever it is, block, catch a pass here or there, and just try to move the ball and help Eli move the ball down the field."

On whether he saw the two defenders on his second touchdown catch:"I saw it when I came in initially. The safety was supposed to bite on the play-action but he kind of played it well and stayed back and then I just continued my route. I knew it was going to be a jump ball, I knew that both defenders would be there and I just jumped up and tried to make the best play I can and came away with the ball."

On when he realized he had jumped against Asomugha:"Probably after the play when I looked up and I saw the replay and I saw who was on the ground and then I realized who it was."

On what he was thinking watching the replay:"I did fumble the ball but I was fortunate enough to recover it right after I dropped it, so I was sweating a little bit. You know, any time those refs go to that booth, you never know what the outcome may be, especially on a touchdown call, so I was sweating a little bit, but once they confirmed it I was cool."

On what his emotional reaction was when he saw the replay and realized it was Asomugha:"I didn't have any crazy emotion, I just knew I just made a big play and it was the fourth quarter and my team needed me and I kind of just made the play, it wasn't a crazy reaction or anything different."

On whether he knew he was going to have a clear path to the end zone after he broke his first tackle on his first touchdown:"Yeah, I kind of felt it once I made that second move, and I felt those guys collide behind me and then it was just me and [WR] Hakeem [Nicks] running and we were off to the races."

On how it feels to make those kind of plays in this kind of game:"It means the world, because coming in a lot of people were saying our receivers where down, and who's going to step up and all week we knew somebody had to step up, so I just felt good to be that guy to come in and make some plays for my team and help my team win."

On whether he had any family or friends here today:"No, unfortunately nobody came down, my mom didn't want to come all the way to Philly and stuff like that, so I'm sure they were watching, I'm sure I have a hundred text messages or phone calls and stuff like that."

On whether it felt like he had been waiting for this day for a long time:"A little bit. You kind of just sit patiently and just wait for your opportunity. We have some talented guys on our team, you know, [WR Mario] Manningham and Hakeem obviously, there's a lot of talent. So I kind of just wanted to be patient, and kind of wait my turn, and understand that at some point through this season that my team was going to need me."

On how much not receiving any Division I scholarships and going undrafted motivates him:"That drives me a lot, because coming out of high school I felt like I was good enough to play Division I football, and it didn't turn out that way, but I loved UMass, it taught me a lot of morals and stuff like that, and it definitely leaves a big chip on my shoulder every week to go in and play against these guys, top notch defensive players week in and week out and just prove myself. So definitely."

On how many times this week he heard that this was his opportunity:"If I had a nickel for every time I heard it I'd probably be a millionaire right now. It was just driven into me every week, every day, every hour, opportunity, opportunity, opportunity. Once the game started, once that ball went in the air, and that first kickoff, all that kind of just went to the side and I got to relax and just go out there and play."

On how he hung onto his preseason performance last year against the Jets as a confidence booster:"I hung onto it a little bit, but I understood, obviously in the back of my mind , that it's a preseason game and I obviously wanted to prove myself in the regular season and get that opportunity to do things against rival opponents like the Philadelphia Eagles and teams like that. I held onto it, I understood what it meant for me, personally, and understood how much it meant to the people around me and I wanted to kind of hold onto it, but I understood that there's more to come."On reflecting on his path and this game:"It really hasn't set in yet until I start talking to people on the phone and stuff like that. It's definitely one of those moments where you kind of sit back and you look back at the game and you're like 'wow', you actually played well and you did that against a rival opponent, and you played for the Giants, and you grew up in the area, and it's just one of those surreal moments that you kind of look back and it's definitely one of the moments you want to tell your friends and family about in the future."

On whether he thought the offense would play as well as it did:

"Whenever you play a divisional game it does not matter who is in playing in the game.  We need to come in with the mentality that we will win.  We are all professionals and no matter who we put in we have to believe we will all make plays. We always have that mindset."

On whether the way he prepared this week was different:

"I really did not prepare too much differently.  I have to come in each week practicing hard so when my number is called I am ready to go. We have a bunch of receivers that make plays and play different positions and always want to be prepared."



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