Keep an eye on these five players as the Giants face the Cowboys on Sunday
WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. The reigning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year's life changed the last time he played on "Sunday Night Football" against the Dallas Cowboys. He made a catch that you may have seen once or twice before and proved he was much more en route to 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games. For the time being, the wide receiver corps will have to fill the void of Victor Cruz, who is dealing with a calf issue after missing the last 10 games of 2014 with a knee injury. "All we can do is go out there and make him proud," Beckham said. "Play to the best of our ability, and when he's back with us and back going, I'm definitely looking forward to it and excited."
![LT ERECK FLOWERS
For the third year in a row, a rookie is in line to start on the Giants' offensive line. After Justin Pugh did so in 2013, Weston Richburg followed last year, and now Flowers, the ninth overall pick out of the University of Miami who will be playing one of the most important positions in football: left tackle. "You know, I started my first game ever [against the] Cowboys, Sunday Night Football, so I told him it's going to be an electric atmosphere," Pugh said. "It's definitely going to be something that he'll never forget. But just to go out there and calm his nerves down and go out there on that first play and just hit somebody, kind of shake off all those jitters, and just settle in and get ready to play one hell of a game."](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/t_lazy/f_auto/giants/sshntjeoavzvtmyclhh8.jpg)
LT ERECK FLOWERS For the third year in a row, a rookie is in line to start on the Giants' offensive line. After Justin Pugh did so in 2013, Weston Richburg followed last year, and now Flowers, the ninth overall pick out of the University of Miami who will be playing one of the most important positions in football: left tackle. "You know, I started my first game ever [against the] Cowboys, Sunday Night Football, so I told him it's going to be an electric atmosphere," Pugh said. "It's definitely going to be something that he'll never forget. But just to go out there and calm his nerves down and go out there on that first play and just hit somebody, kind of shake off all those jitters, and just settle in and get ready to play one hell of a game."
SAFETY LANDON COLLINSThe Giants' second-round pick will make his NFL debut at AT&T Stadium, where three years ago, he began his All-American career at Alabama with a victory over Michigan. Primarily a freshman backup in 2012, he made his first start a season later against Tennessee and returned an interception 89 yards for a touchdown. But the NFL is a whole different ball game. He's going up against Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo out of the gates. >> COLLINS READY TO MAKE IMPACT "I mean, Tony Romo said he's looking for key matchups," Collins said of being tested as a rookie. "If he's going to look for key matchups, he's going to pick on me. He's going to get what he wants. He's not going to get what he wants, but he's going to get what he wants."
![RB SHANE VEREEN
After watching his former team and defending champion New England Patriots kick off the 2015 season on Thursday night, Vereen will make his debut as a member of the Giants. While Vereen, who set the Super Bowl record for most receptions by a running back, is a safety valve for Eli Manning in the passing game, he is one of four running backs on the Giants' roster after the team kept only three last year. "Rashad [Jennings] is healthy and running well; Andre [Williams], another year under his belt running a variety of schemes that we like to do, he's improved there with his reads," McAdoo said. "Add Shane to the mix and Orleans [Darkwa], as well, I feel like we'll be more consistent there and have a chance to be a pretty good running team."](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album_2x/t_lazy/f_auto/giants/zpvvqtn01upftctqfp2s.jpg)
RB SHANE VEREEN After watching his former team and defending champion New England Patriots kick off the 2015 season on Thursday night, Vereen will make his debut as a member of the Giants. While Vereen, who set the Super Bowl record for most receptions by a running back, is a safety valve for Eli Manning in the passing game, he is one of four running backs on the Giants' roster after the team kept only three last year. "Rashad [Jennings] is healthy and running well; Andre [Williams], another year under his belt running a variety of schemes that we like to do, he's improved there with his reads," McAdoo said. "Add Shane to the mix and Orleans [Darkwa], as well, I feel like we'll be more consistent there and have a chance to be a pretty good running team."
WR DWAYNE HARRIS Kickoff return, punt return, and gunner, Dwayne Harris can do it all on special teams. While he tries to bring a spark to the third phase of the game, the former Cowboy came to the Giants to be more involved in the offense. Now the new member of Big Blue will go against his old teammates in Big D. "I know in Dallas, we definitely take that first game against the Giants very seriously," Harris said. "I'm pretty sure we're doing the same thing here. I think that rivalry is definitely a builder for the first game."
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. –
The Giants today announced that wide receiver Victor Cruz and linebacker Jon Beason will both miss the team's season opener Sunday night in Dallas.
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Cruz hasn't practiced since Aug. 17 because of a calf injury. He missed the final 10 games of the 2014 season after tearing his right patellar tendon in Philadelphia on Oct. 12.
Coughlin said Cruz is not yet running, but, "he's getting better, he's getting better. He's improved, no doubt.
"As soon as he's ready to go, he'll be on the field and practicing. Until that time, we're all trying to figure out when exactly he'll be ready."
The Giants will compensate for Cruz' absence with a committee of wideouts that includes Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle, Preston Parker, Dwayne Harris and rookie Jeremy Davis.
Beason suffered a knee injury in a preseason game against Jacksonville on Aug. 22. He practiced on a limited basis earlier this week, but has not improved enough to play in Dallas.
"(Beason) just didn't get any better," coach Tom Coughlin said. "Didn't get to the point where he felt he could play, and play the way he would like to. And the medical people agreed."
First-year free agent Uani 'Unga is expected to start at middle linebacker in his first NFL game. Mark Herzlich and newcomer Jasper Brinkley are also available.
"We've prepared for that," Coughlin said of Beason's absence. "We've had a preseason and a good full day yesterday with 'Unga in that position. So, I think a young guy, obviously who has not had that much experience in there, but he'll give great effort."
"He's ('Unga) a great player," said strongside linebacker Devon Kennard. "He just goes out there, and we'll make sure he's ready to go. I think we'll be fine.
"It's a 'next guy up' league. He's the next guy up, and he's going to make sure he's ready. He still has a lot of studying to do, we all do. When it's game time, we'll be ready."
The other three players on the injury list are all probable: linebacker Jonathan Casillas (neck), defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins (hamstring) and rookie defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (foot).
- Today is the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Coughlin has eloquently spoken many times about what the day means to him, and today was no different.
"Very emotional for all of us," he said. "We should always remember. We should never forget the lessons learned on 9/11. But one of the things to really grab a hold of is the way it unified our country, and made us literally one, with everyone saying what can we do? What can we do? From that standpoint, it's a tremendous example for our football team of people coming together and realizing that they have to serve each other. They have to work with each other and for each other to make it the best possible circumstance. So although it's a sad day to remember, and we share all those emotions with our entire country, not just New Yorkers, for what happened some 14 years ago, on the other hand, we have great respect and admiration for those, and again, the way we feel about the firemen and the policemen and all those who served their fellow man on that particular day, our respect couldn't be higher."
| NEW YORK GIANTS | |||||
| Player | Injury | Wed. | Thu. | Fri.* | Game Status |
| WR Victor Cruz | Calf | DNP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| LB Jon Beason | Knee | LP | DNP | DNP | Out |
| DE Owa Odighizuwa | Foot | FP | DNP | LP | Probable |
| LB Jonathan Casillas | Neck | LP | FP | FP | Probable |
| DT Cullen Jenkins | Hamstring | LP | FP | FP | Probable |
| DALLAS COWBOYS | |||||
| Player | Injury | Wed. | Thu. | Fri. | Game Status |
| Tackle Jordan Mills | Foot | FP | LP | FP | Probable |
| QB Tony Romo | Back | DNP | FP | FP | Probable |
| TE James Hanna | Knee | LP | FP | FP | Probable |
| LB Anthony Hitchens | Foot | LP | FP | FP | Probable |
| WR Devin Street | Ankle | LP | FP | FP | Probable |
| Safety J.J. Wilcox | Neck | LP | FP | FP | Probable |
*Team held a walkthrough; practice participation projectedFP
= Full Participation (100% of a player's normal repetitions)
LP = Limited Participation in Practice (less than 100% of a player's normal repetitions)
DNP = Did Not Participate in Practice
Out = definitely will not play
Doubtful = at least 75% chance will not play
Questionable = 50-50 chance will not play
Probable = virtual certainty will be available for normal duty
