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Victor Cruz: I 'lacked concentration' against Cowboys

Published: Sep 06, 2012 at 02:09 AM

Marc Sessler

Around The NFL Podcast Co-Host

Victor Cruz was money in the bank down the stretch last season, playing hero for the New York Giants in their improbable Super Bowl frolic.

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Not so much Wednesday night.

As the Giants slowly came apart in a 24-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Cruz couldn't get on track with quarterback Eli Manning, dropping three passes along the way.

"They were just drops," Cruz told The Star-Ledger. "I just lacked concentration. A couple of them were just me leaving too early before I caught the ball. It is what it is."

Cruz doesn't have a large body of work to analyze, but he wasn't known for drops during last season's breakout campaign.

Fantasy owners have come to expect more than his six receptions for 58 yards, but almost a third of Cruz's production last season came on six mind-blowing big plays, and that's the kind of explosiveness he brings.

We saw Manning and his receivers morph into an echo of the run-and-shoot offense late last season, but the Giants weren't in sync against the Cowboys in the opener. Cruz isn't pressing the panic button just yet, and neither should we.

Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.

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