New York Giants: Top five Victor Cruz plays

Now that it appears Victor Cruz has played his last game with the New York Giants, we take a look at his top five plays with the squad. Victor Cruz is one of the more well liked and respected figures in the New York Giants organization.However, his career has taken a turn for the worse since he tore his patellar tendon against the Eagles in 2014, and missed a season and a half. Upon his return this season, Cruz struggled to get going, only racking up 39 receptions and one touchdown (that touchdown came in Week 1).Regardless, Cruz is permanently embedded in Giants lore after his spectacular 2011-12 season, where he racked up a franchise record 1,536 yards, along with 82 catches and nine touchdowns.While his time with the Giants may soon be coming to an end, his salsa dance and 2011-12 heroics will live on in Giants history. Here are the top five plays by Victor Cruz as a New York Giant.Honorable MentionsThree touchdowns in the preseason vs. the JetsThe game that put Cruz on the map, if only temporarily. He torched the Jets for six catches, 145 yards and three touchdowns, a breakout performance that earned the respect of then-Jets coach Rex Ryan. Cruz went on to make the Giants 53 man roster, before going on IR with a hamstring injury.Sideline Catch vs. SaintsWeek 2 of the 2016 season, and the Giants were struggling to get anything going offensively. There only touchdown was a blocked field goal return by Janoris Jenkins. The Giants had a 3rd-and-8 with 1:49 left in the game. If they didn’t convert, the Saints would get the ball back and potentially steal a game at MetLife.However, Cruz came to life, reeling in a vintage grab over a bigger defender off a sideline fade from Eli Manning. He caught the ball inside the 5 yard line, and allowed the Giants to run down the clock and kick a game winning field goal as time expired.https://youtu.be/bY3o0fLoANkTouchdown vs. Dallas in return from injuryCruz’ only touchdown of 2016 was in Week One, where his grab against the Cowboys (his first since 2014) propelled the Giants to a 20-19 win over the eventual top seed in the NFC. It wasn’t his first game winning touchdown, but it might go down as his last with the Giants.https://youtu.be/-fndt2VDYdARidiculous Touchdown Catch over Richard ShermanThe Giants would end up losing this game, but considering the degree of difficulty of the catch, and who it was made over (Richard Sherman in his trash talking prime), this has to make the list. This catch was another example of how things inexplicably always fell Cruz’ way during his heyday.5. 77-yard Game Winner vs. RedskinsDown 23-20 with a minute and a half left against a divisional rival? Just another routine play for Cruz, who took a throw by Eli Manning over the middle and exploded to the end zone for a game winning, 77-yard touchdown.4. Division Clinching Heroics vs. DallasThe Giants hosted the Cowboys in Week 17 of the 2011 season in a winner-take-all game. At 9-6, Dallas needed to win in New Jersey to clinch the NFC East. At 8-7, a Giants win (and a 2-0 tiebreaker in the head to head matchup) would give them an identical result.Cruz made two enormous plays during this game. First, he opened the scoring with a 74-yard touchdown. The Giants lead would grow to 21-0, but Dallas roared back, making it 21-14. Cruz was called upon again, making a spectacular leaping 44-yard catch over cornerback Orlando Scandrick to set the Giants up in Cowboys territory.They finished off Dallas, 31-14, which allowed them to enter the postseason, and ultimately win the Super Bowl. Cruz’ heroics in Week 17 have to make the list, due to the sheer magnitude of the moment.3. Opening Touchdown in Super Bowl 42Cruz added to his legend in Super Bowl 42, catching the games opening touchdown to give the Giants a 9-0 lead. The catch was pretty routine, but the throw from Eli Manning was out of this world, fitting it in an extraordinarily tight window — not the first tight window he’d find in that game (shoutout Mario Manningham). Regardless, Cruz got to salsa in the Super Bowl, which warrants a top three spot.2. Breakout Game vs. PhiladelphiaThe day Victor Cruz became a household name. The U-Mass alum torched the Eagles secondary (which was hyped in the preseason as one of the best ever assembled) for two incredible touchdowns to give the Giants a rare victory at Lincoln Financial Field.His first touchdown, a 74-yard catch and run, was the debut of the now famous salsa, and his second, a 29-yard catch, was made over two defenders in double coverage. Without this game, it’s unlikely Cruz becomes as famous or successful as he does. Throw in the fact that it was against a divisional rival, and this is definitely a top two moment.1. 99-Yard Grab vs. JetsThe Giants had their backs against the wall, both figuratively and literally, before Victor Cruz made his career defining play. Coming off an emotional victory at the Cowboys two weeks prior, the Giants responded by laying an egg at home against Washington and dropping to 7-7. Heading into a Week 16 game with the Jets, they had to win to keep their postseason hopes alive.The Jets talked a fair bit of smack before the game, and covered up the Giants three Super Bowl murals in an attempt to get under the Giants skin. While Big Blue were clearly angered by this, their play did not show it– they were being physically manhandled by the Jets, and faced a 3rd and 10 at the 1 yard line, down 7-3. The chances of the Giants converting were slim, and if they didn’t convert, they would be handing the Jets great field position.The stage was set for Cruz to make the defining catch of his NFL career: He caught a pass from Eli Manning at the 11 yard line, broke two tackles, and raced down the sideline for an NFL record-equalling touchdown reception of 99 yards. The play sparked the Giants into life, and the team never looked back, winning their final two regular season games, before running the table and defeating the Patriots in the Super Bowl.Many fans, pundits, and Giants players can agree that their Super Bowl likely doesn’t happen if Cruz doesn’t go the distance on this play. Considering the impact this catch had on the Giants season, the fact that it came against the rival Jets, and the length of the play, this has to be the best play of Cruz’ career.