Victor Cruz has beaten the odds plenty of times already in his young Giants career.
Big Blue’s rising-star wide receiver will find out if he did that one more time tonight when results of the NFL’s Pro Bowl voting are announced.
Cruz is having a season more than worthy of a trip to Hawaii, with the former undrafted free agent ranking third in the NFL in receiving yards (1,358) and sixth among wide receivers in catches (76), but he faces an uphill climb because the Giants were unable to get his name on the fan ballot.
Cruz still has a chance to make the Pro Bowl because the separate fan, player and coach voting all count evenly toward a roster spot, but he will need a huge push from his NFC peers and coaches to get there.
Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul — who ranks fourth in the NFL with 15 1/2 sacks — is in a similar position to Cruz. The team could only nominate two players at Pierre-Paul’s position by the Oct. 25 deadline, and veterans Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora got the nod instead.
With the 8-7 Giants preparing for a do-or-die regular-season finale with the Cowboys on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium, Cruz said yesterday the Pro Bowl was the last thing on his mind.
“It’s just one of those things — if it happens, it’s a blessing, and if not, it’s just something to aspire to in the next years,” Cruz said. “It’s always been a goal. It’s one of those things [where] you watch the Pro Bowl as a kid every year and you watch those great guys go out there. Hopefully, if my name’s called, it will be amazing. If not, I’ll just look forward to the next year.”
Unfortunately for Cruz, whose three receptions for 164 yards in the Giants’ 29-14 win over the Jets last Saturday included a team-record, 99-yard TD, players and coaches can vote for only players in their own conference.
“If [Rex Ryan] had a vote, I think I’d have that one,” Cruz said.