While the Manning brothers will highlight Sunday’s Giants-Broncos showdown, the two groups of versatile and talented wide receivers are an intriguing undercard.
The Broncos will arrive at MetLife Stadium with a trio of receivers many consider the best in the AFC. Wes Welker, Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas combined to haul in four touchdown passes from Peyton Manning in a Week 1 rout of the defending Super Bowl champion Ravens.
The Giants feel they have a triumvirate in Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle who can match any in the league. All three accumulated more than 100 yards receiving in a Week 1 loss to the Cowboys.
“We feel very good about the weapons we have,” offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride said.
Nicks and Cruz have started together for two years, forming a potent 1-2 punch that was a vital part of the Giants’ 2011 Super Bowl run.
For one week, the Giants featured a big three. Randle, a second-year pro out of LSU, had his coming-out party against Dallas, hauling in five catches for a career-high 101 yards.
Gilbride said the focused, diligent and hard-working Randle is “night and day” compared to the player who had just 19 catches for 298 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie.
“He’s been very, very professional, very, very workmanlike,” Gilbride said. “He’s always had some ability, and so you just thought if he would do what he’s doing now, which is really focused and zeroed in, he’ll be a good player in this league. It’s still a long season. You got to do it over a long period of time, but I wasn’t surprised, let’s put it that way. It’s what I was hoping he would do.”
The 6-foot-1 Randle said he is more comfortable now, in his own abilities and the Giants offensive system, which enables him to go full speed, reacting and adjusting rather than thinking and guessing.
“It’s led to me going out there and playing a lot faster, making a lot more plays,” he said. “I just understand the offense now, the whole concept of everything.”
Cruz and Nicks’ roles are well defined. Cruz is the home-run hitter, the speedy deep threat, while Nicks is the fearless possession receiver who makes his money going over the middle and moving the chains. Both went over 1,000 yards receiving in 2011 before foot and knee ailments derailed Nicks last year. They are both back to making plays, and they seem to have a viable third option in Randle.
“I have two great guys in front of me who I can learn from,” he said. “They always teach me, so I can get better in my game.”
Randle doesn’t want to pigeon-hole himself.
“I just want to go out there and do it all,” he said.