NFL

Victor Cruz still waiting for first competitive catch of 2014

In two preseason games covering seven offensive series, Victor Cruz has no receptions for the Giants, which is not very surprising if you consider Cruz hasn’t had a single pass thrown in his direction. Two games, no targets, no catches.

So maybe, just maybe, Cruz gets off the schneid Saturday night against the Colts in Indianapolis.

“That would be fun, I guess, if I could catch one,’’ Cruz said Thursday. “But I’m all about getting my technique right and making sure my routes are crisp. And if Eli [Manning] looks my way to get me one, so be it.’’

No one is very worried about this, but Tom Coughlin, when asked if he would like to see Cruz get a catch, said: “Think so? Wouldn’t be a bad idea, would it?’’

Coughlin said Cruz and the starters will play a bit more than they did last week against the Steelers, meaning they will be on the field for the entire first quarter and some of the second. Coughlin said he doubted any of the starters would play the entire first half.


Manning, Coughlin and general manager Jerry Reese took part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, getting doused by Kiwanuka and Zak DeOssie.

Other practice notables:

– Although rookie WR Odell Beckham Jr. made it through practice this week, he will not play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Colts. “Not enough work,’’ said Coughlin, who added he expects Beckham to make his preseason debut the following week against the Jets.

“We’ve had him in individual, we’ve had him for a few plays,’’ Coughlin said. “When the few plays are run, he seems to be doing fine. Like everybody, they need more repetitions, they need more time on the field, they need to be in that fatigue state, see how they perform then. We need all those things to take place.’’ After making a touchdown grab on Wednesday, Beckham made another good play during Thursday’s practice, coming back and diving to haul in a pass from Ryan Nassib.

– In a change from the first two games, Curtis Painter will be the No. 2 quarterback and replace Manning in the second quarter, with Ryan Nassib finishing up. Painter earned the promotion by going 7 -for-7 and directing the game-winning drive against the Steelers. “That’s where we are right now,’’ Coughlin said. “Curtis will go second.’’

– Will Beatty, coming back from a broken right leg, will make his preseason debut and start at left tackle, but he will not play as long as the other starters on the offensive line.

“Do I feel ready? I have been looking forward to this moment,’’ Beatty said. “I am blessed to be in this position. It is still not the right leg before the injury, but the doctors said that is going to take time, take it through its paces just to warm it up and loosen it up before you are ready to go.’’

– Once again, at the start of the team period, going no-huddle, it looked as if the offense was not in sync. Manning’s first pass sailed over the reach of Beckham over the middle. Manning found Cruz on the next pass, but a bit later a pass in the general direction of Jerrel Jernigan sailed out of bounds. The worst play of all was when Manning looked for Rueben Randle on the right sideline. Randle kept running, Manning thought Randle would stop and the result was an easy interception for CB Zack Bowman. Earlier in the practice, Bowman reached around and knocked the ball away from Preston Parker.

– The crowd got a kick out of Manning not spotting anyone open after a pump fake and finishing the play by tucking the ball and scrambling up the middle. Manning didn’t look half-bad doing it, but it will be quite a while before he does it in a game.

– CB Charles James nearly came up with an interception of Painter’s pass on a slant intended for Marcus Harris.

– Mathias Kiwanuka’s wingspan came in handy when he read Manning’s pass to the right, stuck up his long arms and batted the ball harmlessly to the grass. Damontre Moore, another player with a long wingspan, swatted down a Manning pass intended to go over the middle.

– TE Adrien Robinson made a nice leaping catch on the right sideline of a Painter rising fastball.

– The final play of training camp was a good one for the offense: Painter hit Parker cutting across the field for a touchdown to end the two-minute drill.

– Coughlin said Larry Donnell and Kellen Davis will get first-team snaps at tight end against the Colts.