As Cruz tries to get back in the action

tive to everything I was saying. I understood everything he said, and we took it from there.”

Cruz’s primary message during their “honest conversation?” He doesn’t feel he is playing enough. He was upset with his zero targets in the 24-14 loss to Pittsburgh, but he said “I don’t need to speak to” quarterback Eli Manning “about getting me the ball” because “that comes with being out there.”

Cruz also strongly contended that limiting his snaps for his health, to keep him fresh, is not a necessary or legitimate strategy.

“I’ve played full games earlier in the season. I’ve played 50-60 snaps and been OK and done well and been able to produce and perform for this team,” Cruz said. “So my body is definitely healthy enough to handle a full game’s worth of work.”

Cruz didn’t take the onus off Manning completely in his review of the Pittsburgh film. “I saw there were definitely some areas of the ball game where I could have gotten the football or was open enough to receive the football,” he said. But he added that “a multitude of things — like Eli getting flushed to the opposite side or getting sacked or pressured — negated … (other) opportunities.”

Manning’s response: “I always have a talk with Victor. He’s one of the receivers and we’re good buddies. We’ll be fine. We have to get him the ball.”

Cruz hinted that McAdoo is intent on getting all three receivers involved early in Sunday night’s game, given that rookie Sterling Shepard also went without a target in Week 12 in Cleveland and Odell Beckham Jr. alternately seems to either have every pass thrown his way or none at all.

“I think there will be some concern at first to get everyone the football and get everyone involved, including myself,” Cruz said with a smile, “so I guess to answer that in short, yes, it feels like I’ll be getting at least one target this week.” Cruz said he desperately wants to Salsa in front of the Giants’ home crowd.

“Like you wouldn’t believe, man,” he said. “I want to salsa dance every game. I want to get in that end zone as much as possible. But to get one at home would be that much sweeter. I just want to get the ball in my hands, and getting to the end zone is part of it.”

Suddenly, the Super Bowl XLVI champions Cruz and Pierre-Paul are marginalized. They are fighting to get back, and the Giants’ season could depend on whether or not they succeed.