Cruz puts injury in past in emotional return to Linc

PHILADELPHIA — Victor Cruz wanted closure Thursday night, and he got it — even if it came in a Giants loss.

Lincoln Financial Field was the place — on Oct. 12, 2014 — that forever changed the course of Cruz’s career, and not for the better.

That’s why the Giants receiver found it so important to revisit that place — the north end zone in the stadium — before the 24-19 loss to the Eagles, and why it was important he perform well on this night, which he did, catching eight passes for 84 yards.

Cruz, when he first appeared on the field for pregame warm-ups, went straight to the spot where he was injured and he prayed. Twice. First by himself, and later with teammate Odell Beckham Jr.

“It was an emotional moment going back to where my first injury happened two years ago,’’ Cruz said. “I just went to that corner of the end zone, reflected on that moment, went back to that same time and how it felt and wanted to pay my respect to that moment and move on.

“When I first came out to warm up and throw around with Eli [Manning] I went straight to that corner of the end zone, took a knee and said a little prayer and went from there. It was nostalgic. Some memories came back to me — memories from that specific moment, from that time and when it happened and the feeling that I had.

“I just wanted to live in that moment for a second and then go from there.’’

Then he went back with Beckham, at his teammate’s insistence.

“Him and I always say a prayer in the end zone,’’ Cruz said. “He was emphatic about being in that specific spot and saying a prayer, so we prayed together in that spot. It was a special moment for me.’’

Cruz was productive early and often Thursday, catching three passes for 46 yards in the first half — all of them key receptions that led to Giants points.

His first catch went for 12 yards and moved the Giants into the red zone, from where Robbie Gould kicked a 35-yard field goal to cut the Eagles’ lead to 14-6.

His second catch of the half came on a third-and-3 from the Giants’ 23-yard line and went for 29 yards as he split Eagles defensive backs Leodis McKelvin and Jaylen Watkins. Two plays later, Cruz caught a 5-yard pass that helped set up the Manning TD pass to Sterling Shepard to cut the Eagles’ lead to 21-13 at the half.

“It was huge to go out there and play this game, to believe that I’ll be back on this field playing this game again,’’ Cruz said. “It’s definitely full circle. It’s closure in the sense that I made it back here to play a football game and came out unscathed, made some plays and feel good about myself.’’