Ramius Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 One important fact of Victor Cruz's success; he plays alongside Hakeem Nicks, one of the top young WRs in the league. He might not look as good if he had to play alongside Donald "garbage" Jones who can't catch a cold, and Brad Smith.
C.Biscuit97 Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 Huh? These are two completely different players. Cruz has more speed, more leaping ability, better hands, and more strength. Stevie is a better route runner, but not by a lot as Cruz is a pretty good route runner himself. If I could take one or the other I would take Cruz who has more athletic ability, comes up bigger, doesnt disappear nearly as much as SJ. Do you honestly think Cruz would be the same player on the Bills? I love Nelson, but he doesn't strike fear in defenses. Nicks is a top 15 receiver himself and Manningham has some very good flashes and would easily be the #2 guy here. This is why comparing players is kinda of silly. Both players are in very different circumstances.
Alphadawg7 Posted January 23, 2012 Posted January 23, 2012 Do you honestly think Cruz would be the same player on the Bills? I love Nelson, but he doesn't strike fear in defenses. Nicks is a top 15 receiver himself and Manningham has some very good flashes and would easily be the #2 guy here. This is why comparing players is kinda of silly. Both players are in very different circumstances. No I dont, but thats because our QB is not very good. I didnt say he would be as good here as he is in NY..I said I would take Cruz over SJ. SJ is WAY to easily taken out of a game. I am sure there will be responses of the Jets game where he somehow got the better of Revis (yet we lost)...but who cares about one game. His overall body of work shows that he too often is taken out of games and he has frequently come up short when we needed him including shouldering multiple losses on his mistakes. Bottom line is the situations are different, so I compare skill set. Cruz is faster, stronger, leaps higher, has better hands, makes tougher catches, and hasn't come up short in big situations. SJ runs better routes, but Cruz is a good route runner himself and the gap is marginal and Cruz will only continue to get better at it as he continues to garner more experience. So based on intangibles, Cruz stacks up better than SJ IMO and I have been a big fan SJ since he was drafted. SJ has folded under pressure several times, is terrible against the press, and is more of a finesse player on a finesse based offense.
Stealth Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 The biggest differences.- Eli Manning Hakeem Nicks/Mario Manningham compared to Ryan Fitzpatrick/Whoever the bills #2 and #3 receiver are on any given week
BillsCelticsAngelsBama Posted January 24, 2012 Posted January 24, 2012 (edited) The big difference is that it would cost us two#1's and Stevie Johnson to pry him . away from the Giants. So let's get a real QB and a "big brother" for Stevie and see what he can do. Edited January 24, 2012 by MOVALLEYRANDY
Grondre Reed Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 not even comparable. Cruz has better hands, is faster, quicker and is doing it from year one. They are both good route runners and have a nice release off the line of scrimmage... that's the only parallel that can be drawn in my opinion.
Bill from NYC Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 It doesn't matter who as better as much as it matters that we re-sign one of our talented players. I think that most of us know what we need the most to make the playoffs. Losing a talented receiver isn't an option imo, providing of course SJ wants to play in Buffalo.
CodeMonkey Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 It doesn't matter who as better as much as it matters that we re-sign one of our talented players. I think that most of us know what we need the most to make the playoffs. Losing a talented receiver isn't an option imo, providing of course SJ wants to play in Buffalo. The Bills are almost forced to pay him #1 WR money, whether he is worth it or not. What other team is going to do that? He holds the position of power in the negotiations with the Bills and will end up getting close to what he is asking for. He wants to be in Buffalo unless he is really as stupid and immature as some of his antics might lead you to believe.
Matt in KC Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Victor Cruz / Stevie Johnson = 1.2 If Cruz, like other WRs, gets significantly better in years 2-3, he'll be a terror.
Turbosrrgood Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 (edited) Cruz reminds me a lot of Stevie. Seems to have the same body control/motion. Moves his shoulders well, gets out of breaks well, changes speed and direction well with and without the ball. I see Stevie and Fitz working well together for several years if they can get him resigned and come up with a decent #2. Welcome your thoughts on Cruz... I was a huge Cruz fan before he broke out with the Giants (much to the benefit of my fantasy team). There are certainly some similarities in their styles, however Cruz is a little smaller, certainly faster and more agile. He also has better hands than SJ. I am not knocking SJ at all, it's imperative that we keep him. Cruz is just a legitimate top talent at WR. One important fact of Victor Cruz's success; he plays alongside Hakeem Nicks, one of the top young WRs in the league. He might not look as good if he had to play alongside Donald "garbage" Jones who can't catch a cold, and Brad Smith. While it doesn't hurt to have Nicks and Manning playing with him, Cruz is just flat out good. He is one of those "uncoverable" guys in the NFL. Like Welker and Steve Smith (Car), this guy has so much speed and agility that double teams don't work on him. Manningham played next to Nicks for a while without looking like anything more than a mediocre WR IMO. Cruz comes in and instantly is a star....He is going to be good for a long time Edited January 26, 2012 by Turbosrrgood
section122 Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 No I dont, but thats because our QB is not very good. I didnt say he would be as good here as he is in NY..I said I would take Cruz over SJ. SJ is WAY to easily taken out of a game. I am sure there will be responses of the Jets game where he somehow got the better of Revis (yet we lost)...but who cares about one game. His overall body of work shows that he too often is taken out of games and he has frequently come up short when we needed him including shouldering multiple losses on his mistakes. Bottom line is the situations are different, so I compare skill set. Cruz is faster, stronger, leaps higher, has better hands, makes tougher catches, and hasn't come up short in big situations. SJ runs better routes, but Cruz is a good route runner himself and the gap is marginal and Cruz will only continue to get better at it as he continues to garner more experience. So based on intangibles, Cruz stacks up better than SJ IMO and I have been a big fan SJ since he was drafted. SJ has folded under pressure several times, is terrible against the press, and is more of a finesse player on a finesse based offense. So he averaged just under 5 catches and 63 yards a game, with no complimentary receiver to take coverage or pressure away, facing the teams best cb each week, with fitz as his qb, and hurt almost the entire year, but he is taken out of most games?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? As for the second part of your comment - have you seen the comments from the Raven and Niners locker rooms? 1 player or play does not lose a game for you. Easy drop in the steeler game yes definitely. Jets game yep but it was in the middle of the field - what about the next play when he was open in the endzone and Fitz threw it behind him? Why does Fitz get no blame for that loss? (if its only one players fault) Bottom line is Stevie is a great player GREAT. If he leaves it will be nothing but a terrible thing for the Bills.
PDaDdy Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Cruz reminds me a lot of Stevie. Seems to have the same body control/motion. Moves his shoulders well, gets out of breaks well, changes speed and direction well with and without the ball. I see Stevie and Fitz working well together for several years if they can get him resigned and come up with a decent #2. Welcome your thoughts on Cruz... I haven't checked the numbers but Cruz might be better than SJ and what I do find funny is that you are comparing SJ, our #1, to the Giants #2. SJ is BY FAR our best WR. And people wonder why Fitz's struggled with a different WR core every week, a revolving door of players at LT and losing our best lineman and QB of the offensive line Eric Wood. People like to rip Fitz in a vacuum and ignore the dearth of talent around him. Too funny.
atlbillsfan1975 Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 WR is like many positions on the field...who is playing along side you helps your play, If the Bills can find another quality WR and re-sign Stevie, then both players will benefit. Stevie has had some notorious drops, but i think it is part of the maturing process. Stevie has seemed very immature at times...funny, but immature. Lets hope the Bills can bring him back for a reasonable figure and sign another quality WR...then we will really see what we have in Stevie.
zazie Posted January 26, 2012 Posted January 26, 2012 Neither guy is a Buffalo Bill currently, let's stop talking abiout them. David Nelson anyone?
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