Justin Tuck threatens to 'punch in the mouth' anyone who turns on Coughlin

The second-guessing may have started in the New York Giants locker room — a disheartening indication that the team's season could be slowly slipping away and the first sign of discord under Tom Coughlin's reign since the Tiki Barber years.

“Right now, we are as low as you can get,” defensive end Justin Tuck said after a lifeless  31-7 loss to the Chiefs Sunday.

The Giants’ first 0-4 start in a non-strike year since 1979 is not entirely Coughlin’s fault. He was given an aging roster with little depth by general manager Jerry Reese and the Giants have endured a debilitating number of injuries. Reese is as much to blame as Coughlin —maybe more.

And, outside of Victor Cruz publicly questioning Coughlin's fourth-down call against the Chiefs, the team has not turned on Coughlin outright — yet.

One Giant who says speaking up against Coughlin is akin to fighting words is Tuck

“If anyone turns on our coach, I would be the first one to punch him in the mouth,” Justin Tuck told the N.Y. Daily News. “And put that in print. It better not happen, I know that.”

The play in question was a third-and-17 from the Giants 14. Eli Manning connected with Cruz for what initially was ruled a first down. Andy Reid challenged the spot and after the review the officials placed the ball at the 30-and-a-half yard line. Cruz needed to get to the 31. Coughlin made the right decision punting down by just three deep in his own end. Imagine the second-guessing if he had gone for it and missed and the Chiefs quickly traveled the short field for a touchdown.

Tuck admitted on the sideline, “Every defensive player wanted him to go for it. That is why we probably will never be coaches. That would have been a stupid move. Even if you get it, it would still be a stupid move.”

Cruz, who had scored on a 69-yard TD pass from Manning in the second quarter, claims he wasn't second-guessing Coughlin's call — only saying he wanted to stay on the field.

“I thought we should have gone for it on that fourth down,” Cruz said. “It’s coach’s call at the end of the day.”

From their own 30 down three?

“If it was me? Yes. Because we had the momentum,” Cruz said. “I felt it was a yard, not even a yard, half a yard, we’ve got to take a risk at some point and make something happen.”

If the Giants lose against the Eagles Sunday, some thing is bound to happen.

Victor Cruz wears walking boot, still confident of Week 1 return

As Victor Cruz got ready to meet the media Tuesday, he tried to paint a pretty picture for Giants fans despite the sight of the star wideout hobbling on crutches and in a walking boot. Cruz was upbeat and confident he will be ready for Week 1 in Dallas, but coach Tom Coughlin sounded less enthusiastic.

"Why does everybody look so sad?" Cruz asked as he limped up to the podium before yesterday’s practice. The result of a left heel injury suffered Sunday night against the Colts.

It seems likely Cruz will miss the rest of the preseason, but claimed he will be ready to practice the week leading up to the Sept. 8 opener against the Cowboys.

"Hopefully, I can be back before then," he said. "But I do see myself, envision myself out here on the practice field, getting ready for that Cowboys game, getting ready to go down to Texas to play those guys. That’s what I do envision."

Coughlin poured a bucket of cold reality on Cruz's self-diagnosis.

"Hopefully it’s not going to be a long time. Who knows? I don’t know that," said Coughlin. "He feels better from one day to the next, which is a good thing. Now if you look at him you say, ‘Oh, my God, he’s on crutches and a boot.’ So they’re doing all kinds of stuff to make sure that he doesn’t put any pressure on it. But he did feel better."

After signing a six-year, $45.9 million deal before training camp, Cruz got hurt three plays into Sunday’s 20-12 preseason loss to the Colts when he went for a deep ball from Eli Manning and cornerback Greg Toler committed interference and then landed on top of Cruz.

"On the way down, the defender’s weight landed on top of mine on one single foot. I felt it go numb and knew something was wrong immediately," Cruz said. "The MRI just showed some blood in there in the area where the swelling is, and that was about it. No tear, nothing wrong with the bone. Everything’s fine, which is a good sign, which is what I was worried about."

Cruz's MRI was reassuring.

"No tear, nothing wrong with the bone," he said. "Everything’s fine, which was a good sign, which was what I was worried about. Even though I didn’t hear anything pop, but you just never know with any injuries. I was happy about that. I’m just on the road to recovery"

Cruz is wearing the boot and using the crutches to keep weight off his foot.

"It’s all about getting better at this point," he said. "I think I have a firm understanding of the offense and me and Eli have an understanding of how he likes to hit me and the things we do out there on the field. I’m not too concerned about it. Obviously, I’m a guy that loves to practice, loves to be out there, but it’s just a short setback. You would never want to have one, but if there’s a time to have one, it’s now."

The Giants sent those MRI exam results to a specialist to confirm the initial diagnosis of a bruised heel, according to ESPN. After seeing Cruz’s fellow starting wideout Hakeem Nicks hobbled for much of last year, the Giants weren't taking any chances.

"I think it’s an injury where it’s predominantly the swelling that’s the issue, and once the swelling goes down, I think I’ll be OK," Cruz said. "I just want to be smart and want to make sure I’m 100 percent when I’m out there, and make sure that all the swelling is gone and ... attack it early. I don’t see it lingering or anything long-term with it. I feel good. I feel better than yesterday, which is a good sign."

Cruz will probably miss the final two preseason games and considerable practice time. Rueben Randle is most likely to step into his role as a starter. Playing on the outside yesterday at practice, Randle caught a pair of long touchdowns in 11-on-11 scrimmages.

"That’s what preseason is all about: opportunity. And opportunity is there,’’ Coughlin said. “Also hopefully we get to the game with Jernigan, [Brandon] Collins, those kind of people ready to contribute also. So it’ll be a great chance for them also."

Cruz explains shortened salsa dance: 'It's just preseason, so I didn't want to two-step'

New York Giants wideout Victor Cruz missed almost everything the team did this off season because  he didn't have a contract and, according to head coach Tom Coughlin, came to camp a little "rusty."

Now Cruz has a $43 million contract but might still have a little lingering rust in his joints — at least when it comes to his post-touchdown dancing.

After completing 57-yard TD catch-and-run from Eli Manning, Victor Cruz started his salsa celebration and then waved his hands and cut short the dance. It had fans wondering what gives?

"Yeah, it’s just preseason so I didn’t want to two-step, I didn’t want to give it the full gambit just yet just because it’s the preseason,'' Cruz said after the Giants' 18-13 preseason opening victory over the Steelers. "The salsa is still going strong.''

The vintage catch-and-run by Cruz spiced up what was a pretty pedestrian outing by the G-Men.  Even though Cruz' dance lacked his usual flair, he looked like he's shaken off most of the rust otherwise.

"I think [Polamalu] was thinking I was going to break off the route, so I just went vertical and Eli threw a great pass to me that I was able to take in for the touchdown," Cruz said. "It’s great to be on the same page with your quarterback, and Eli and I work hard on that. When things are clicking, you really get the results you want."

Cruz can do the Charleston for all Giants fans care — as long as he and Eli still waltz together like that a couple times a game.

Victor Cruz will sign long-term deal with Giants: Report

Is that salsa music coming from MetLife Stadium?  You bet it is.

Popular New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz will reportedly sign a long-term deal before the start of training camp on July 26, according to league sources.

And it couldn't be too soon for the Big Blue offense.

Terms of the deal have been agreed upon by both sides and only the final details remain to be worked out, reports ESPN.  No obstacles are expected to squash the deal.

Monday night, Cruz tweeted: "Good things come to those who wait."

Last month, Cruz signed his one-year, $2.879 million free-agent tender which got the ball rolling.

Negotiations between the two sides have been friendly and a long-deal contract had been expected to be agreed upon before training camp. 

The 26-year-old Cruz is said to be seeking a deal worth between $9 million and $11 million per season, the market rate for a No. 1 wide receiver. This offseason, Mike Wallace signed a five-year, $60 million deal with Miami that includes $27 million guaranteed.

The Giants reportedly offered Cruz a contract paying him roughly $8 million per season with between $15 million to $18 million guaranteed.

Cruz, an undrafted free agent out of UMass, has had a meteoric rise to stardom in his own backyard. In the past two seasons, the New Jersey native has caught 168 passes for 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns.

He’s the only player in club history to have at least 80 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in a season and he's done it twice.

Good things come to those who wait.
— Victor Cruz (@TeamVic) July 2, 2013

Cruz burst onto the NFL scene when he caught three touchdowns in a 2010 preseason game against the Jets. But he was injured early in the regular season and was placed on injured reserve that season. 

He made his first Pro Bowl last season.