We can applaud Victor Cruz for finally coming back from that horrendous knee injury, but his greatest claim to fame could be baiting Josh Norman into an electric matchup with Odell Beckham Jr.
Could it be that Roc Nation and Jay Z are rubbing off on Cruz?
In a move that could only be labeled as “shrewd” — Cruz and Janoris Jenkins set things in motion two Monday’s ago — when they called out the Redskins $75 million man for not “demanding” that he cover Antonio Brown.
“Especially if he calls himself – I don’t call him this, he calls himself – the best corner in the league, then you have to cover the best receivers on the other team,” Cruz said of Norman. “Going in I thought he was going to follow AB all over the place but he didn’t so it is what it is. He made his choice.
“It’s always his choice,” Cruz said. “He can go to the powers that be and say ‘Hey, I want to cover this guy.’ And if they say no, if maybe he did that and they said no, then I’ll have to eat my words. But for the most part you can go and make that request I’m sure.”
Brown went off on Monday Night Football — racking up eight passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-10 blowout win.
There’s no word on whether it was Norman or the Redskins who decided to ride with the “it’s the scheme” narrative — allowing Washington to allegedly just focus on playing a specific brand of defensive.
Josh Norman doesn’t make $15 million a season to play cover three, so shadowing the leagues best was a non-negotiation.
According to Ian Rapoport via sources — Cruz’s comments to Norman were received — with Norman taking the bait.
#Redskins CB Josh Norman will cover Odell Beckham today. Skins source broke down their feelings on it: Their No. 3 WR called him out …(1/2)
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 25, 2016
Norman/Beckham (2/2) from Skins source: The coach’s granted Victor Cruz’s wish. We hope they are ready for what they asked for.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 25, 2016
Games and moments like this one can be career defining.
For Josh Norman — a players whose psyche is predicated off how well he plays — it’s imperative that Odell Beckham not go off for a huge play early or dominate him late.
I mean never forget Nnamdi Asomugha — who was coming off three consecutive Pro Bowl seasons with the Oakland Raiders when he signed a five-year, $60 million deal with the Eagles.
Asomugha struggled in press and man coverage and the Eagles were 12-20 in the two seasons with Asomugha before he was released following the 2012 season.