The Giants injury report lists Victor Cruz as “probable” for the season-opener Sunday against Dallas.
Cruz upgraded his status to “confident,” barring a last-minute setback on the bruised left heel that forced him to miss two weeks before his return to practice Monday.
“I’m confident,” Cruz said. “I feel like I’m in shape. I feel the heel is much better. I’m not favoring the other leg, anything like that. So it feels good. I’m anxious to go out there and see what I can do on game day.”
Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he sees no difference in the personal makeup of Cruz who in the offseason signed a six-year, $45 million extension, with $15.6 guaranteed.
“He’s still a very humble kid in my mind,” Coughlin said. “He enjoys himself. He enjoys what he’s doing. He likes being around his teammates. He’s the same guy.”
Cruz concurs. The only difference? His bank account.
“I feel like the same person,” he said. “I feel like the same player. I’m still out there making plays. It’s the same playbook, I just have to go out there and continue to execute.
“Nothing has really changed other than, obviously, the bank account.”
The injury report for Sunday:
Giants: C David Baas (knee), T David Diehl (thumb) and TE Adrien Robinson (foot) are out; FB Henry Hynoski (knee), DE Damontre Moore (shoulder) and DE Jason Pierre-Paul (back) are questionable; Cruz (heel) and CB Jayron Hosley (ankle) are probable.
Cowboys: DE Ben Bass (shoulder), running back Lance Dunbar, S Danny McCray (hamstring) are out; DE Anthony Spencer (knee) is doubtful; G Ronald Leary (knee) is probable.
Like Pierre-Paul, Hynoski is listed as questionable but making the trip to Dallas.
“Whatever decision they make, I go with it and know it’s for the best. If I’m out there playing, I’ll play as hard as a can and if not, get ready for next week,” Hynoski said. “I’m going on the trip regardless. It’s just part of the process. I’m healthy for the most part and if the team needs me there, it’s my duty.”
Baas, out with a strained MCL in his knee, is making progress and said he is day-to-day.
“All I can do is get back as fast as I can,” he said. “That’s my goal. I got some good work in [Friday] and I’ll let everyone handle it from there. I’m still on my day-to-day,” Bass said.
Coughlin said the Giants’ “Super Bowl Countdown Clock” in the players only area of the locker room is a motivational tool.
“That’s just a mental thing for the players to refer to,” Coughlin said. “What my position has been on that is that you’ve got to earn that right. We realize where the Super Bowl is being played. We all understand and have heard it over the course of the year and the offseason. Any type of motivation that we can accomplish with that, we’ll do that.
“But that’s a lofty goal and 32 teams in this league right now have that as their goal and you’ve got to work your way towards that.”