rock their campaign.According to Merrick

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After failing to be targeted once against the Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz had a talk with rookie coach Ben McAdoo.What was interesting on Tuesday was Cruz said that it was McAdoo who sought him out as the Giants (8-4) returned to work and started looking forward to playing Dallas (11-1) on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium.I came into the building, we were getting ready for our first meeting and he came up to me and was like, `You are coming to see me, right? I was like, `Yeah, I am coming to see you. Shortly after, I came and saw him and we spoke and then that was it.Cruz said the conversation was an honest exchange between the coach and the 30-year-old veteran who is playing again this season after missing all but six games the past two years with knee and calf injuries.It was just two guys trying to problem solve, said Cruz, who was a little frustrated after Sundays game.There was no anger, there was nothing back and forth. It was just two guys trying to figure it out and try and continue how to make this team and this receiving corps as productive as possible.One thing is obvious this season. Cruz is not the playmaker that he was before being injured. He has 27 catches for 462 yards and one touchdown, that coming in the season opener against the Cowboys.His 17.1 yard average is the best on the team, but the Giants offense clearly now goes through Odell Beckham Jr., who leads the team with 75 receptions for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns.In his past four games, Cruz has had three catches for 131 yards. He missed a game on Nov. 14 against Cincinnati with an ankle injury.Through it all, Cruz has remained the ultimate team player. He didnt complain about being the field for only 26 plays. He also doesnt feel the need to talk to Eli Manning about his lack of targets.Cruz, who was only on the field for 50 snaps in games earlier this season, said there were times that he was open in the loss to the Steelers.However, Manning either didnt have the time to get him the ball or he was flushed out of the pocket to the opposite side where the receiver was running his route.Cruz hopes to be back in the mix this week, and doing it against Dallas would make him happy.Even better, would be scoring a touchdown and getting the chance to salsa again before the home crowd.I want to salsa dance every game, Cruz said. I want to get in that end zone as much as possible, but to get one at home would be that much sweeter as we go down the stretch here. But I just want to get the ball in my hands and getting into the end zone is part of it.Cruz said the biggest problem for the offense has been consistency across the board. The team has yet to score 30 points in a game this season.We just have to stay the course and understand that we didnt go on a six-game win streak for no reason, Cruz said. It happened for a reason because we are a good team and we felt what winning feels like in this locker room and we just want to get back to that.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Jeff Bagwell Astros Jersey . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Alex Bregman Jersey . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. http://www.baseballastrosproshop.com/carlos-lee-astros-jersey/ . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. Yuli Gurriel Astros Jersey . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Carlos Correa Astros Jersey . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick admits the clubs next match could be his last chance to fire the clubs faltering A-League campaign.The Nix are yet to register a point in four games and were downright embarrassing in patches during Monday nights 6-1 defeat to Melbourne Victory.Merricks side were competitive, even at 2-0 and a man down, and did find a first goal of the season from the penalty spot after five-and-a-half-hours of searching.But from 2-1, the New Zealanders gave out and let in four goals in 20 minutes, limping to one of the biggest routs in their history.In isolation, the result can be washed away as one bad night.In the context of a tricky opening month, the signs arent great for the Kiwis.Merrick has bemoaned the impact of international fixtures and senior players heading off for All Whites duties.And his big problem is upcoming World Cup qualifiers against New Caledonia this month will again rock their campaign.According to Merrick, the Nix will be without six players for their round six away trip to Central Coast and will have to rush them back into the siide on a short break and international travel to play Victory in round seven.dddddddddddd.It makes this Saturdays home date with Newcastle Jets one hell of a fixture.Youve got to win games and weve really got to win games next week. Weve got to start next week, Merrick said.In November weve been told six players will be out of the squad for the qualifiers.I came into the job knowing that could be the case (but) I didnt think Id lose so many first-team players.Merrick said he couldnt take anything out of the Etihad Stadium match but did defend his team for attempting to play to their gameplan even as Victory dominated the contest.We should have been playing better. We should have kicked on from where we left off against Sydney, he said.I think we started off very nervously and it took a while really before we played any fluent possession play at all.We were a little bit intimidated ... I didnt think we started to play until we conceded two penalties. ' ' '