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2012 Pro Bowl Snubs: Victor Cruz Not Invited To The Dance

Victor Cruz of the New York Giants makes a catch in the first half against Joselio Hanson of the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 20, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Victor Cruz of the New York Giants makes a catch in the first half against Joselio Hanson of the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium on November 20, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Getty Images

There are always players who are snubbed when the NFL Pro Bowl rosters are announced. This year, salsa-dancing wide receiver Victory Cruz of the New York Giants is among those players who should be on the NFC Pro Bowl roster, but he is not.

The NFC's 42-man roster includes four wide receivers -- Calvin Johnson (Detroit), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona), Steve Smith (Carolina) and Greg Jennings (Green Bay).

Johnson (85 catches, 1,437 yards, 15 TDs), Fitzgerald (71 catches, 1,262 yards, eight TDs) and Smith (73 catches, 1,308 yards, six TDs) are all veteran, star receivers who have put up the kind of numbers you expect from them. They all deserve their spots in Hawaii.

The primary argument here has to be Jennings vs. Cruz. Playing for the quarterback with the better passing numbers and a team with a 14-1 record vs. the 8-7 season built by the Giants, Jennings' numbers pale in comparison to what Cruz has done.

  • Jennings -- 67 catches, 949 yards, nine TDs, 14.2 yards per catch
  • Cruz -- 76 catches, 1,358 yards (a Giants franchise record), eight TDs, 17.9 yards per catch

Pretty hard to argue that Jennings is more deserving than Cruz. Shoot, Jennings is probably not the best receiver on his own team. Jordy Nelson has 59 catches for 1,101 yards and 12 TDs, an average of 18.7 yards per catch.

Really not much doubt that Cruz, a second alternate, is more deserving of being on the NFC Pro Bowl roster than Jennings.