Victor Cruz: Jaguars DBs were targeting teammate Odell Beckham Jr.

— -- EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz believes Jacksonville Jaguars defensive backs were "gunning" for teammate Odell Beckham Jr. in Saturday night's preseason game, and he doesn't think Beckham has seen the last of that sort of on-field activity.

"I was a little unhappy last week because I felt some of those DBs were gunning for him," Cruz said before Giants practice Tuesday after being held from the game. "It was sad to see that go down because I felt like I couldn't help him. Couldn't go out there on the field and run routes with him, take some of the pressure off him, things like that."

Beckham was targeted five times in Saturday's game and didn't catch a pass. On a couple of his routes, he clearly pulled up short of the ball because he saw a safety coming hard after him. Cruz, who's being held out of preseason games because of last season's right knee injury and this summer's left calf injury, said he saw the same thing.

"When guys have an opportunity to get an interception and they don't even go for the ball, that's what you don't want to see," Cruz said. "From the sideline you could see it. When you're running a vertical route and you take a peek at the safety and see him, head down, trying to spear you. You can see that from a mile away."

Beckham had several testy exchanges with Jacksonville defenders during the game. At one point, he shoved safety Sergio Brown out of bounds after a play, clearly frustrated with the treatment he was getting from the defense.

Brown, however, denied targeting Beckham.

"No. That's just football. It's a preseason game," Brown said. "That's how you play football in the NFL. It's not practice. It's live, so if they throw the ball up, you've got to be prepared to catch it or protect yourself. No gunning."

Jaguars cornerback Davon House also denied Cruz's accusation and said Beckham just had a tough night.

"I don't know if he was frustrated from what Sergio did or what he thinks Sergio might have done or if he was just frustrated because he wasn't getting enough balls," House said. "I don't know. It's a better question for Odell to answer and their offense."

Regardless, Cruz knows that teams will continue to give Beckham their best shot.

"I dealt with that a little bit as well," Cruz said. "It's just something he has to deal with and battle through. He's a smart kid and he knows that. You've got to expect it every game."

Beckham has not spoken with the media since Saturday's game. He has, however, spoken several times this offseason about his need to control his temper and emotions during games when opponents are trying to needle or attack him.

"I talked a lot last year about just having mental strength and being able to control your emotions," Beckham said in an interview with ESPN earlier this summer. "I feel like I've been a lot better about it, maybe because we haven't been in a game or playing against another team. I don't know. I just genuinely love playing football, have such a passion for it, that it's hard sometimes not to be frustrated with something not going right. But it comes with the game, and you just take it and learn from it."

Information from ESPN.com's Jaguars reporter Michael DiRocco contributed to this report.