ARLINGTON, Texas -- At their team meeting here Saturday night, on the eve of their game here Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants heard from injured teammate Victor Cruz.

Cruz, the star wide receiver who suffered a season-ending knee injury the Sunday before in Philadelphia, was at the Giants' team facility last week and taped a video message to his teammates. The coaches played the video Saturday night, and in it Cruz addressed each position group individually and even a few individuals.

"For us to be able to see him strong like that, it gives us strength. It gives me strength," said rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who caught two touchdown passes in Sunday's loss. "We're all playing for Vic. That's a guy we all look up to. It's hard to see him like that, but for him to be in good spirits and show strength, that's encouraging for us."

Beckham was one of the individuals Cruz singled out in the video, telling him, "we need you now." And Beckham said Cruz's message to each position group was, "Am I my brother's keeper?", asking the Giants to play for each other the rest of the way.

"He's still part of this team and part of this season," Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. "He's a leader of this team, and we still get to have his presence around. It'll be good."

The Giants are on bye this week and return to action with a "Monday Night Football" game at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 3.