Arizona Cardinals Ted Ginn is Special Teams Player Of Week

Sep 14, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. (19) celebrates with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) after running a punt back for a touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Things change fast in the NFL.  Many can speak to that and now you can include Arizona Cardinals wide receiver/punt returner Ted Ginn to that list.  After doing practically nothing in preseason and through week one and the first half of the New York Giants game, Ginn’s 71-yard punt return for a touchdown earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Many have been waiting for Ginn to breakout and make an impact somewhere on the field, whether it be as a receiver or punt returner.  Many were in the midst of complaining about him on social media as Ginn was taking the field right before the return for touchdown.  While I get the complaints I still thought it was too early to really rip into him.

Earlier in the game Ginn had about 20 yards of real estate in front of him on a fair catch.  He definitely deserved criticism for it but then he made the spectacular play to put the Cards up 19-14 at the time.  Many times just returning a punt for touchdown won’t be enough to be named Special Teams Player of the Week, but the timing was great.  The Cards had blown a 10-0 lead and were trailing 14-13.  Ginn broke several arm tackles and he was gone.

He won’t make a return for a touchdown every week but that is exactly the type of performance the Cards were looking for and even if they can get just a couple more of those breakout returns this season, he’s been worth the money.