The Ted Ginn revenge game came in full force Sunday.
The Carolina Panthers receiver played a pivotal role in the 49-15 shellacking of the Arizona Cardinals. After spending just one season with the Cards, the game was personal for Ginn.
"I felt like deep down inside that (the Cardinals) thought I couldn't do it," he said, via the Charlotte Observer. "They sent me back out to the wolves. But then (Panthers coach Ron) Rivera, (general manager Dave) Gettleman, (owner Jerry) Richardson, even (quarterback) Cam (Newton), they stood on the table and said, hey, we want this guy back. All I can do is go out and play as hard as I can."
Play he did.
Ginn caught two passes for 52 yards -- more than any Cardinals wide receiver -- ran for a 22-yard touchdown that covered 90.97 yards and returned a punt 32 yards to set up that TD. Perhaps even more impressive/important was tracking down Patrick Peterson from behind to prevent a touchdown on a Newton interception late in the first half.
"When you're in a dogfight, every play counts," Ginn said. "When you're on the track, you hear somebody say, 'move,' that means somebody's coming. I always try my hardest and don't stop on a play. I think with me running (Peterson) down, it helped turn the game around."
Ginn has owned tantalizing speed his entire career, which got him drafted in the top 10 in 2007. But he'd struggled to harness it in a consistent fashion until the Panthers gave him a second chance this season.
Sunday's big win sent Carolina to the Super Bowl, but it was a lot more than that for Ginn.
"I tried to take 'me' out of it, but it meant a lot to me," Ginn said.