By looking at this photo, you probably assumed Ted Ginn dropped that ball.
Yes, he has issues bringing in catchable passes – particularly near the end zone. He was a first round pick who dropped passes without the accompanying explosive plays when he played for the Dolphins, 49ers and Cardinals.
Miami fans are particularly salty towards Ginn because the Dolphins took him at No. 9 overall and he didn't live up to the expectations that come with being a top 10 pick. His mistakes inspired one Dolphins fan to make this video:
One thing Ginn catches is a lot of flak. Yet, his catch rate – the percentage of passes to a receiver completed – is similar to some of the best receivers in the league. According to Football Outsiders, his catch rate this season is 45 percent, which is among the worst in the league. However, Mike Evans, Martavis Bryant, T.Y. Hilton and Dez Bryant's catch rates are only slightly higher. They certainly don't have the same reputation for dropping passes as Ginn does.
In 2015, Ginn has more touchdowns than all of them and is among the top 10 in the league in TD receptions. He's the definition of a boom or bust player, but Carolina fans can live with the drops when he continues to make plays otherwise.
He hauled in two more touchdowns, Sunday, including this tough grab along the sidelines:
This 74-yard touchdown catch from Ted Ginn Jr. gives Carolina a 14–0 lead over the Falcons. pic.twitter.com/0eeEudaZ6W
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) December 13, 2015
Boone, Hartline, Smith Suffer Significant INjuries
Sunday did not go as well for Buckeyes who don't play for the Panthers. Late-seaosn injuries continue to decimate the list of former Ohio State players in the NFL.
During the week, the 49ers finally placed Carlos Hyde on injured reserve. Hyde fought through stress fractures in his foot early in the season but hadn't played since Oct. 22 against Seattle.
Teammate Alex Boone left San Francisco's week 14 game against Cleveland after injuring his right knee. He will undergo an MRI today, and if he is unable to suit up again this season, it may be his last with the 49ers. Boone is a free agent after this season.
In the same game, Browns receiver Brian Hartline broke his collarbone and head coach Mike Pettine ruled him out for the season. Hartline started to break out towards the end of his first season with his hometown team, catching eight passes in each of the last three games.
Lastly, Devin Smith might also be done for the year. He was carted off the field, unable to put any weight on his knee after covering a punt. Smith will also undergo an MRI, today. The Jets rookie recently recovered from the broken ribs suffered during training camp and the team finally felt like he was making progress at receiver.
Play of the Week
I might as well rename this section of the article in honor of Kurt Coleman. For the fifth straight game, Coleman picked off a pass. He now has seven interceptions on the season, one behind Bengals safety Reggie Nelson.
This pick wasn't particularly important to the game's outcome and the opposing quarterback was Sean Renfree, throwing his first passes in his third year in the NFL. Still, it's worth watching because of Coleman's streak:
.@CatScratchReadr @STalkPanthers @PanthersProwlSB @CarPanthersNews 5 games in a row for @k4coleman. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/2RHYJymTBa
— Derek (@DTang0426) December 13, 2015
How They Fared in Week 14
Player | Team | Position | Stats/Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Mike Adams | Pittsburgh Steelers | OL | Won't play in 2015 but expected to return to team in 2016 |
Will Allen | Pittsburgh Steelers | S | 5 tackles, 1 sack in win over Bengals |
Michael Bennett | Jacksonville Jaguars | DT | 2 tackles in blowout win over Titans |
Alex Boone | San Francisco 49ers | OL | Left loss to Browns in third quarter due to knee injury |
Philly Brown | Carolina Panthers | WR/KR/PR | 3 receptions, 59 yards in win over Falcons |
Kurt Coleman | Carolina Panthers | S | Team-leading 9 tackles, another INT in win over Falcons |
Nate Ebner | New England Patriots | DB/ST | 1 tackle in win over Texans |
Ted Ginn Jr. | Carolina Panthers | WR | 74-yard TD and 46-yard TD in win over Falcons |
Doran Grant | Pittsburgh Steelers | CB | Active but did not see many snaps in win over Bengals |
Johnathan Hankins | New York Giants | DT | On IR due to torn pectoral muscle |
Brian Hartline | Cleveland Browns | WR | 8 receptions, 107 yards, broken collarbone in win over 49ers |
A.J. Hawk | Cincinnati Bengals | LB | Active but did not record a tackle in loss to Steelers |
Boom Herron | Indianapolis Colts | RB | 4 carries, 16 yards, 2 receptions, 5 yards in loss to Jaguars |
Cameron Heyward | Pittsburgh Steelers | DE | 2 tackles, 1 sack in win over Bengals |
Carlos Hyde | San Francisco 49ers | RB | Placed on IR due to foot injury |
Malcolm Jenkins | Philadelphia Eagles | S | 8 tackles in win over Bills |
James Laurinaitis | St. Louis Rams | LB | 8 tackles in win over Lions, which Jay Z attended for some reason |
Corey Linsley | Green Bay Packers | C | Inactive for win over Cowboys due to ankle injury |
Nick Mangold | New York Jets | C | Jets offense dominates, Mangold looking forward to Star Wars premiere |
Jake McQuaide | St. Louis Rams | LS | Solid dig at Jeremy Lin prior to Rams win over Lions |
Jack Mewhort | Indianapolis Colts | OL | Top-rated player on inconsistent, injured Colts offense |
Andrew Norwell | Carolina Panthers | OL | Among leaders in fan votes for Pro Bowl |
Mike Nugent | Cincinnati Bengals | K | Kicked 2 field goals, 2 extra points in loss to Steelers |
Terrelle Pryor | Cleveland Browns | WR | Active but was not targeted in win over 49ers |
Bradley Roby | Denver Broncos | CB | 2 tackle, big block on special teams in loss to Raiders |
Ryan Shazier | Pittsburgh Steelers | LB | 7 tackles, huge hit on INT return in win over Bengals |
John Simon | Houston Texans | LB | 1 tackle, fumble recovery in loss to Patriots |
Devin Smith | New York Jets | WR | Targeted 3 times, carted off field due to knee injury |
Rod Smith | Dallas Cowboys | RB | Active but did not record a carry in loss to Packers |
Jake Stoneburner | Miami Dolphins | TE | Plays tonight vs Giants |
Donte Whitner | Cleveland Browns | S | 3 tackles, 1 sack in win over 49ers |