The Giants offense and defense have come in for criticism in the first two weeks of the season. Now it’s the special teams’ turn.
Ted Ginn returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown to give the Cardinals a 19-14 lead in the fourth quarter and Quintin Demps fumbled the ensuing kickoff to give the ball back to the Cardinals on the Giants’ 21-yard line. The defense was able to hold, but Chandler Catanzaro’s third field goal of the day made it a 22-14 Arizona lead.
The punt return by Ginn will really burn. It was preceded by a third-down drop by Victor Cruz that would have been a first down and Zack Bowman had Ginn wrapped up briefly on the return before the Cardinals returner broke free an otherwise unmolested jaunt to the end zone.
The Giants had found their footing on offense and defense in the third quarter, although a slew of penalties on the defense helped the Cardinals get a field goal. The Cardinals defensive backs have also been flagged frequently as the league’s emphasis on penalties in pass coverage has been a big part of the game.
The Giants comeback will have to unfold without linebacker Jon Beason, who has left the game with a toe injury. Beason missed all the offseason and training camp with a toe injury, so it may be something to watch beyond this game.