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David White, Chronicle Staff Writer
October 11, 2010
The 49ers came into Sunday's 27-24 loss to the Eagles ranking second-to-last in the NFL in kickoff returns. Ted Ginn Jr. quickly showed he is healthy enough to give San Francisco reason to hope for more than a touchback.
Ginn took the opening kickoff, cut left and turned it upfield for a 44-yard return against the Eagles.
His left knee finally unsprained, Ginn gave the 49ers the ball at their 49-yard line. The offense used the kick start to drive 51 yards for the score, with quarterback Alex Smith throwing a 7-yard touchdown pass to Michael Crabtree.
Ginn's return was the team's longest of the season by 14 yards - until the fourth quarter, when he returned a kick 61 yards to set up the 49ers' final scoring drive.
Ginn also had kick returns of 23 and 18 yards in the first half, showing the team's blocking has more work to do.
He also played seven snaps in three-receiver sets by halftime. The idea is for the speedy Ginn to stretch the field, and he tried on a go route early in the second quarter.
Only Smith underthrew a 44-yard pass, allowing third-string cornerback Dimitri Patterson to intercept the ball at the Eagles' 3.
Ginn did have a 17-yard catch on a play-action call on 3rd-and-1 in the second quarter, running a deep post before slamming the brakes and turning around for his first catch since a Week 1 knee injury.
