The Jets lost yesterday. Normally that would mean we give out an anti-game ball.
The candidate I had in mind was Elijah Riley. Riley was late in coverage on the game-winning touchdown.
I thought this through, however, and it just didn’t seem to fit the general tone of the game. This was an undermanned Jets team standing toe to toe with the defending Super Bowl Champions. Is it really fair to give a practice squad safety who is coming off a serious injury an anti-game ball for failing to make a play?
I say no. Given this effort, I am going to make the rare decision to give out game balls after a loss instead of anti-game balls.
Last week I awarded multiple game balls, and I realized I liked that format. It can be difficult to differentiate between good performances.
With that in mind, I have two game balls to award this week.
The first goes to Zach Wilson. I thought this was his best game in the NFL. Maybe it lacked the extreme playmaking of the early season overtime in over the Titans, but this was the first time it seemed to me like Wilson was in command standing in the pocket and reading defenses. Wilson finally looked like a confident quarterback. This was the BYU Wilson. He was zipping accurate passes into tight windows and extending plays with his mobility. In what has otherwise been a difficult season, a performance like this can provide hope.
My second game ball goes to Braxton Berrios who had a pair of touchdowns and added a number of big first downs. This is the second straight week I have given Berrios a game ball. He is on fire. I don’t know what has gotten into him lately, but he has been a key part of keeping a receiver room that has been decimated by injuries afloat.
These are my choices. Who gets your game or anti-game balls?
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