Tag: Game Ball

WATCH: Darren Rizzi presents Alvin Kamara with a Week 10 game ball

Darren Rizzi handed a game ball to running back Alvin Kamara following their win over the Falcons. The Saints’ newest team captain played a big part in Week 10:


Darren Rizzi garnered plenty of praise for the way he seemed to instantly turn things around for the New Orleans Saints as he helped take down the division-leading Atlanta Falcons, 20-17 on Sunday.

The Saints were major underdogs and pulled off perhaps the biggest “upset” of the weekend, but Rizzi did not take all of the credit. The coach handed off the game ball to star running back Alvin Kamara, who has been one of the most essential players to the New Orleans offense, but did have some off moments in the victory.

A potential walk-in touchdown reception that slipped right through his hands was something Kamara noted after the game was one of the “lamest” things he has ever done.

The moment between Rizzi and Kamara can be seen here.

Kamara finished out the game with 55 rushing yards on 17 carries, playing an almost exactly equal role in the receiving aspect of the contest as he reeled in five receptions for 54 yards. He did not have a touchdown (outside of the one that almost was), but was a key cog in pulling this one off.

He now totals 715 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 167 carries, tallying 421 receiving yards and one touchdown through the air on 51 receptions. Kamara has been targeted in the passing game 69 times.

With the Saints looking like a competitive team for the first time in months, Kamara and Co. have a chance to stay in stride with a matchup against the Cleveland Browns set for Sunday next on the schedule.

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Watch: Lions give game ball to Dan Campbell after blowing out the Cowboys

Watch: Lions give game ball to Dan Campbell after blowing out the Cowboys

The Detroit Lions players flipped the script on their head coach after the team blew out the Cowboys, 47-9, in Dallas in Week 6.

As is customary, Campbell gave out the game ball after the game. In this case, it was game balls–earned by quarterback Jared Goff and safety Brian Branch. After giving short speeches acknowledging why Goff and Branch deserved the praise, Goff took over in the locker room.

“Real quick,” Goff said. “Our coach is our rock now. We’re in Dallas, in his place where he played. Game ball goes to him!”

A very excited Campbell cradled the ball and broke the team down as only he can. From the Lions media department,

 

Broncos owner Greg Penner gave Jerry Rosburg a game ball after Sunday’s win

Broncos owner/CEO Greg Penner gave interim coach Jerry Rosburg a game ball after Sunday’s win.

Denver Broncos interim coach Jerry Rosburg directed the spotlight to other coaches and players after he led the team to a 31-28 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

After the win, Rosburg gave out game balls to running back Latavius Murray, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, offensive coordinator Justin Outten, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and assistant Bill Kollar, who is expected to retire this offseason after 43 years in the NFL.

Rosburg deserves credit as well, and Broncos co-owner/CEO Greg Penner presented the interim coach with a game ball of his own.

“It means everything,” Rosburg said. “Coaching is really a noble profession, I think, because you’re working with young men and you’re trying to guide them. You’re working on a game that’s difficult to play. It’s all competitive and physically and tasking.

“You have to go through rough spots to get there and we did. So yes, I’m just so grateful. I’ve said this many times, but it’s really not about me. I was happy to be a part of this group, and I really respect those men in that room.”

With the season now over, Denver’s front office has started a search for a full-time head coach. Rosburg probably isn’t a top candidate for the head coach opening, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of remaining with the team in some capacity.

“We’ll see,” Rosburg said when asked if he’ll return in 2023. “I’m showing up for work tomorrow and we will see what happens.”

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Josh Williams gets the game ball against Florida

Williams led the Tigers in rushing in the win over the Gators.

[autotag]Josh Williams[/autotag] was the hero the LSU Tigers needed, and the one they wanted.  Williams had 14 carries for 106 yards as he led the LSU rushing attack against a good Florida Gators team in the Swamp.

It’s no secret that the LSU running game has been average at best this year. The offense didn’t show up at all against Tennessee. The offensive line made some adjustments and got [autotag]Will Campbell[/autotag] back this week as they traveled the Swamp and they were able to part the blue and orange sea to give Williams room to run.

[autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] raved about Williams’ pass-blocking ability as much as his ability to run the ball. [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns because of the amount of time in the pocket Williams helped to give him.

Williams was a team player and put his body on the line for his teammates.

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Kevin O’Connell awards the entire defense game balls

Kevin O’Connell rewarded the defense for their hard work on Sunday

The Minnesota Vikings navigated their way to another win over the Dolphins by a score of 24-16 despite a poor overall team performance.

The one unit that deserved some praise was the defense. They were on the field a lot due to the offense going three and out 10 times on the day.

The defense did allow 458 yards but only 6.23 yards per play, really testing the bend-don’t-break mantra of defensive coordinator Ed Donatell. The positives of the defense stood out in droves.

Not only did the Vikings force three turnovers that resulted in 10 points but they also had six sacks and 13 quarterback hits.

For their efforts on Sunday, head coach Kevin O’Connell awarded the entire Vikings defense a game ball.

The Vikings are going into the bye week at 5-1 and riding a four-game winning streak thanks to a defense that keeps coming up big at the end of games. On Sunday, they were recognized by head coach Kevin O’Connell.

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Watch: Marvin Jones gives Doug Pederson game ball for first Jaguars win

Doug Pederson’s first Jaguars win was a great one.

Doug Pederson has preached not getting too high or too low after wins and losses, but the Jacksonville Jaguars coach couldn’t help but be pretty excited about the team’s 24-0 win Sunday.

The demolition of the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts was a solid bounce back from a Week 1 loss to the Washington Commanders. The Jaguars improved to 1-1 and Pederson got his first win as the team’s head coach under his belt.

There were no shortage of great performances that deserved game balls, but Jaguars wide receiver Marvin Jones made sure to remember that Pederson deserved a ball too.

“It’s my first win, obviously, as the head coach here, but it’s a team win,” Pederson told reporters of receiving the game ball. “We celebrate as a team. I appreciate that, and it will definitely go on the mantle at the house, but my hats off to those guys in the locker room. They’re the ones that did it. I didn’t get hit, I didn’t have to throw any passes or run the ball, so all credit to the team.”

Pederson, 54, won a Super Bowl during a five-year tenure as the Philadelphia Eagles’ coach, compiling a 42-37-1 regular season record during his time with the team.

‘Underdogs Win:’ Ron Rivera gives Cam Sims game ball after win over Steelers

Rivera gave a game ball to Cam Sims after the win over the Steelers, with the WR stepping up to have 92 receiving yards on five catches.

Going into his NFL career, wide receiver Cam Sims wasn’t expected to amount to much. He went undrafted out of college, and barely made the 53-man roster in Washington after a strong training camp got him into one of the last spots on the team, where he would play mostly special teams. After a couple of uninspiring season, he has finally gotten his chance to shine this year.

His career was a bit like Washington’s game on Monday against the Steelers; an underdog who was counted out from the start, but one who stepped up when given the chance and proved that he belonged. Sims finished the day with 5 catches for 92 yards on the day, including a few incredible plays on third down, topped with a one-handed grab down the sideline that helped Washington go ahead late in the fourth quarter.

After the game, during Ron Rivera’s post-game speech in the locker room, he gave the game ball to Sims, who more than deserved it.

Without Antonio Gibson, who was injured early in the first quarter, and Terry McLaurin, who was nullified by the Pittsburgh defense, Sims stepped up in a huge way, and he did everything that the team needed of him. Congrats to Sims, who is finally making strides in this league. May this be one of many game balls that he gets down the road.

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No. 4 Notre Dame 12, Louisville 7: FIW Staff Game Balls

Who played the best on offense and defense for Notre Dame in their narrow win over Louisville? The Fighting Irish Wire staff give game balls

Notre Dame didn’t look overly impressive in doing so but they were able to move to 4-0 on Saturday with a 12-7 win over Louisville in a low scoring affair that few saw coming.

The win moves Notre Dame past their 1/3 point of the season and the Irish now get to pack their bags for the first time and head to Pitt next week to take on a Panthers team that features one of the better defensive fronts the Irish will see all season.

Before we move on and start breaking down Pitt though, it’s time to hand out or gameballs for the 12-7 victory over Louisville in the game that looked like it belonged in 1964.

First up is Geoffrey Clark…

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Notre Dame gameballs for 52-0 win over South Florida

Who were the best players on the field in Notre Dame’s 52-0 win over South Florida? The Fighting Irish Wire staff shares their game balls

Notre Dame dominated South Florida in every aspect of Saturday’s game en route to a 52-0 win.

The win was the first shutout by the Fighting Irish since a 52-0 win over Bowling Green last October.

It didn’t hold a whole lot of suspense aside from watching whether or not Notre Dame would complete the shutout of the Bulls.

That all said – here are the Fighting Irish Wire staff’s picks for the game ball recipients in Saturday’s victory.

First – Geoffrey Clark

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Texans coach Bill O’Brien gets a game ball from the 28-22 win over the Patriots

Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien got a game ball after the team beat the New England Patriots 28-22 Sunday night at NRG Stadium.

HOUSTON — Bill O’Brien was one of three former Bill Belichick assistants to have never beaten his old master.

When the Houston Texans prevailed 28-22 over the New England Patriots Sunday night at NRG Stadium, O’Brien left the company of defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel and Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores to get his first win and improve his head-to-head ledger with Belichick to 1-5.

After the game, quarterback Deshaun Watson presented O’Brien with the game ball.

“It was big for both of us,” said Watson, who threw for three touchdowns and caught another from receiver DeAndre Hopkins. “We work together all the time. We had two tries since I’ve been here where we came up short.”

In 2017, in Watson’s second career start, Houston was three points away as the Patriots edged the Texans 36-33.

In 2018, New England held off a Texans comeback with Watson throwing a Hail Mary incomplete.

“You could see he was really happy about that, and the energy in this room after wins, especially that win, is irreplaceable,” safety Justin Reid said. “That’s the whole reason we play football is to come to the locker room afterwards and see it like we do.”

To give O’Brien the game ball was a meaningful moment for the Pro Bowl signal caller.

Said Watson: “Just being the quarterback of the team, it really came from everyone, but for me to present that, I bet it mean a lot to him and to us as an organization. It was awesome.”

The Texans are hoping to hand out more game balls as they gear up for the Denver Broncos, who visit NRG Stadium for Week 14.