Jets Week 1 Game Ball: Jamal Adams

After each Jets win, we will give out a game ball. There are two guidelines we try to follow pertaining to the game ball. We try to avoid giving it to the quarterback or repeat winners whenever plausible.

I think you could argue that an exception would be in order for Sam Darnold. The rookie quarterback wasn’t spectacular, but he settled in after a rough start and turned in a solid performance in his NFL debut. Given the circumstances surrounding the game, I could at least understand the argument.

I think there are ultimately too many other viable candidates to go with Darnold, however. Before I went to bed last night, I was leaning in the direction of Darron Lee. Lee picked off a pair of passes, nearly had a third, and tied for the team lead in tackles.

After sleeping on it, I am going in a different direction, however. Lee was stellar in the second half, but he had a rough first half. Things changed for him after the first interception.

Jamal Adams brought it for four quarters. He had a tackle for a loss early in the game, which set the tone for his evening. Whatever the Jets needed, Adams was there to provide. If they needed somebody to stuff a run, he was there. If they needed him to bump a receiver to set up Trumaine Johnson’s interception, he was there. If they needed solid coverage, he was there. If they needed a big hit to break up a touchdown, he was there. He was also there to record his first NFL interception late in the game.

Lee and a number of others would be worth recipients, but Jamal Adams gets my game ball.