Jake Ballard, Willis McGahee, Matt Moore Were the Unsung Heroes of Week 9
LBS is lucky enough to be sponsored by Chevy this week, which is fantastic given that we’re big American car guys. LBS writer Del even proudly rolls in a Chevy truck. When they asked to write a post highlighting the unsung heroes for Week 9 of the NFL season, we were stoked; there are so many players who put together commendable performances each week but get overlooked for one reason or another. With that in mind, we’re proud to recognize Jake Ballard, Willis McGahee, and Matt Moore as the unsung heroes of Week 9.
On a 3rd and 10 from their 39 with 1:07 left, the undrafted tight end from Ohio State speared a ball in double coverage to give the Giants a first down at the Patriots’ 33. Then on a 3rd and goal from the 1 with 19 seconds left, Ballard beat linebacker Tracy White on an out route and grabbed the game-winning touchdown. Ballard has three touchdowns in his last five games and 19 catches for 308 yards in that span. He’s more than filling Kevin Boss’ role for the Giants, and his awesome clutch performance in week 9 needs to be recognized.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of McGahee’s performance Sunday is that he was playing despite having surgery on his broken hand less than two weeks earlier. Willis broke his hand in week 7 against the Dolphins and had surgery the next day. Yes, Willis ran for 163 yards with a plate and screws in his right hand. Now that’s impressive.
Matt Moore has hardly been mentioned this week because a) he plays for the Dolphins and b) he’s Matt Moore. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t deserve recognition. Moore led the Dolphins to their first win of the season — a 31-3 romp in Kansas City. The UCLA/Oregon State product went 17/23 for 244 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no turnovers. His 147.5 passer rating was the second highest by a quarterback who started and finished a game this season. He became the first Dolphins QB to throw for three touchdowns in a game since Chad Pennington in 2008. Not bad for a guy who entered the game with only one touchdown pass on the season. Anytime a player helps his team snap a 10-game losing streak, he deserves special recognition.
Jake Ballard, Willis McGahee, and Matt Moore were our unsung heroes of Week 9. Who were yours?
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