Handing Out Game Balls for Every Game in NFL Week 7

Sometimes, game balls need to be awarded even though nobody deserves them. This week, there were plenty of snoozeworthy matchups and awful performances, even by usually-reliable stars. 

Nonetheless, there were still games, and they were still played with balls, and those balls aren't going to give themselves away, are they?

We broke down all the games played on Thursday and Sunday of NFL Week 7, and found all the players who did the most to help their team win—or, in rare circumstances, who did the least to help their team lose.

Click through to see who won a game ball for every NFL Week 7 matchup! 

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers

"Might Makes Right" Game Ball: NaVorro Bowman, 49ers linebacker

Everyone expected a defensive slugfest between the 49ers and Seahawks, and that's exactly what they got. Giving a game ball to an offensive player wouldn't feel right, even if he deserved one. Instead, the prized pigskin goes to Bowman.

Bowman racked up seven solo tackles, a sack and a crushing hit on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson that resulted in an interception.

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills

"Back to the Future" Game Ball: Chris Johnson, Titans running back

After two seasons of playing like George McFly, the man they call CJ2K finally filled up the Mr. Fusion and hit the flux capacitor. He didn't hit 88 miles per hour, but he did rack up 195 yards and two touchdowns on just 18 carries, paving the way for a 35-34 Titans win.

Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers

"The Least of 90 Evils" Game Ball: Tony Romo, Cowboys quarterback

This is kind of like in old cartoons, where somebody goes "I need a volunteer" and everyone but the straight man takes a step back, making it look like he took a step forward.

Everyone on the field but Tony Romo took a step backward in this poorly-played game, so Romo's 24-of-34 performance for 227 yards passing and one touchdown wins him a game ball. 

Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans

"Holy Crap This Guy Came Back From an Achilles Injury in Six Months" Game Ball: Terrell Suggs, Ravens defensive end

His team was in shambles. The offense was impotent. The defense was toothless. But the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year was there, standing triumphant over Texans quarterback Matt Schaub.

Suggs notched a sack in his nearly-miraculous first game back from an April Achilles tear, and that gets him a game ball. Period.

Cleveland Browns at Indianapolis Colts

"If You Want It Done Right, You've Got to Do It Yourself" Game Ball: Andrew Luck, Colts quarterback

Luck wasn't the best player on the field on Sunday. He wasn't even the best rookie quarterback. But Luck made plays with his feet, including two rushing touchdowns, that Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden didn't—and it won his Colts the game.

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings

"Gene Autry Back in the Saddle Again" Game Ball: Adrian Peterson, Vikings running back

The man they call "All Day" has been effective since his lighting-fast return from ACL surgery, but not dominant. Against the Cardinals, he finally put up numbers like we're used to seeing: 153 yards and a touchdown on just 23 carries—an average of 6.7 yards per carry.

Honorable mention goes to the Vikings defensive line, who per ESPN Stats & Information got seven sacks without a single blitz all game long.

Washington Redskins at New York Giants

"Nice Try, Kid, Let Me Show You How It's Done" Game Ball: Eli Manning, Giants quarterback

For most of the game, it looked like rookie phenom Robert Griffin III was going to take Manning to school. Griffin made some incredible plays, and Manning some awful ones, but when it came down to crunch time it was the veteran who delivered.

Manning hit Victor Cruz for a 77-yard touchdown strike with just 19 seconds left on the clock, sealing the victory for his Giants.

Green Bay Packers at St. Louis Rams

"Debutante's Ball" Game Ball: Randall Cobb, Packers wide reciever

Aaron Rodgers almost won this game ball just on the strength of the incredible game-winning touchdown throw. The throw he made on the move under pressure was incredible.

But the ball goes to Cobb, the young buck on the other end of the pass. Cobb's eight catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns were the difference in the game. Consider this Cobb's official coming-out party.

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

"You Can't Fight City Hall" Game Ball: Josh Freeman, Buccaneers quarterback

I usually give game balls to the players that did the most to help their team win. The scoreboard says the Bucs lost, but Freeman's incredible performance on what should have been the game-winning drive earned him this game ball.

Freeman completed 24-of-42 for 420 yards, three scores and no interceptions. He also led that incredible final drive, and threw what might have been the game-winning touchdown. The officials ruled Mike Williams ineligible to catch Freeman's fourth touchdown, as it appeared he had.

The ruling was correct, if obtuse, but Freeman played well enough to win the game.

New York Jets at New England Patriots

"Male Stripper of the Year" Game Ball: Rob Ninkovich, Patriots linebacker

Nobody strips quite like Rob Ninkovich. Weeks after sack-stripping Peyton Manning to put the kibosh on the Broncos' comeback attempt, Ninkovich stripped Mark Sanchez to end overtime and seal the win for the Patriots.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Raiders

"Contractual Obligation" Game Ball: Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders kicker

I am contractually obligated to award a game ball to someone for helping win this horrible, horrible game.

Cecil Shorts was going to get the nod until he fumbled the game away in overtime. Since Janikowski literally won it with a sudden-death field goal, the game ball goes to "Seabass."

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

"Seven Yards and a Cloud of Dust" Game Ball: Jonathan Dwyer, Steelers running back

In another game where players stood out more for the plays they didn't make than the plays they did, the Bengals had a chance to pull further ahead of the Steelers in the AFC north.

But Jonathan Dwyer had other ideas. With a brusing, line-busting 122-yard performance, Dwyer brutalized the aggressive Bengals D, particularly in the fourth quarter.

When the Steelers needed someone to rely on, Dwyer seemed to rip through the second level of the Bengals defense for seven, eight, or more yards every time, putting the game away when nobody else could.