A trio of New York Jets, led by stud Jamal Adams, provided some AFC sunshine during a rain-soaked afternoon in Orlando.
It’s not the one they necessarily want or would boast about, but a group of New York Jets earned a championship at the end of the year.
Jamal Adams, Jason Myers, and Andre Roberts each partook in the 2019 Pro Bowl and played a part in the American Football Conference’s 26-7 victory on Sunday afternoon.
Adams took center stage during a downpour at Camping World Stadium. The second-year Jet and first-time Pro Bowl nominee earned two tackles and an interception to gain Defensive MVP honors.
The 2019 Pro Bowl MVPs: @PatrickMahomes5 & @TheAdamsEra ? pic.twitter.com/38GxnG8eEO
— SNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 27, 2019
In the third quarter, with the AFC holding a 17-0 lead, stars National Football Conference began to venture into the red zone. Adams, if only for a short while, shot down the lackadaisical stereotypes of the Pro Bowl with a big on hit on Chicago quarterback Mitchell Trubisky on a botched flea flicker.
Jamal Adams giving the mascots a break and going full speed to sack Trubisky after a failed flea flicker #Jets ? pic.twitter.com/aI6JdBcJbc
— Roto Street Journal (@RotoStJournal) January 27, 2019
It was perhaps the second hardest hit Adams laid down during his week in Orlando. The Jets safety had infamously blindsided Pat Patriot, the mascot for rival and AFC champion New England, during preparation for the all-star Game.
Adams wasn’t finished on the drive, as he was quick to snuff out more NFC trickery. When Minnesota receiver Adam Thielen was set to throw downfield, Adams intercepted the attempted connection to Alvin Kamara, preserving what was an AFC shutout.
.@TheAdamsEra is all over the place.
He intercepts @Athielen19 on the double pass ?
?: #ProBowl on ESPN + ABC + Disney XD pic.twitter.com/bHrZy3QPU4
— NFL (@NFL) January 27, 2019
It wound being a good All-Star weekend for defenders from the New York area. On Saturday, New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist posted a spotless half in the NHL All-Star Game’s championship. He made six saves in the process, helping the Metropolitan Division clinch a 10-5 victory over the Central in San Jose.
Two Jets specialists likewise appeared in their Pro Bowl debuts.
Jason Myers converted two of three field goal attempts, including a 47-yard triple that ended the drive after Adams’ interception. Veteran Andre Roberts, appearing in his first Pro Bowl in nines seasons, returned two punts for 13 yards. The Pro Bowl has eschewed kickoffs since 2015. Myers also successfully converted a pair of extra points in the win.
With the victory, the AFC continued their success in the Pro Bowl, which reverted back to a conference vs. conference format in 2016. The AFC has won all three exhibitions since the return and leads the all-time series 24-22.
Elsewhere on the squad, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes earned the Offensive MVP award. Mahomes threw for 156 yards and the game’s first score, an 18-yard touchdown pass to Indianapolis Colts tight end Eric Ebron.
After the game, Adams and Mahomes accepted the Pro Bowl trophy from ESPN analyst Jason Witten. In presenting the trophy, Witten appeared to dislodge it from its base, drawing a humorous, wide-eyed reaction from Adams.
Poor Jason Witten. Been a long year. pic.twitter.com/6d1polEfmY
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) January 27, 2019
With his defensive honor, Adams becomes the first Jets Pro Bowler to receive an MVP award in the annual exhibition in Mark Gastineau won Defensive MVP in the 1985 edition. However, he, Myers, and Roberts have a long way to go if they’re to going to track down the Jets’ leader in Pro Bowls, tackle Winston Hill.
One of the members of the Jets’ Super Bowl championship squad in 1968-69, the late Hill reached eight Pro Bowls between 1964 and 1973. Hill was inducted into the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2010.
