They played well.
I heard about that controversy and at first I was like, they cheated! Then I realized that all teams control their own game balls, so each quarterback handles his own game balls and they get them roughed up the way they like them. So the only time that the opposing team will even touch that ball is during a turnover not-on-downs, so an interception or a fumble, and then a punt. The kickoff balls are handled by the officials I believe I heard, so those are different even still.