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Hi Folks,
We do a ton of insightful, thoughtful and serious features here at Footballguys with smart people thinking deeply for you. This is not one of those features.
This is Random Shots and it's a few pages of me downloading my goofy and dysfunctional mental hard drive that gets stuffed with way too many random items from too many hours watching, reading about and listening to football every weekend and throughout the week. It's the only way I manage. Here's hoping it has some value for you.
We'll see. Now let's get to it.
J
(Hushed Voice) "Observed in its natural habitat, the elusive Bill Belichick fist pump is as rare as it is beautiful."
Trust me, it's worth waiting for.
Hat Tip to Charles Robinson.
Belichick Fist Pumps are rare. Belichick Bro Hugs are extinct.
That's pretty funny.
Drew Stanton lost the Cardinals QB Challenge game this week. Things got worse from here...
I think those "odds to win at this point" calculations during the game are kind of funny. "Trailing by a touchdown with 2:34 left in the 3rd quarter, San Diego's chances of a win were 28.84756%."
Whatever.
But if they did a similar calculation frame by frame of the Kenny Stills catch, I'd have to think at this moment, the odds of a completion were pretty slim.
But you already know how this one ended...
Jalen Ramsey's cleat game is strong.
On the opposite of the Cleat Game Scale, we have Von Miller's effort. Which mirror how well the Broncos have fared lately.
I'm so hoping Mitch Trubisky can be good. Partly because my Buddy Jeremy Johnson is the biggest Bears fan I know. But also so Trubisky can live up to the "Pretty Boy Assasin" nickname. That's awesome.
On Friday, Carson Palmer was talking about how powerfully new Cardinal RB Adrian Peterson ran. Making headlines that “you can hear his feet”.
By Sunday afternoon, Palmer was tending to a broken arm and Peterson was finishing an eleven carry for 21 yards game.
I'm with Ferris,
I said last week I'm not a superstitious person. But I'm not stupid.
Meaning I don't want any of my favorite players near the Sports Illustrated or Madden cover. I hope I'm not turning the Random Shots cover photo into a jinx as well. I used the Aaron Rodgers cover shot last week, and this week too because Rodgers is one of my favorite players and it's a fantastic photo.
But I'm not going to lie, I'm getting a little nervous with Tom Brady as my QB in both my local leagues...
With apologies to the Madden Cover Jinx, everyone knows there's nothing more real than the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx.
Which means this might mean the end of the world is coming soon...
SI showing great patience here as well. The Astro's cover was from 2014...
Which has me looking like Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers called a fake punt up by twelve...
I know the cool thing to do is laugh about how terrible Rex Ryan is on television. I think the opposite. I love him on ESPN Countdown and he seems to be improving every week. Fun with Randy Moss Sunday.
There are lots of upsides for playing in Green Bay. Great fans, Tradition, Bratwursts and more.
There are legit downsides though...
Chicago won 17-3 Sunday and attempted seven passes.
Live look in on John Fox.
The Bills are on fire. Literally. On fire.
I hope this is the dumbest thing you see today.
They say "Necessity is the mother of invention". We saw this unfold first hand Sunday night in Foxboro as fog made the game impossible to see from the normal cameras.
NBC switched to the Sky Cam for the main camera which is basically the view in Madden. And it was awesome.
I'd expect to see lots more of this in the future.
On that note, someone on Craigslist in Boston is selling 328 used only once fog machines. With instructions, they only take phone calls because they don't "snapface" or "instachat". I'm sure it's nothing...
Hat Tip to OffTheMonsterSports.com
There's a reason quarterbacks love tall and strong wide receivers.
It looks like this:
No cheap seats for Robby Anderson.
Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki has hops. Gesicki's listed at 249 pounds and jumped over 6-foot tall quarterback Trace McSorley after a touchdown Saturday.
I like Dion Lewis.
Nora Pinciotti nailed it.
One of the greatest lines ever written.
Who knew you'd get Shakespeare today in Random Shots?...
The many faces of Bill Belichick. This is gold.
The Falcons may have outsmarted themselves here...
Miami's Bobby McCain with a nice interception. Then a teammate drives him 5 yards down the field with a smack on his butt.
Late in the game, Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Devonta Freeman hadn't scored on a New England defense who hadn't been able to stop anyone.
Yeah, I saw that coming...
Can we please stop with the comparisons of Joe Thomas' 10,363 consecutive snaps over 11 years to Cal Ripken's 17-year consecutive baseball game streak? Ripken came out of plenty of those games. Thomas played every single snap. Not to mention for Thomas, the guy on the other team was trying to end his streak. On every single snap.
No offense to Ripken, but it's not even close.
I'm with Michael David Smith, the number 10,363 should be on a banner hanging from the Browns stadium.
Vontaze Burfict kicked a guy then feigned innocence.
Here's everyone's shocked face.
We're used to seeing wide receivers make one-handed circus catches. Christian McCaffrey here representing the running backs. Although I guess it's fair to say he's as close to a WR as running backs get.
It's how you know you're getting old when children of players you've drafted are now in the league. Christian's dad, Ed, set the trend for WRs wearing the Pop Warner shoulder pads. And a fine player too.
I don't cover a lot of Women's Volleyball herein Random Shots. But I am today. This is pretty amazing.
Kyle Rudolph for the win with Undertaker tribute cleats.
It might have been Saturday morning, but Tim Tebow was PREACHING as he delivered a pep talk to the University of Tennessee Volunteers.
And he was spot on. Talent and skill are obviously huge parts of the game. But desire and "want to" is often underrated. And easier to control.
As Tennessee considers a new coach, I vote Tebow. And might as well go all in and bring "Pride of Johnson City Tennessee, Steve Spurrier" in as offensive coordinator.
Dream Team.
Music Note Of The Week.
Like lots of people, Nirvana kind of changed my life. Unplugged is easily one of my All-Time Top 10 Albums. But I've never much liked the Foo Fighters. I realize that makes no sense. And I can't explain it. You like what you like.
But this was rad.
Note - There's a little bit of R rated language so view accordingly.
Mack Hollins was excited. Celebrated a TD with a sweet Backpack Kid.
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
Even better, Hollins rode his bike to work. How can you not pull for this guy? Ok. How can anyone not a Dallas, Washington or Giants fan not pull for this guy?
Will Compton went full Stone Cold Steve Austin in Monday Night pregame.
This Washington fan was not impressed...
Marshawn Lynch reportedly was "just trying to help".
Whatever helps you sleep at night.
My favorite part was the official grabbing his flag looking like Barney Fife fumbling to draw his pistol.
On the serious side, Marshawn Lynch's Actual On Field Production to Hype ratio is playing out exactly as expected.
I get he's giving up 55 pounds, but Keanu Neal wanted no part of Rob Gronkowski here.
Brigham Young may be 1-7 but their Dance Team is fire.
Carson Wentz is a Ninja.
With the Madden View, you can see what really happened...
Thanks to Footballguy Anthony Tredon for that one.
If Rob Ryan doesn't add a big fake beard and go as Gandalf for Halloween, he's missing out. I love this guy.
You do you, Big Guy.
Look out for the Red Rocket.
Tony Romo holding off the laugh until the end was the best part. Romo is all of us.
Tom Brady awkward high fives and handshakes are a Random Shots staple. But he nailed this Sunday.
Wrapping with this one. Regular readers know I'm always preaching "play till the whistle". Don't ever give up on plays and accept defeat too early. Or celebrate too early. It works in life the same way as it does in sports.
Today's example is brought to us by soccer.
That'll do it for this week, Folks. Thanks to Footballguys Clayton Gray, Brian Painter, Keith Overton, David Dodds, and Anthony Tredon for the help on this one. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, shoot me an e-mail at bryant@footballguys.com.
Thanks for playing along. I hope you make the most of whatever you're doing in your life. Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you.
J
