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
Be careful what you ask for.
Thanks to Footballguy Daniel Simpkins for that one.
Sorry, Aaron. But this. All day long.
Thanks to NFL Memes and Jorge Padilla for that one.
Here's a thought. And maybe not one you hear enough from old 50 something guys like me: I couldn't be more optimistic about the Youth Of America. If you see something rad happening, chances are there are young people behind it. I love their energy and how they think and how they don't mind coloring outside the lines. Case in point is Madden video game players. They've been doing things for years that the real NFL is finally catching on to. Rock on, Young Guns.
Odell Beckham is blaming his leaving the field before halftime on his dislike of water and the "squishy" feeling in his stomach.
It's interesting how more targets thrown his way seem to alleviate the problem.
Music note this week is a classic maybe done a little differently than you're used to. Dropkick Murphys here with an "energetic" rendition of their take on Amazing Grace. I bet this is what heaven's like.
Purdue coach Jeff Brohm and his Boilermakers shocked the college football world Saturday upsetting Ohio State. If you followed Brohm through his playing career, you may not be surprised. Throwback to this classic from his XFL playing days.
Thanks to Footballguy Jackson Banks for that one.
On a serious note, this was a bittersweet scene. Tyler Trent a Purdue student, who is in hospice battling aggressive cancer, did everything he could to get to the game against Ohio State and his last wish was to beat Ohio State. They not only beat Ohio State but they destroyed them.
Thanks to Footballguy Devin Knotts for that one. Side note about Devin. He's the biggest Ohio State fan I know. And when he sent me this, he called it the "best story I've heard all year." Rock on.
Sean Payton asking Drew Brees if they should go for it on fourth down is everything I love about Football.
Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson apparently wasn't healthy enough to fly to Jacksonville so he took a twelve-hour bus ride from Houston to the game.
But he was healthy enough to face the Jaguars defense and play in an NFL game behind the Houston "offensive line"?
Ok then.
It helps when your receivers do this.
Melissa Stark with composure.
Adam Thielen's good at Football.
Adam Thielen's good at shoes.
Sunday he was rocking the Waterboy Tributes.
I love Thielen but can we stop with 100-yard streak thing? He's having an amazing season. But streaks, where players hit some arbitrary number to keep the streak alive, are a perfect example of how stats don't give a true picture. Thielen could have posted 99 yards in one of those games and there would be no streak. Yet his performance would have been virtually the same. Look at the overall production and how it breaks down by the week. But put way less emphasis on a "streak".
And yeah, he's still one of the best WRs in the game.
Anyone who knows anything knew Andrew Luck wasn't going to lose Sunday.
I want to know who decided this was the "American Food" to serve at the London game.
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
I do love all the different jerseys at the London Games.
Oh, Titans. I hope none of you guys with Mariota lost by a few points this week.
Nothing tests the playbook like finding something for that pesky 2nd and 81 situation...
Thanks to Footballguy Chad Parsons for that one
Our friend Chris Wesseling pulled up this quote from noted quarterback guru Mike Holmgren. Holmgren was a proponent of fully supporting the developing quarterback. Saying, "You never, ever let anyone believe he's not the right guy."
I'd offer the idea this approach works great with Holmgren quarterbacks Joe Montana, Steve Young and Brett Favre.
With Blake Bortles, not as much.
Nothing like a W to ease that flight home from London to Los Angeles.
Thanks to Footballguy Clayton Gray for that one
For you Hard Knocks fans.
Thanks to Footballguy Keith Overton for that one.
Tampa Bay running back Ronald Jones scored a touchdown Sunday. It was the first Tampa Bay rushing touchdown scored by a running back this year.
Just random collateral damage from the Fitzmagic start.
Jacksonville getting no love from anyone.
Thanks to Footballguys Karson Trevillion and Marc Alderman for that one.
I don't know how long Brocktober will last.
But I know it's not over yet.
I've told you in years past about the timeline for a Browns fan.
First, they start with youthful enthusiasm and optimism.
Then optimism matures.
Then reality.
Players see it too. Sunday's example was Baker Mayfield
God Bless You Guys.
I'm for stats as much as anybody but this is getting kind of dumb...
Eagles coach Doug Pederson said this most recent loss meant the pressure was now off his team.
Andrew Luck making what's known in the trade as a "business decision". I get it.
Justin Tucker missed an Extra Point.
The internet responded as you'd expect.
As did Tucker.
But all the "He's never missed an extra point" disbelief is a little lazy. Tucker's been in the league since 2012. For his first three years, nobody missed extra points as they kicked from the 2-yard line. In 2015, they moved the extra point all the way back to the 15 making it much more difficult. That's a 19 or 20-yard field goal compared to a 32 or 33-yard kick. Everyone knows they changed the rules. But something about Justin Tucker makes people forget.
Regardless, Tucker was a stand-up guy (literally) addressing the media after the game. Class move.
Dez Bryant on Twitter is fun. It seems he's resigned himself to not playing and can instead focus on staying salty.
Burfict with the flop.
Isn't it always like this?...
Soccer AND NFL Football all in one post.
One of the teams in the London Game has to do this, right?
Mitch Trubisky ran a long ways.
Watching it unfold on the Next Gen view is oddly satisfying.
I've got a lot of good friends who are Eagles and Falcons fans so I'm going to just leave this one right here...
Thanks to NFL Memes for that one.
Never tell Kirk Cousins the odds...
That's pretty funny.
I'm not a Cowboys fan but this was awful. When Tony Dungy says it was terrible, that's bad.
And great job by NBC with the video side by side.
ESPN said the "Jaguars believe that the quarterback position is the least of their issues."
What kind of issues must you have if Blake Bortles is the least of them?
Thanks to Rodger Sherman and TheRinger for help with that one.
Ezekiel Elliott summed up the Cowboys day.
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
You've seen the Peloton bike ads.
Needles56 is thinking the exact same thing I'm thinking.
I've watched Cordarrelle Patterson since he was in my hometown of Knoxville. On any given play, there feels like it's about a 50/50 chance he'll do something amazing or terrible. This one was amazing.
Side note; I'm no Special Teams coach but shouldn't it take more than breaking one tackle and outrunning the kicker to score on a kickoff?
Philadelphia with the latest example of how those celebrations can quickly turn.
Panthers troll game is strong.
Captain Andrew Luck never gets old.
Sports Illustrated ran this headline:
The Chiefs are a great story, no doubt. But "saving" the NFL season is a bit much. This season has been fantastic.
No words necessary.
Bonus: If you haven't already, check out my friend Matthew Berry's FantasyLife App. It's killer.
You know Randy Moss loved this.
USA Today had a sweet list of Touchdown Celebrations.
None better than Olympic Long Jumper / NFL Wide Receiver Marquise Goodwin's.
For anyone putting a ton of stock into the NFL Passer Rating stat...
The hardest hit of the day in Miami might have been Kenny Stills destroying this Security Guard.
Good on Stills for checking on her. I'm not sure what more he could have done there. But it does seem kind of weird - "Sorry I killed you. Here's a football."
Jon Gruden has a plan...
Thanks to NFL Memes and Rosas Rivera Daniel for that one.
"Hey Odell, we traded Eli."
"Eli Apple".
That's pretty mean.
Thanks to Bleacher Report for that one
Kareem Hunt, you're kind of ridiculous.
And it made for a beautiful still shot.
Wrapping with this one. I talked about this angle a few weeks ago and I'm not going to make all these about Shaquem Griffin but this was exceptional.
Here's a video of an eleven-year-old young man in California named Daniel. He's missing a hand, similar to Shaquem Griffin. Daniel received a Griffin jersey for his birthday and became emotional.
I think it's important to understand what's happening here. Or at least what I think is happening. I don't think he's crying because he got a jersey. He very likely has other football jerseys. This wasn't a special autographed jersey from Griffin. It was just a jersey. But the jersey isn't the point. I think Daniel is crying because for maybe the first time ever, he knows there's someone who looks a little like him is out there on an NFL playing field and excelling.
And he's not alone anymore.
My challenge to you is keep your eyes open. Look for the Daniels in your world. Let them know they're not alone. Some are easy to see. Some have obstacles more difficult to see. All could use some comfort. Be that comfort for someone.
Off the soapbox.
Griffin's response to Daniel's video was awesome:
Rock on, Shaquem Griffin. Rock on, Daniel.
Thanks to Footballguys Mike Wenger and David Dodds for this one.
And one more last thing. Get out and vote. This handy link has info for your area. I couldn't care less who you vote for. I just urge folks to let your voice be heard.
Thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Clayton Gray, David Dodds, Daniel Simpkins, Jackson Banks, Chad Parsons, Karson Trevillion, Marc Alderman and Rodger Sherman 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
