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
First things first. Happy Thanksgiving.
Seriously. I say this every year and I'll say it again because it's true. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us at Footballguys. Not sure how Holidays get much better than combining food and football and family and community.
I'm thankful for a zillion things - not the least of which is the fact you'll take a couple of minutes to hang with us and share a goofy week of observations from my twelve-year-old viewpoint.
I've long said Footballguys has the best family of readers in the world and I'll put them up against anyone doing anything. Bring it. You guys rock and I'm thankful for you.
Happy Thanksgiving Folks. And may your Turkey Experience this year be better than Shaq's...
Much love.
Joe and the Footballguys Staff
Live look in on the Los Angeles Chargers and their fans who had finally started to believe...
On the upside though, Keenan Allen Wears The Belt.
JuJu Smith-Schuster with next level trolling for the Jaguars game rocking a Jaguar patterned suit.
Thanks to Rich Eisen for this one.
Sports Illustrated called the Monday Night Football game "bonkers"
I'd say what's bonkers is how many audio playing pop-ups advertisements SI.com has on their website.
I wrote last week about being surprised when fans were easily amazed.
About how Quenton Nelson is one of the most promising young guards in decades and how he "stole Barry Church's soul" with this block.
Nelson weighs 330 pounds. Church weighs 218 pounds.
Amazing would be something different happening than what happened.
Tangent note - the link to the video above doesn't work anymore because the Colts took it down. After it was revealed the audio was doctored and Nelson wasn't yelling on the play. Kind of an awkward look for a team that's been accused (and cleared) of piping in fake crowd noise in the past.
This week's version of "Joe Doesn't Get It" was Derrick Henry's stiff arm. ESPN's Jac Collinsworth ran a feature Sunday morning on Henry's ability to push defenders away. As if this is some special talent for Henry.
It's mostly the fact Henry is 6' 3", 245 pounds and one of the more muscular and physical runners in the game.
Collinsworth asked which defenders Henry had trouble with and Henry said the stiff arm didn't seem to work on Jadeveon Clowney.
6'5" and 270-pound Jadeveon Clowney.
Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a different game than anyone else.
After the ESPN feature where Collinsworth weakly tried to tackle Henry, Charles Woodson brought the line of the day: "Jac gotta put up a better fight than that."
If we ever start awarding points for Mustache Style, Marcus Mariota is a first round pick...
New Orleans wore their awesome all-white uniforms at home Sunday. But not because they wanted to.
ESPN wrote it was because coach Sean Payton lost a bet to Philadelphia's Doug Pederson.
"Back in March at the owner’s meetings in Orlando, the two were paired up for the annual coaches’ golf outing, and decided to make it interesting.
“We wanted to liven up the match, and we decided to bet and we chose jersey colors,” Pederson said Wednesday. “Three holes into it, ended up beating him, and that was it.”
DeAndre Hopkins and Deshaun Watson. Y'all are both kind of ridiculous.
I don't know much about racing but this footage from the Formula 3 Grand Prix in Macau was terrifying and incredible.
Amazingly and thankfully, the driver, Sophia Floersch, survived and posted on Facebook Tuesday she's recovering.
"I survived the operation which took 11 hours well. Hope from now on it only gets better. I have to stay a few more days in Macau until I’m transportable. I want to thank all of my fans for every single get-well wishes, which I now start reading. This really motivates me and gives me courage. My thoughts are also with everyone who was involved in the accident. I hope everybody is healthy. At the accident were really nice people, which I still have in my mind. Thank you for all the encouraging, calming words in these tough minutes in my car. A real big thanks to the medical staff here in Macau for the friendly and professional treatment. A huge thank you to the local @FIA rescue-team, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, HWA AG, the FIA organisation and their medical team in the background and the Macau Organisation, who support me in the best way. Also a special thank to Dr. Riccardo Ceccarelli and last but not least my Team Van Amersfoort Racing, Facu and Ferdinand, who all suffer with me - you are phenomenal. 🤜🏻I’m going to come back!🤛🏻 btw. Dallara built a very good chassis👍🏻"
Rock on Sophia Floersch.
This was not exactly Kansas City at Los Angeles...
Although Roethlisberger turned it around in the second half.
The Citadel beat Alabama Saturday...
In the Coin Toss.
Which leads me to the coin toss story of the year so far.
Soccer referee David McNamara in the UK found himself without a coin to toss before a recent game. He improvised and instructed the two captains to play a game of rock/paper/scissors.
Genius.
The Football Association did not see it this way. They suspended McNamara for three weeks for the atrocity.
In a show of solidarity, soccer referees across grassroots matches in England starting using rock/paper/scissors ahead of their games.
"A lot of us were thinking of David," referee Ryan Hampson told BBC Sport. "We wanted to show solidarity."
Hampson said players had requested rock/paper/scissors before he took control of the match in Lancashire.
Again, the powers that be were not impressed:
"We can't condone anyone deliberately breaking the laws of football," Ref Support UK chief executive Martin Cassidy said. "However, we understand hundreds took part.
"Two wrongs don't make a right. Referees are law-enforcers and not law-breakers," a Southern Sunday League spokesperson told the BBC. "This action is unprofessional, and it brings the game into disrepute."
My thought:
Jordy Nelson has to be asking himself what he's done.
Drew Brees. You're kind of ridiculous, too.
Sure, the Saints have great talent. But Brees is getting the most out of the other guys.
I think I'm with Robert Mays. Keith Kirkwood is a made up thing.
Either way, this is just a natural reflex now for Sean Payton.
The inside scoop on the Gruden - Carr dustup Sunday.
The Washington Redskins experienced their first lead change of the 2018 season on Sunday.
This Championship High School game in Washington saw three lead changes in the last 45 seconds...
It's a beautiful game sometimes. Even the formations.
Jaguars mascot Jaxson de Ville with the hex on James Conner.
Long Time readers know I love Jaxson de Ville. Curtis Dvorak, the man inside the suit, retired a few years back but he set the bar for mascots.
Including the time he jumped off the lights and beat up Tim Tebow.
And don't yell at me Grampa, I know that's not Tebow...
Back in my sweet spot for music this week with Radio Moscow. If throwback psychedelic bluesy rock is your jam, you'll like this.
Josh Richardson threw his shoe.
And every hack on the internet like me made the same Austin Powers joke.
Because we're all twelve I guess. I'm ok with that.
Honestly.
Oh Eagles.
Teddy Bridgewater killing it on the locker room dance floor.
Anthony Miller with this week's example of how there's often a bit more to the story. You probably saw the Row Boat touchdown celebration against the Vikings.
This was Miller's tribute to his favorite player, Steve Smith. Who did the same thing years ago mocking the Viking's Love Boat troubles.
Scouts love talking about how a college quarterback's game will "transition" to the NFL.
Josh Rosen found this college lesson works at the next level too.
Andy Reid didn't need Jared Goff's input here...
Until Monday, teams had been 216-0 scoring 50+ points.
I'm sure Kansas City takes solace in that...
Well done, Rams.
I think my favorite thing after Monday night was how the talking heads proclaimed the Rams have cracked the code and now have "shown us the blueprint" for dominating the NFL.
First, you get a coach like Sean McVay. Who can describe a game like this.
As Tyler Dunne said, that's the opposite of "We'll need to watch the tape".
The plan is simple. Get the genius offensive guru coach. Then add a young athletic quarterback on a money-saving rookie contract, throw in one of the top pass rushers in the game, add one of the best running backs in the game, then an athletic pass-catching tight end and finally some wide receivers with good hands who can stretch the field.
I'm sure all those pieces are just laying around. Just follow "the plan".
TheRinger.com with a more reasonable observation comparing Sean McVay and Andy Reid:
"The other trait they share — maybe the most important one — is that both are head coaches who call plays. Over time, teams have experienced plenty of success on offense with excellent coordinators who work under defensive-minded head coaches, but the dominance that the Rams, Chiefs, and Saints have shown with a head coach dictating the offense almost certainly will (and probably should) influence teams moving forward.
"When Reid was the head coach in Philadelphia, he ceded day-to-day control of the offense to coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. Reid’s role in personnel decisions limited the input he could have, and installation meetings and other operations were left for Mornhinweg to manage. After taking the job in Kansas City, Reid resumed his duties as the team’s main offensive decision-maker. He handles every install meeting. He is the central voice. The same goes for McVay, who keeps a constant dialogue with just about every member of the offense. The stress each team puts on offensive football seeps into the DNA of the entire franchise. Even with stars like Donald, Ford, and others on defense, a head coach who doubles as the de facto offensive coordinator inevitably leads to the team developing an offense-first identity. In a league now ruled by offense, that’s starting to feel like the more prudent approach."
Speaking of Aaron Donald, you're ridiculous too.
Actor Michael B. Jordan from the "Creed" movies said he wants to fight real boxer Roy Jones Jr.
I'm assuming this is purely a stunt to promote the movie.
If not,
The Rams scored 54 points Monday Night.
Todd Gurley posted no touchdowns and 55 yards rushing with 39 yards receiving.
I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't have picked an easier subject to predict...
Meanwhile in Miami...
Recency Bias is a real thing.
Two good ones right there.
Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs just trying to keep the playing field clear...
Ouch.
Wrapping this one up with some Thanksgiving Dinner advice and the Music Note. Family Gatherings can be tough sometimes as everyone has different opinions and beliefs. Just remember that one thing Unites Us All...
God Bless Adele.
Thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Clayton Gray, and David Dodds for the help on this one. If you've got a Random Shot of your own, send me an e-mail at bryant@footballguys.com.
Thanks for playing along and 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
