Hi Folks,
We do a lot of really insightful, thoughtful and serious features here at Footballguys with some very 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 keep relatively sane. Here's hoping it has some value for you.
We'll see. Now let's get to it.
J
Can someone remind the Bills they're supposed to be terrible and their head coach is about to be fired? With another win Sunday, they're sitting at 3-2 one game behind New England in their division.
Quarterback Tyrod Taylor lining up behind the guard was fun though.
And you knew Rex Ryan wouldn't let that slide.
If anything ever happens to Ryan or Jerry Jones, I may have to retire this column...
Just one more reason to love the well traveled Josh McCown.
I'm not sure there's an account on Twitter that gets me more than @WhatHeLooksLIke.
Oh Andy...
With the ESPN gig over, Mike Ditka's working security in Green Bay.
Good to see the guy staying busy.
Thanks to Footballguy Wayne Achterberg for that one.
Note to Trent Dilfer...
Beetlejuice called and wants his socks back.
A live look Sunday at the Cleveland Browns facing the Patriots...
More proof that you can wear anything you like after a win. Aaron Rodgers as Arthur Fonzarelli.
Show of hands? Who's old enough to know Arthur Fonzarelli?
I haven't mentioned Jaguars mascot of awesomeness Jaxson DeVille in a while. That needs to change.
Sunday he was on the positive end of a bet payoff as the Colts mascot, Blue, was forced to carry this sign.
That's awesome. The legend continues...
Cause and Effect.
You don't get many chances against the Vikings Defense.
When Will Fuller drops this pass...
Brock Osweiler says things that the NFL Network blurs out on replay...
My favorite thing about Twitter and the Hot Take guys are how they refuse (or can't) see the bigger picture.
The narrative Sunday afternoon was a laughfest over Brock "Three And Outsweiler"...
Twitter and Facebook were a mixture of:
"OSWEILER's Charles Barkley TURRRIBLE! LOLZ!!!"
"John Elway's a GENIUS for running Osweiler out of town..."
"Texans are DOOMED!!!"
Osweiler's decent. Elway was outbid for Osweiler by Houston. And the Texans are in sole possession of first place in their division.
Oh, and Minnesota's Defense is pretty good at Football.
Here's what it looks like for an offense these days facing the Vikings.
Rams coach Jeff Fisher after losing to Buffalo Sunday:
"We don't make excuses, But three of our four starting defensive lineman were watching the game today."
Ok then.
Dez Bryant is winning even when he's not playing.
Not quite as sure about Buffalo's Marcell Dareus with the sweatbands...
I'm with Donald Miller. "My favorite moment in the debate last night was when they covered that old Kenny Rodgers/Dolly Parton song "Islands in the Stream." Didn't see that coming."
Even better was the impromptu launch into "Time Of Our Lives". Click here to see and hear.
Sweet. Random Shots made Page One of the Sports Section in the Albuquerque Journal this week...
Thanks to Footballguy Scott Creagan for that one.
Tom Brady with the Game Face. It's worth turning the sound up for this one.
God Bless Seahawks Lucha Libre Dude. You get on with your Bud Light self.
62% of people polled in Ohio thought the Ohio State Buckeyes would beat the Browns.
These are the people electing our next President.
God Help Us.
Uniform quirkiness. Antoine Bethea with the short socks and tights look Thursday night.
Why do I notice this?
Carlos Hyde. Seven yards forward. 15 yards back.
Glitch in the Matrix Sunday afternoon. Washington and Chicago both facing last chance 4th and 8's at the end of the game at the exact same time.
For someone that's watching his career slip away, Tony Romo seems pretty happy.
Antonio Brown with another cleat tribute Sunday. This week it was Muhammad Ali. Nice.
Unlike many of the players who wear the special cleats for warmups and then switch to regular cleats for the game, Brown kept these on for the game. Until an NFL Inspector told him to remove them. Apparently, once the Inspector busts you, you have to comply or risk being removed from the game. Wow. It's an interesting position for the league. You can do do whatever you want for the National Anthem but wearing Muhammad Ali tribute cleats will get you kicked out of the game.
Brown wore the Ali cleats for two series and then switched over to regular cleats. The network had some fun with the graphic...
I'm starting to like the ESPN Sunday Morning Crew.
Sunday Matt Hasselbeck talked about being replaced by Trent Dilfer in Seattle.
Never gets old.
Terrell Suggs mic'd up was fun. Talking to 6' 4" 210 pound Andre Holmes: "Dang, you're big. You a receiver?"
ESPN featured Julio Jones in a fun segment Sunday morning. He loves to fish. I loved that a guy making a zillion dollars a year has a normal fishing boat. Lots of guys on his lake will be fishing from boats that cost twice as much. And probably not catching any more fish...
The Browns are once again looking for a quarterback. Former University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky River Monsters QB Jared Lorenzen can still sling it...
He'd be perfect.
Thanks to Footballguy Russel Clement for that one.
God Bless Vikings Tailgate "Chef".
Thanks to Footballguy Bryce Hotzler for that one.
I like Justin Tucker but lining him up as left footed kicker when he's right footed just screams "fake". Seems pretty odd.
Thank Goodness. We can all rest easy now that the "Athletes Have Weighed In On The Debate".
I'm with Ned. That was a close one.
Music Note Of The Week.
Bon Iver at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville a few years ago was one of my all time favorite concert experiences. They sang Skinny Love as an encore with no amplification. The Ryman is small enough and the acoustics are pure enough that if the crowd is quiet, it's surreal. Again, not to be melodramatic with these but very once in a while, music moves from entertaining to something almost sacred. This was one of those times for me. Click here for the video but mostly the sound.
I know what I'm getting for Christmas...
God Bless Cubs Fan Bill Murray.
In case you missed it, Tom Brady was back this week.
Thanks To Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
New England defensive end Jabaal Sheard was ready.
I think I'm with Nick...
On the other end of the spectrum, Matt Forte was on point.
After Week 4, Odell Beckham Jr said, "Football is my sanctuary. It's where I go to escape. It's where I'm most happy. I'm not having fun anymore."
Philadelphia's Carson Wentz went straight for the kill.
Careful, Rook. You know what I say...
I love the painted cleats thing. But DeAndre Hopkins took things a completely different direction Sunday and won the day.
It's almost Movember. God Bless Drew Brees.
I give Matthew Stafford a hard time here sometimes. But these guys take a beating.
Josh Norman's sock game = strong.
Martellus Bennett's spike game = not strong.
Although if you're league's like mine, spikes earn zero points.
Winning cures everything. Everson Griffen probably didn't mind his name being misspelled...
Thanks to Footballguy Rick Gordimer for that one.
For the majority of NFL fans whose team has a relatively stable quarterback situation, stop complaining. You could be dealing with this.
And wishing for the good old days of Johnny Manziel...
Note to pretty much everyone: Do not try to chest bump Chris Baker.
You can also add Larry Fitzgerald to the list of players to avoid chest bumping...
That's WIDE RECEIVER Larry Fitzgerald.
I don't know what the Colts are paying Adam Vinatieri but I'm guessing it's not enough. His 50 yarders feel like extra points.
Yup.
Although not everyone was thrilled to have Brady back...
Hang in there Panthers fans. You'll be ok. And don't be one of these.
Although I hear the Vikings are taking applications...
Antonio Brown is really good at Footballguy. But his post game jersey trading skills need work.
College Football Note. Kansas State is good at kickoff returns. And knockout punches.
Thanks to Footballguy Claudio Berumen for that one.
Odell Beckham rocking the Joker Gloves and Visor.
"Just Smile" on one hand.
This on the other.
And a sweet visor.
Thanks to AmazingSprtsPic for that one.
Best of all, Beckham and the kicking net are now friends again...
I like John Fox. He may not be the greatest or most exciting coach but at least he's honest.
I don't think I want my star QB dealing with a concussion doing this in Charlotte traffic anytime. And not without a helmet. Wow. I just sounded like my Mom there...
Major League Baseball outfields are kind of crazy these days. Giants right fielder Gregor Blanco looked like he needed assistance from the dog here.
Ever since the broadcasts started adding graphics and ads that aren't actually there, I don't trust everything I see.
That's weird.
And for the Patriot haters who think I've thrown too much love to Tom Brady this week, here you go...
FOXBOROUGH, MA - Tom Brady is back from his four-game suspension and the Patriots quarterback said he has never been more motivated to silence his critics.
"I'm a competitive guy. I always have been," he said. "But I think you all know I was playing with an extra chip on my shoulder in 2007 after all the SpyGate stuff. Well, you haven't seen anything yet. Trust me. This time I want it even more. I think that every time you get caught cheating, you want to play even better when you get back just to try to shut people up and make them forget about the cheating because they doubt you more and more after every scandal, you know?"
Brady's teammates say they already notice a certain look in his eyes and an energy and purpose with which he has been carrying himself since arriving back with the team early Monday morning.
"I know that look," said receiver Julian Edelman. "It means he's --"
"Hit on a great new cheating idea?" said tight end Rob Gronkowski, standing nearby and attempting to finish his teammate's sentence.
"Rob! No! Not in front of a reporter, man," chided Edelman. "Anyway, where was I … oh, right. Tom being really motivated to win - without cheating, of course - and shove it down everyone's throat."...
God Bless the Sportspickle.
I've heard it said that you know you're doing well when everyone's a little mad. That oughta do it...
Wrapping this week with some Girl Power. Kicker Kelly Macnamara is the first female football player at North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. She was not fooled by this reverse.
Thanks to Footballguy Brian Sumner for that one.
Rock on Kelly Macnamara.
Thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Russell Clement, David Dodds, Rick Gordimer, Claudio Berumen, Scott Creagan, Brian Sumner and Bryce Hotzler 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