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
New England going with the throwback logo...
I don't know how good Drew Lock will actually be. But anyone with a Buzz Lightyear TD celebration is ok in my book.
Breaking News: Photo of the airport worker responsible for loading the Kansas City equipment into their plane has been released.
Thanks to Memes Of The NFL for that one.
The Texans linebackers continue to own the Pre-Game Entrance.
Dylan Cole out with a torn ACL was the perfect Patches O'Houlihan.
And if you don't know who the Average Joe's are, you're missing a cinematic masterpiece in Dodgeball.
Lamar Jackson continues to be nasty.
And here's the danger with Baltimore.
Jackson can make you miss, then run past you.
Gus Edwards is just fine with running over you.
If NFL Sundays don't officially start until Jameis Winston throws an interception, last Sunday started early and often.
Earlier this week, San Francisco 49ers radio analyst Tim Ryan was suspended for his remarks about Lamar Jackson’s dark skin color being an advantage when handling the dark football.
“He’s really good at that fake, Lamar Jackson, but when you consider his dark skin color with a dark football with a dark uniform, you could not see that thing,” Ryan said. “I mean you literally could not see when he was in and out of the mesh point.”
Jackson didn't make a big deal about it and instead rolled out Sunday with white sleeves and a white glove. Perfect. Shade Meter = Pegged.
There may or may not be a Massachusetts State Policeman looking for a job this morning...
Music note of the week is a Random Shots favorite. Trampled By Turtles is so pure. As winter sets in "Wait So Long" feels right.
Let's be honest. Most of us don't have too much in common with NFL players. But Sunday afternoon, when some of the Raven's info flew onto the field, we all were Tre'Davious White...
There are plenty of Seahawks fans hoping this is true...
Thanks to Footballguy David Dodds for that one.
I told you about Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo last week and the onside kicks.
Now he's recovering fumbles...
If this quarterback thing doesn't work out, Ryan Tannehill might want to think about becoming a safety...
Wide receivers make a lot of money. Wide receivers earn a lot of money.
The NFL explained how the refs actually got it right with the NKeal Harry call...
Or maybe not.
But let's be honest. This was most of America Sunday night.
On the flip side, much of America believes this too...
And I think that's a fatal mistake. But the beauty of this game is simply this: "We'll see".
I'm not sure what it says about me that CBS putting up the fake Andy Reid made my weekend.
Yeah, I'm twelve.
I roast the Cowboys as much as any team. I could write Random Shots each week just on Jerry Jones news bits.
But ripping them for cutting their kicker isn't fair.
Player moves are usually made on Tuesdays. Tuesdays are also the day players have free and will do awesome things like visiting kids in hospitals.
Brett Maher was involved in both those things last week. It's how the business works.
And good on Maher for doing something cool here.
Speaking of awesome, Khalil Mack was an awesome Santa this year.
From Yahoo:
Chicago Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack played Santa for hundreds of families in his hometown last week.
The Walmart Superstore in Fort Pierce, Fla. announced on Friday that Mack’s foundation had paid off all active holiday layaway accounts.Fort Pierce is on the Atlantic coast of Florida, just over 100 miles north of Ft. Lauderdale. Mack and his two brothers were born and raised in the city, and he graduated from Fort Pierce Westwood High.
Mathias Libardi, the store manager for the Fort Pierce Walmart, told TCPalm.com that Mack’s eponymous foundation covered the balances for over 300 accounts, but would not reveal the dollar amount. The Chicago Tribune reported that the amount was around $80,000.
“His foundation came to us and said he wanted to be a secret Santa,” Libardi said.
Mack was only able to play one season of football at Westwood, because of injuries. But in that one season he had 140 tackles and nine sacks and was a first-team all-area selection. The University of Buffalo was the only FBS school to offer Mack a scholarship; he played so well there the Oakland Raiders drafted him fifth overall in 2014.
He was traded from Oakland to Chicago in 2018, but Fort Pierce is never far from Mack’s mind: earlier this year he paid for cleats for all of the players on Westwood’s football team.
Rock on, Khalil Mack.
Few teams travel like Pittsburgh.
Arizona Sunday afternoon:
The players notice. From Vince Williams:
Seriously, how has someone not died at a Bills Tailgate?
Spoiler Alert: The guys pops up so I'm assuming he's either an alien or he's ok but the video might be disturbing for some.
I'm with Memes Of The NFL, Baker Mayfield looks like the guy who's been standing in line for hours with his girlfriend's kids to see Santa...
Eli Manning. Not dead yet.
I don't know if the audio is real but I don't want to know if it's not.
Oh, Packers fans.
Interesting story from The Janesville Gazette in Wisconsin.
Dan Hinkel's summary:
"Police say two guys went to a Packers game, drank, drove back to Janesville and got in a fistfight somehow related to "How I Met Your Mother," which the alleged combatants both enjoyed."
I'm with our friend Doug Farrar. "There's a lot to unpack there."
Isn't she fancy?
Jameis Winston this year:
Two TD passes (26) behind Lamar Jackson for the league lead.
Seven yards behind Dak Prescott for the top passing spot.
Leads the NFL in picks (23) by a huge margin.
I'm not sure there's a Triple Crown for this but it's not unrealistic to think he could lead the league in all three.
He doesn't get much attention but I've been impressed with Robert Griffin III in Baltimore. It wasn't that many years ago when many of us thought Griffin would be what Lamar Jackson is now. The veteran seems to have fully embraced his role and is clearly having fun. He always struck me as a joyful guy so this feels right.
Chris Jones and Tom Brady exchanging pleasantries...
After the game, Jones chalked the exchange up to “crap-talking” before praising Tom Brady as a Hall of Famer and “a GOAT in my eyes.”
When pressed a little more, he had some interesting words for the Patriots offense.
“Well you saw how they scored, right? They needed gadget plays to get themselves in the endzone and keep themselves in the game. They couldn’t play us straight up, they knew what we were going to do and they weren’t good enough to beat us that way.”
I was in Pittsburgh this past weekend and these Steeler fans are still salty from the Cleveland game.
My friend Evan Silva with his take on the Patriots video.
I think I'm in between. I do care about the story. But I also agree that the reason they are what they are is they're the hardest working and smartest team in pro football.
Odell Beckham with sweet cleats Sunday:
I'm pretty sure these aren't for the Dog Pound though.
According to SI.com, Beckham "has reportedly been talking to other teams throughout the season about his desire to leave Cleveland. According to Fox Sports's Jay Glazer, Beckham has been telling players and coaches "come get me out of here" before and during games."
I'm going to wrap with this one.
And let me say, I feel like I've been talking a lot about "death". And losing someone is central to this next story. But I don't think it's about death. I think it's about life. And I think it's important.
My close friend shared this story with me and he gave me permission to share it with you. I believe it's crucial for people to hear it. Trust me. Please take 90 seconds to read it. But more importantly, please take his advice and example to heart.
From my Buddy:
"My Mom passed away on Friday evening. She was 83 years old. And even in death, she taught me some things.
"There are at least a couple of truisms about death that actually live up to that elusive mantle, "true":
"Any planning and documentation you can do ahead of time to help your loved ones carry out your wishes after death is a literal investment in their sanity. It's easy to get overwhelmed by options when you're in mourning. It's much easier (even somewhat therapeutic) to follow a simple checklist instead. My parents did everything they could to make this process easier for me. Shelter the loved ones you leave behind.
"Be expressive and let folks know where you stand, always. Mom and I practiced this late in life and our relationship has been better over the last decade than it ever was before. Tell folks you love them, let them know when you're upset, and talk it out. Try not to part on bad terms. Err on the side of caution. Practice a policy of zero regret.
"Trends are only just that and never guarantees. For almost a decade now, Mom has been repeatedly surviving stuff that was dangerously close to ending her life. An aortic heart valve transplant. Sepsis. An infection in the transplanted aortic valve. Another aortic valve transplant with the mitral valve thrown in as a bonus at the age of 78. A months-long bout with (and blessed recovery from) early-onset dementia. Atrial fibrillation. A broken hip. Two separate C. Diff infections. Congestive heart failure. A long-term balancing act of anticoagulants and diuretics. A torn meniscus. Pulmonary fibrosis. Multiple bouts of diverticulitis with diverticular bleeding. And those are just the conditions with a considerable instance of mortality among older folks.
"She fought through all of those over the last 8 years or so. But she was still lucid and sharp-minded, walking under her own power, and capable of caring for herself until the day she died. I was absolutely certain that a serious condition would eventually present itself that she'd fight across a long hospital stay, but wouldn't be able to overcome in the end.
"Instead, she went instantly.
"And in that, the practice of zero regret was probably the biggest blessing of all."
I don't know I've read something so true in quite some time.
Tell people you love them. Text them or call them when you're thinking of them. Don't assume they know how you feel. Use words to tell them how you feel.
And with that, I'll tell you we appreciate you being part of the Footballguys Family. Thank you.
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