Random Shots From Week 5

Joe Bryant's Random Shots From Week 5 Joe Bryant Published 10/13/2021

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 brain 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

Warren Moon here absolutely crushing the Shoulder Pads to Shorts ratio.

Hat tip to Super70sSports.

I'm a long-time fan of Chubbies Shorts. I smell a Footballguys Collaboration in the works...

Fortunately, not everyone laps up whatever the talking heads feed them. My buddy Heath Cummings with some pesky facts.

The idolization and praise of Kyle Shanahan in the absence of facts to support that kind of thing is one of the more fascinating aspects in all of sports. He does have cool hats.

Have to be honest. I didn't have Davis Mills as "Young QB to cause Bill Belichick trouble" this season.

I wrote last week I hoped Mike McCarthy was paid extra to wear this hoodie. Great cause. Terrible hoodie.

Peter King's column this week reminded us it could be worse. Ray Handley showing out on the sidelines in 1991...

Seahawks punter Michael Dickson is a Footballguy. This was a smooth recovery.

Tom Brady: Still a vampire.

Those frat-boy teasips in Austin are hardcore.

Although if you, like me, are from Texas, that's a pretty awful thing to say...

Most of us could relate to Charlie Brown Sunday afternoon...

Like most everyone else, I eye-rolled the idea LeBron James would make a great football player. But I'm starting to warm up to the idea.

Technically, couldn't we call almost every Jameis Winston pass a "Hail-Mary"?

Dang. 3rd and 91 is a tough spot.

Thanks to Footballguy Daa for that one.

Baker Mayfield "threw" this touchdown pass Sunday.

Except you probably didn't hear about it because it was Mayfield and not Patrick Mahomes II so it wasn't quite as "unreal" I guess. Even though it was the same play most people reading this could have made.

Perspective.

My friend Sam Monson pointed this out and I completely agree.

The Browns kept losing track of Mike Williams 50 yards downfield.

How do you lose track of a 6'4" 220-pound guy wearing a powder blue jersey with yellow lightning bolts?

If you've ever tried to pack everything into the car for a long vacation, you can feel the Falcons' pain here.

I'm with my buddy Paul Charchian.

Kirk Cousins is celebrating.

Mike Zimmer is trying not to get COVID.

Baseball Fashion Note:

Braves outfielder Joc Pederson with pearls is the latest example of "When you deliver, you can wear what you want."

My friend Mike Clay summarized the NFL for us Monday night.

Seahawks season thus far...

Before the Alabama game two weeks ago, Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin told CBS sideline reporter Jamie Erdahl to “get your popcorn ready” before his team went on to be destroyed by Alabama.

The next week, Ole Miss ran this promo.

That's how it's done.

One more baseball note. I mean, it is the playoffs. This is beautiful from Randy Arozarena.

What a jump. The ball is still in the pitcher's hand at this point.

Music note this week: Band Of Heathens is a soulful bunch from Austin. You won't find them playing giant venues but they strike me as a band that loves what they're doing. I have several close friends in New Orleans and this song hit on some of that "still here" vibe. Enjoy.

I always hate to see an injury and I wish Russell Wilson a speedy recovery. But in the meantime, this is the hero Seattle needs...

You know Ndamukong Suh because he's a great football player. This is a much less known part of Suh but I think it's easily some of the most important work he's doing. He's a great follow on Twitter.

More, please.

I'm no defensive coordinator, but the Falcons are down Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage and putting a DE in single coverage on Kyle Pitts at the goal line is the play?

As if you needed more reasons to love Kyler Murray...

Thanks to Footballguy Matt Carey for that one.

Austin Ekeler tried to play it smart and not score but the Browns weren't having it.

I'm with my buddy Sigmund Bloom. This guy should carry the flag for the Eagles delegation in the Fan Olympics.

This seems bad.

When kickers dream.

I see the suits on TV with their revelation that "JUSTIN HERBERT IS AN MVP CANDIDATE".

And it makes me think a couple of things.

1. Random Shots readers have been thinking this since mid-season of 2020.

2. Have these suits ever seen a website with betting odds? Um, yeah, Herbert is a favorite. They will be interested to know Josh Allen is really good too.

God Bless you Lions fans.

I'm pretty neutral on Dan Campbell. Unlike many, I didn't go gaga on the macho bro bite the kneecap stuff. Whatever. But I do like the passion here for his players.

And one thing I loved that doesn't seem to be getting nearly enough talk in my opinion is going for two to win at the end as he did. I love that and wish more teams would try to end it when they can instead of taking the cover your butt route and playing for overtime. If you have the chance to finish it, you do it. Well done, Coach. And hang in there Lions Fans.

Wrapping with this one.

You saw the game. Mason Crosby, one of the better kickers in the league, had missed three crucial field goals. Coach Matt LaFleur had to make the choice of going for it on fourth down or letting Crosby try again.

You know how this ended as Crosby walked out and calmly put it through the uprights.

Believing in yourself when everything on the outside is giving you (and everyone else) no reason to believe is one of the toughest things to do in life.

And let's be honest, it's easier to believe when one has a demonstrated track record of success, right? Mason Crosby believing in himself wasn't a reach. He's demonstrated over the years he can do this. But what about the rookie kicker or the shaky veteran who doesn't have that track record?

Or much more practically, what about you? We all have to work through these things and my one bit of advice is to lean towards optimism. One can get hippy-dippy in a hurry on this stuff but I'm a huge believer in your mind affects your performance. I've seen it too many times. So give yourself some grace and lean into positive outcomes here.

And a side note that gets lost here - I love how LaFleur handled this. Very often, we're not in Crosby's position but in LaFleur's. Where we're being asked to believe in a friend or child or spouse or co-worker. Like anything else, it's a balance, and you don't want to be rash or flip. But you also want to honor those close to you with your trust when you feel it's deserving. And here's another life lesson I'll offer: "Err towards over-trusting the people you love."

Thank you for being with me on this goofy journey.

Love your neighbor and stick together.

Peace and Grace to you.

J

Photos provided by Imagn Images
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