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
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. And I hope this was not your Thanksgiving dinner experience...
— trash jones (@jzux) November 25, 2021
And thanks for all the kind well wishes to me and my family. Much appreciated and we had a sweet time. You folks rock.
Oh, Kirk Cousins.
4th and goal. Kirk Cousins lines up under his guard. pic.twitter.com/pSLh2YFdAb
— Dieter Kurtenbach (@dieter) November 29, 2021
Running back Alexander Mattison could see it unfolding and did what he could to help.
Afterward, Cousins said, "Just got under the wrong guy."
Ok then...
I could probably wrap this one up right here.
But I won't.
Cris Collinsworth better watch out. Brees looked smooth on that slide.
C’mon Drew. Don’t make it look so easy. https://t.co/5S3jsqjlWB
— Cris Collinsworth (@CollinsworthPFF) November 26, 2021
Side note - Comeback Of The Year is easily Drew Brees' hair.
Tony Romo had fun with the overtime coin toss.
NOT ANOTHER COIN TOSS DRAMA#NFL #Raiders #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/DKOlLhgHlj
— Mr Matthew F1 (@NotMrMatthewF1) November 26, 2021
Which got me thinking. Do the players get to decide what to call?
Why do I wonder about things like this?
Mike Glennon getting the start because of someone else's neck should be the most ironic thing I read today.
#Giants QB Daniel Jones is considered week-to-week because of his neck strain and backup Mike Glennon is now expected to start Sunday against Miami, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 30, 2021
"Clark" Prescott.
Raiders spoil the Cowboys' Thanksgiving pic.twitter.com/3Nqbbzrkqn
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 26, 2021
I like Aaron Jones the football player. I love Aaron Jones the person.
Acts of kindness by Aaron Jones.@Showtyme_33 stopped by to give a young #Packers fan some awesome gifts 🙌 via @packers pic.twitter.com/qFXpSAKGYy
— Lily Zhao (@LilySZhao) November 26, 2021
Dallas game in one picture.
This game pic.twitter.com/aqY5aQch1C
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 26, 2021
Yes, I'm twelve.
The ref 💀
— Yahoo Sports NFL (@YahooSportsNFL) November 26, 2021
(via @NFLBrasil) pic.twitter.com/mo3kbS0BN7
Cornerback Trevon Diggs' son won Thanksgiving.
“Today, I want to give thanks to all the quarterbacks that throw my dad the football.”
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) November 25, 2021
Trevon Diggs’ son Aaiden is savage 😅
(via @NFLonCBS)
pic.twitter.com/zggyv1yMZ8
This is the real strength of Tom Brady. He works hard and he's smart. But lots of QBs are smart and work hard. Brady has the advantage of a massive mental database of reps on the field plus talent plus a great team. And he's taken great care of himself. That's a strong combination.
On a play action pass, Fournette doesn’t leave the fake handoff entirely empty-handed.
— Kinnu Singh (@ByKinnuSingh) November 25, 2021
“Cover-2,” Brady tells him.
Even with his back turned to the defense, he already knows the coverage.
It’s a simple reminder of what fans don’t see:
Brady’s genius lies in the pre-snap phase. pic.twitter.com/1TFHp04ivi
So much for my theory about picking games based on how sharp the players dress pregame...
Cowboys by a million
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 25, 2021
(📸: @dallascowboys) pic.twitter.com/5uO6mUFi8R
My favorite part of the Ohio State-Michigan game was that middle school standoff in the tunnel.
Ohio State and Michigan in the hallway pic.twitter.com/RYz1vGzm6d
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) November 27, 2021
My second favorite part is the Ohio State helmets where Coach gives them the little sticker apparently for every day they show up to practice.
The Dolphins faced Joe Flacco in Week 11. They got Cam Newton last week (at least for a while). Maybe Eli Manning can come back for the Giants game this week.
Lots of talk about coaches leaving jobs. I'm all for people being paid the money they're worth. I'm a capitalist. But I also get there's more to it than just money. Especially with coaches. This isn't like the free-agent relief pitcher going on the market to the highest bidder. By definition, a coach is a relationship builder investing in the player's lives. It's complicated.
Find a coach that looks at his players like Matt Campbell looks at his seniors. #Cyclones @CycloneFB @weareiowa5news pic.twitter.com/pFbktW3hdh
— Jonathan Schaeffer (@J_SchaefferWOI) November 26, 2021
Does any darling team have more media excuses made for them than the Rams? Aaron Rodgers with a broken toe out there juking Jalen Ramsey on a touchdown run and all the talking heads were fawning over the valiant efforts from a "beat up" Matt Stafford and Odell Beckham.
Who's with my friend, Kyle?
Hey Kyle, how many players have you drafted or picked up this year that have landed on IR? pic.twitter.com/eSOO0JLUwI
— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) November 28, 2021
Thanks to Footballguy Clayton Gray for that one.
When defensive linemen dream...
â€¼ï¸ BIG MAN INT ‼ï¸pic.twitter.com/iKIcPAd6oF
— Yahoo Sports NFL (@YahooSportsNFL) November 28, 2021
There are lots of things I don't understand.
But why every player doesn't wear a mouthpiece is high on the list.
You can see Vita Vea lose his tooth in slow motion: still smiles afterwards lol pic.twitter.com/PIuNl3Y4Fj
— JzoSports (@JzoSports) November 28, 2021
Vea wasn't getting much sympathy from his coach.
#Bucs HC Bruce Arians on Vita Vea losing a tooth: “I don’t care. He’s got 30 other ones.” pic.twitter.com/WReFOEadMt
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 28, 2021
Truth.
The Steelers playing defense today. pic.twitter.com/fesdz38Mp6
— Yahoo Fantasy Sports (@YahooFantasy) November 28, 2021
More on that.
The Steelers have held 9 of their 10 opponents under 30 points this season.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 28, 2021
The Bengals have scored 31 points... in the first half.
It's still early of course, but thus far Odell Beckham appears brittle and underwhelming. I'm shocked. I mean who could have possibly seen that coming?
Maybe let's dial back that "Cam Newton is a CHEAT CODE" talk for a minute.
Now that's how you throw the challenge flag.
Mike Vrabel tosses the red challenge flag in disgust. pic.twitter.com/Lta1G5QKLB
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 28, 2021
The weekly highlight from Basketball Footballguy, Steph Curry.
This Steph pass 😳 pic.twitter.com/zpdwRrlAm3
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 28, 2021
Odell Beckham reportedly fielded offers from the Rams and Packers before choosing Los Angeles.
Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams did not mince words when asked before the Rams - Packers game last week if he'd talked to Beckham.
king tae pic.twitter.com/bKswEHpzpO
— CheeseheadTV 🧀 (@cheeseheadtv) November 28, 2021
Thanks to Footballguys Clayton Gray and Jordan McNamara for that one.
Keith Smith does not skip triceps day.
#Falcons FB/TE Keith Smith stiff arm 👀 pic.twitter.com/JXgjARsZhR
— Evan Birchfield (@EvanBirchfield) November 28, 2021
Music Note Of The Week is an old favorite. John Craigie is the epitome of West Coast chill.
"You tried to drown your sorrows
"You shouldn't have taught them how to swim
"And now you are right back where
"you began"
California is a great song.
It's that time of year...
The time of year where agents for college football coaches change their names to "sources."
— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) November 28, 2021
Jalen Ramsey and the Oh for November Rams could neither stop nor contain Aaron Rodgers.
Aaron Rodgers gets around Jalen Ramsey and into the end zone 🔥
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 28, 2021
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/bmcE2qmZk5
I've been a Roethlisberger apologist but I think it's finally time in Pittsburgh.
I expect it'll be a lot like this:
The Steelers when they have to move on from Big Ben pic.twitter.com/NOv3MuR5tl
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) November 28, 2021
For context. This was Roethlisberger when he was younger.
My buddy, and die-hard Steelers fan Sigmund Bloom said it well: "Last year he started looking like a quarterback who was afraid of getting hit and when you are afraid of getting hit, you’re not Ben Roethlisberger anymore."
Former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley making business decisions...
Lincoln Riley taking a close look at SEC schedule... pic.twitter.com/XYq1vHtpQz
— Joe Bryant (@Football_Guys) November 28, 2021
Aaron Donald in Green Bay last Sunday. I'd be frustrated too if I got all the hype for being a physical defense and then got pushed around for 40 minutes.
☹ pic.twitter.com/Uc0DxI9vbV
— alex (@highlghtheaven) November 29, 2021
Uh oh. The Patriots may have some receivers...
Kendrick Bourne scored on this play. pic.twitter.com/nmWdIv7NRM
— Joe Bryant (@Football_Guys) November 29, 2021
The Agholor Philly Fan clip is easily in the Random Shots Hall Of Fame. Jalen Reagor gave it new life Sunday.
Jalen Reagor is the new Nelson Agholorpic.twitter.com/CSeD68PuvM
— The Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) November 28, 2021
Baker Mayfield's had his troubles recently. But this seemed cool. He waited a long while for his friend Lamar Jackson to finish his interview so he could say hello. Friends are important.
Football and friendship.
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) November 29, 2021
Baker Mayfield waited for Lamar Jackson to finish his interview to greet his friend after their Sunday Night Football game. pic.twitter.com/VI6dGT1YRc
I'm just going to drop this right here...
Aaron Rodgers has three pick-6s in his entire career.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) November 28, 2021
Matthew Stafford has three in the last three games.
Recap of the Browns-Ravens game.
Ravens vs Browns first half recap: pic.twitter.com/4pOyvPJmCp
— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) November 29, 2021
FOX ran an "NFL EMERGENCY ALERT" about the Eagles being back. Funny, but not great timing before the Giants game.
Wow! Look at the Fox network posting accurate information for once… #GoBirds #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/HLxNMVR2NT
— Philly Cheese Eagle 🧀🦅 (@OnceToTheBowl) November 28, 2021
Not as fun is they're now apparently in trouble with the FCC for not being serious enough with Emergency Alerts.
This is why we have to put "Do Not Eat" on the box of Tide detergent pods.
Thanks to Footballguy Bruce Henderson for that one.
God Bless Steeler Fans.
Obituary of a 76-year-old Pittsburgh-area man says he passed away "after a long bout with the Steelers."
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 25, 2021
“Wayne Olexa was at his home with family when the Steelers went into overtime against the 0-8 Lions and that was all he could take."
(via @WTAE) pic.twitter.com/J2SMpcoiP0
Wrapping with this one.
49er full back Kyle Juszczyk tried to leap over half the Vikings team Sunday.
Here ya go man pic.twitter.com/eyLX6JANwq
— Sergio C (@Checko2) November 29, 2021
He was juussst a bit short and the Internet did what the Internet does.
Believe in yourself like Kyle Juszczyk believed he could leap over four defenders from the five yard line.
— M.G. (@MarcasG) November 28, 2021
Juszczyk with the perfect reply.
The key is to believe 😉 https://t.co/TFmjFleWWr
— Kyle Juszczyk (@JuiceCheck44) November 29, 2021
I know that sounds goofy but I'm completely convinced he's right. Success takes all kinds of things like talent and effort and work and perseverance and determination and much more. But it starts with belief. Believe in yourself. And here's another angle I mentioned a few weeks ago with Matt LaFleur and Mason Crosby: Don't be so hesitant to believe in others. Don't be reckless, but don't hesitate to be "that person" for someone who needs some support. Sometimes people believe in themselves because someone else believes in them. Be that person.
Thanks to Footballguy Phil Alexander for that one.
That'll do it this week. Thank you for being with me on this goofy journey.
Love your neighbor and stick together.
Peace and Grace to you.
J