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 a tiny bit of value for you.
We’ll see how it goes. Let’s get to it.
J
It’s almost Thanksgiving which means it’s almost Christmas Party time which means it’s time to be thinking about your sweater.
I cannot wait to hit my wife’s family’s Christmas party in Pittsburgh rocking this bad boy.
Thanks to Footballguy Brad Lewis for the help there.
Hello there, ESPN…
Thanks to Footballguys Darren Fowler and Mario Camario for the help on that one.
I’m sure there are things I care less about than doing the mental gymnastics with hypothetical scenarios for which NCAA teams might make the playoffs. But I can’t think of any of them right now.
I’m with Richard Sherman.
I told you last week how Rex Ryan was not amused after the Steelers pulled a Greg Schiano type dive to break up the Victory Formation.
To the surprise of no one, except for Ryan, the league fined him $100,000 this week.
Again, to the surprise of no one, Ryan said he was surprised.
“I was stunned by it to say the least,” Ryan said.
In case he forgot, Ryan was fined $75,000 in 2011 for yelling the same phrase at a fan. He also was fined $50,000 by the Jets for flipping the bird at a non football event in 2010.
Evidently, Ryan’s never seen The Breakfast Club.
But here’s why this matters. Oddly enough, leadership starts with the leaders.
Geno Smith had a similar incident earlier this year where he yelled “**** you” to a fan.
Smith apologized afterwards, ”I kind of let my temper get the best of me in that situation, and it's a part of my learning process. I've got to get better with that. I've got to let that stuff roll off my back. But today, I didn't do well with that."
A big component of Smith’s “learning process” is obviously his head coach. At least in theory. Mark Sanchez likely has some things to say there but that’s for another time.
I know Ryan is fun and tons of people think it’s cool to be the guy who talks like that. But it’s not what the league wants from their teams publicly. And teams start with leaders.
Just another example of one of the basic rules of the internet - never let the public put their words on your product. The Patriots were reminded of this last week when they ran a promotion on Twitter allowing users to retweet a pic of a Patriots jersey and then the Patriots Twitter account would tweet out a jersey personalized with the user’s twitter name and a message thanking that user.
It was a fun idea until the user name of @ihaten****** joined the promo.
The Patriots quickly apologized.
C’mon Internet. We can be cooler than that.
Adam Wexler of CSN relayed this gem from ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. "Browns lead the AFC North, if they win out, they win the Super Bowl.”
Football fans responded.
ESPN’s Bob Holtzman reported Sunday that while Houston RB Arian Foster would miss Sunday’s game, he would play in Week 12.
That’s weird isn’t it? Foster missed the entire week of practice and then missed the game. But somehow you know he’ll play the next week? Foster’s never been your average dude though. He reminds me of a quirky Robert Smith.
I got on Houston’s J.J. Watt a couple of weeks ago when he criticized Titans QB Zach Mettenberger saying "It's just kind of a reminder, this is the National Football League, not high school," Watt said. "Welcome to the show."
While Watt had this picture floating around the internet…
One thing I can’t say about him though is that he’s worried about the cold. This was Watt in Pre Game “Warmups” before the game in Cleveland Sunday with a 27 degree wind chill.
However, he’s no Marquise Goodwin.
Goodwin and the rest of Buffalo have been dealing with incredible snow this week.
Hang in there, Buffalo.
Thanks to Footballguy Brian Smith for that one.
Oh that fun and wacky Marshawn…
For a flipside view, fun story this week about how Lynch returned a wallet he found at a gas station.
It’ll be interesting to see how Lynch’s status in Seattle plays out over the offseason.
Thanks to Footballguy Clayton Gray for that one.
Fox Sports Jay Glazer with video this week of Titans TE Chase Coffman’s cheap shot.
Uncool.
Further proof that everyone loves Ed Hochuli…
Much of Chicago it seems would like to bail on Jay Cutler. I get it. He’s maddening sometimes.
But the truth is that good quarterbacks don’t just grow on trees. The Minnesota game Sunday was a nice reality check for what it might look like ditching your guy for a first round rookie QB. Teddy Bridgewater may well be a fine starter in this league some day. But he wasn’t scaring anyone Sunday.
In fact, the headline story from ESPN Chicago was pretty straight forward: “Jared Allen: Bears wanted ball in Teddy Bridgewater's hands”
Sometimes the grass isn’t actually greener on the other side.
Jim Rome has a fair point here…
Thanks to Footballguy Matt Cox for that one.
I love the Raiders but they continue to screw up the simplest things.
One of the fun things over the last few years is how the player’s gloves are designed so the logo is displayed on the palms when the guy holds his hands together.
or
This concept has apparently eluded the Raiders who just put the same logo on each hand.
Thanks to Footballguy Chuck Adcock for the help there.
I miss Al Davis.
Here’s a thought. Going into Sunday’s Week 11 game, Tampa Bay had a shot at both the first pick in the draft and winning their division.
Wow.
Thanks to Footballguy Noah Zenker for that one.
As expected, I received plenty of feedback for calling out San Francisco DB Perrish Cox for flopping against the Saints.
Most of it was from emailers who said they were “totally objective”. But just happened to have email addresses like Montanarulezzzzzz@aol.com.
Forget about Perrish Cox, Charlotte’s Lance Stephenson just took flopping to the next level with this one.
I don’t even know what to say about that…
It’s Movember November where folks across the land are growing mustaches to raise awareness for Men’s Health Issues.
ThePostGame.com created a sweet tool to try out different style mustaches on famous people.
But of course, nothing tops…
See the rest on ThePostGame.com
If you look up “finishing your block”, you’ll likely get this gif.
Not to put a damper on the Gronklove, but finishing a block is easier when you outweigh the guy by 55 pounds.
I get way more excited about a play like this.
That’s special.
The Onion ran a beautiful story last week after the Bears were blown out by Green Bay in which Jay Cutler blamed the punter for the loss.
“Following the team’s blowout 55-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers Sunday night, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler told reporters Tuesday that he would be the first person to admit the team is in dire need of a new punter. “It’s certainly not an easy thing to say, but at the end of the day, someone has to step up and accept that mistakes were made by our punter, Pat O’Donnell,” said Cutler, who pointed to O’Donnell’s blocked punt in the third quarter as playing a major role in the team’s unraveling and conceded that blame for the team’s loss rested squarely on the rookie punter. “Going forward, there will have to be some serious adjustments made to our punt unit—when individual players aren’t doing their part out there, we’re going to fall short as a team. Pat didn’t play well, and he needs to accept responsibility for that.” Cutler went on to acknowledge that Bears long snapper Jeremy Cain will also need to step up his performance significantly before next week’s game against the Vikings if the team is to have any chance of turning its season around.”
Of course, you guys know the Onion isn’t real.
But apparently many Chicago fans do not possess that knowledge.
From Twitter:
“Cutler says "I'll be the first to admit... We need a new punter" Really jay? Is that what the Bears need????”
“Jay Cutler says the bears are in desperate need of a new punter. You sir are a special kind of stupid.”
“Jay Cutler honestly blamed the punter in the loss? Is this dude serious? Cutler is AWFUL”
Oh Jay…
Which team has beaten both the Super Bowl teams from last year? The Rams.
Yeah, I saw that coming…
Thanks to Footballguy Bill Feotis for that one.
Anthony Castonzo with a Big Guy Touchdown Sunday. Nice.
But my favorite Big Guy touchdown of the week came from college.
Trivia note for you from ESPN Stats and Info: “The Cardinals are 9-1 for 1st time since 1948 when they were known as the Chicago Cardinals.”
Because I know you guys need to know that kind of thing.
God Bless Titans Fan.
They did look better Monday night.
Peter King with some crazy numbers from Sunday: “Three of the top four rushing performances were from rookies or first-year players: New England’s Jonas Gray (38 carries, 199 yards), Houston’s Alfred Blue (36 carries, 156 yards) and Cincinnati’s Jeremy Hill (27 carries, 152 yards). Three of the top 10 receiving performances were by rookies: Tampa’s Mike Evans (seven catches, 209 years), Carolina’s Kelvin Benjamin (nine catches, 109 yards), and Philadelphia’s Jordan Matthews (five catches, 107 yards).”
Wow.
Aaron Rodgers is on a roll.
Dallas plays this Sunday Night in New Jersey against the Giants. Then again Thursday afternoon on Thanksgiving against the Eagles. So much for the league giving them preferential treatment…
Brian Mitchell’s had his fill of this Washington team.
From the Washington Post article:
“Embarrassing. This is atrocious. It’s despicable. It’s pathetic. I think it’s asinine. As we look at this football game and this football team – and it’s not just Robert, OK, I want fans out there to stop blaming just the quarterback. The defense was atrocious, the offensive line was terrible, dropping balls, throwing balls to people. Everybody had a part in this. There are players that, they can’t play themselves into the right position. We sit here every week and we want to blame that one guy. Yes, they gave up a lot for him, but from coaching, to decision-makers, to players, everybody is playing a part.
“Kai Forbath had hit 15 I think in a row, and then all of a sudden he misses two today. This team, you had two weeks to prepare for a 1-8 Buccaneers team that we constantly heard Jay Gruden and everybody around the country say, this team is not as bad as their record states. But, they were still 1-8. You’re sitting there 3-6 and this Redskins team can not ever sit there and think that they’re any much better than that team was. Now, you step into a football game today and nobody played like they were desperate, like they’ve been embarrassed with the way things were going.
“Five out of the last six years, this team has started 3-6 in the first nine games. OK, some players may have been around for the whole time, most of them haven’t been. And the one year you were not starting 3-6, you’re 4-5. And I see a lot of players blaming media and everybody else, and running around as if they’ve won the damn Super Bowl somewhere. This team has sucked over the last few years, OK? And as a former player, I’m embarrassed to watch this junk, over and over again. And yes, I come on this air and I have to try and be professional and not say what – I wish, let the FCC tell me today, ‘Say what the hell you want to say, Brian.’ And I will call out names and tell them exactly what I feel. Because a lot of guys who want to be big time and talking about what they think and what the media shouldn’t be doing, play some damn football. You sucked on the field today, and you know who you are. I don’t have to say their names. You know who you are.
Ok then…
New England’s Jonas Gray was playing for keeps.
You just know Jimmy Fallon was loving this…
The officials will sometimes direct a defensive player on field goals to get away from the long snapper. I think it’s kind of weird they do this and keep the defense from being flagged but it happens. The official will usually tap on the player’s butt to move him over. Whatever.
What was interesting in Green Bay Sunday is that apparently, Philadelphia’s Bennie Logan does not like having his butt touched.
File this one under “These Guys Earn Their Money”
Emmanuel Sanders was blown up Sunday.
SBNation.com reported the hit was enough to cause someone to change Sanders’ wikipedia page to show he died.
Thankfully, Sanders let everyone know he was “resurrected”.
Yep. Definitely not dead…
Note for Robert Griffin III: I get it with the cool gear and the camo tribute and your family’s military ties. That’s great. But you’re the Face of the Franchise here.
Going for Eddie Murphy from the opening of Trading Places is not a good look.
Thanks to Footballguy Don Miller for that one.
Jacksonville cornerback Dwayne Gratz missed practice Monday after being arrested for disorderly intoxication and trespassing in Miami Beach.
Yeah, like none of you guys have ever tried to pay with bubble gum at 5 AM…
Sportscenter was on fire Monday night. They went from a basketball highlight to Lisa Salters on the sidelines saying “Woooo!” to LeVeon Bell.
Hmmmm.
I told you last week about the Joker grabbing Jimmy Graham’s butt after his touchdown celebration.
Saints fan Scott McGowan, the guy dressed as The Joker, elaborated this week.
“I went for what I could grab,” McGowan said Friday “Everything else was taken, so I took what I could get.”
McGowan added, “I officially know now that (Graham) is a tight end.”
God Bless Saints Fans…
Speaking of the Joker, my Giants friends said this is what Eagles fans are like when you’re talking about Philadelphia Super Bowl victories.
Peyton Manning and Robert Griffin III are different in lots of ways. One is how they handle a post game press conference.
Let’s be fair though. Previous to these words by Griffin, he’d been talking about how he needs to play better. Still though, it’s a no win situation to ever start down that path.
Lions reporter Dave Birkett asked Detroit Safety James Ihedigbo on what impresses him most about Tom Brady:
Ihedigbo said, “His hair”.
I dunno…
Kelvin Benjamin. OK then.
The Cowboys could use another bye week like this.
Stay Classy, Miami.
Washington too.
This was Green Bay - Philadelphia in one gif.
Another “These Guys Earn Their Money” from Ryan Tannehill.
Last one this week on the “These Guys Earn Their Money”. Look at Dontari Poe’s helmet.
Note for Ben Roethlisberger: I get it that it was cold in Nashville. And there’s nothing wrong with keeping your neck warm. If you want the turtleneck shirt, go with the turtleneck shirt. But the headband around your neck thing is kind of weird.
Wrapping this one with a Mark Sanchez note. Maybe I did jump on that train a little early…
Hard Luck Awards for Week 11.
Sometimes it's better to just not know...
That'll do it for this week, Folks. Thanks to Footballguys Doug Drinen, Mario Camario, Darren Fowler, Brad Lewis, Clayton Gray, Brian Smith, Matt Cox, Chuck Adcock, Noah Zenker, Bill Feotis and Don Miller 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.