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
It's On.
With the NFL season kicking off Thursday night, I was feeling like this throwback picture of Jimmy Johnson. It's the same way every year.
Last year the cards fell the right way for me so I kept my Team Name in my local league: "He Don't Make The Law. He Justin Forsett".
Complete with this sweet graphic from Footballguy Adam Harstad.
It's a little long but that only means we had to get a bigger trophy...
And these are some of my Guys. And my Dog. And the Trophy. In that order.
On the Soapbox:
I love the DFS games and I love the big season long contests. But for me, this picture IS Fantasy Football. A bunch of friends gathering in my barn with pizza and drinks and smack talk. (Plus a few on the phone and Facetime). It's the heart and soul of this industry and it'll always be at the forefront of how I think of Fantasy Football. All the other ways to play are great. But they're all in addition to this. Friends enjoying each other and enjoying football always has been what I love about Fantasy Sports. And always will be. And yeah, this is what I said last year. My guess is I'll say it next year too.
Off the Soapbox.
Good to see Frank Goodell could make it out to the game in Foxborough...
Hat Tip @darrenrovell
Much was made of the Commissioner attending the opening game in New England. Lots of towels were handed out featuring the Roger Goodell clown image made famous by Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia after the Super Bowl and the talented guys at Barstool Sports.
Friday morning after Kansas City posted 42 points, Goodell was reportedly spotted at NFL Headquarters...
Thanks to Footballguys Kyle Lebeda and Austin Lee for the help on this one.
Brady and Belichick are my two favorite guys in the league. But real is real.
I should maybe stop right there...
But I won't.
College Football Note. Louisiana Tech faced a second and goal against Mississippi State Saturday from the MSU 6 yard line. Then lost EIGHTY-SEVEN yards on a fumble. Which made it 3rd and 93.
Thanks to Footballguy Jeff Pasquino for that one.
Which was better than Cleveland's start. Three and a blocked punt for a touchdown.
On the upside, the Browns snagged the sweet video from The Miz.
Aaron Rodgers channelling his inner Jim Halpert...
That's so good.
Yeah, I saw this coming...
Not.
Mr. Bosa. Meet Mr. Siemian.
No Glitch In The Matrix. Eli Manning was sacked Sunday night. During the Giants offensive line introductions...
Saturday to Sunday...
Hat Tip to @BustedCoverage
And Jim Mora's gonna Jim Mora...
This Guy is READY.
Before Thursday's game, Kansas City TE Travis Kelce sat down with Mike Tirico and talked about his new found maturity and professionalism. Kelce said, "I can't be the young idiot on the field doing immature things".
Which lasted for about two and a half quarters...
Maybe Marcus Peters can help.
Hat Tip to Ryan Glasspiegel and The Big Lead.
Marshawn Lynch is back.
Doing Marshawn Lynch things.
But way more importantly, this.
Not all the veterans on new teams fared as well though...
I get it. Andy Dalton was awful Sunday. But I don't care how bad your guy plays, I hope you never get to the level of throwing something at another human because he didn't play your game as well as expected.
The Internet had fun with this image from Monday's game.
Afterwards, Adrian Peterson cleared the air. He wasn't mad at Sean Payton. He just wanted to run the ball "up their Donkey". With a capital D. Which is so much better than the picture.
Sometimes this thing writes itself...
What's better than the Taco Bell Drive Thru?
Steve Smith working the Taco Bell Drive Thru...
Four minutes into the Chargers - Broncos game, referee Tery McAulay announced, "First timeout charged, San Diego". I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling there. Just doesn't seem right.
Alex Smith does some sort of Jedi level memory mind tricks on fans.
He was fantastic Thursday night and "shocked" fans across the country. If only we had some sort of reference point. Like maybe Week 1 of 2016 where he threw for 363 yards, two touchdowns and then scored the game winning touchdown in overtime on a keeper from third and goal...
That did put a damper on my new favorite team name: "Chillin with Mahomes".
Seattle unveiled a new logo. The Internet reacted. It's a predictable process...
More Aaron Rodgers.
The league nailed this one. Click here for the short video.
Hurricane or not. Dophins fans still don't care for the Jets.
Marshawn Lynch briefly interrupted coach Jack Del Rio's post game presser to make sure he could go home. "I was available for 3 minutes. They didn't holler at me. I'm good, right?"
Cowboys Social Media team gave us this Monday.
Because it's the Cowboys. The internet responded.
I wish my social media could "become a joke" with 46,000 likes and 23,000 retweets...
Cole Beasley. You're kind of ridiculous.
Hit Refresh for the GIF
The average QBR rating for Week 1 quarterbacks was 45. Jay was not impressed...
In case you were wondering why Stefon Diggs played so well Monday night...
Randy Moss Moon Tribute cleats.
We saw some crazy things this weekend. By far the most surprising though was Jerry Jones choosing to say less rather than more on the radio...
Take heart, Browns Fans. At least your quarterback didn't do this Sunday...
My trade advice for the week is making a move for the quarterback currently sitting in last place for completion percentage after Week 1...
My favorite story of the week is Tony Romo flooring audiences. If you haven't seen this video, you have to watch.
Romo routinely predicted where run plays were headed. At one point he told Jim Nantz, “Jim, I got $5 this is a run to the left,” before Titans running back Derrick Henry ran to the left.
Nantz asked Romo, “What did you see there?” Romo laughed and said, “I’ve seen football in the NFL for 14 years.”
He's being humble. Lots of people have seen football in the NFL and can't do what he did. Well done, Mr. Romo.
Thanks to Footballguy Brian Sumner for the help with that one.
From my Buddy Jason Wood on Tuesday: "Bradford looked like the best quarterback not named Alex Smith.“
Mike Zimmer is GOLD.
Hat Tip to @cjzero
Live look at Spiller in the Kansas City locker room...
From Saturday:
Turns out, we didn't have Kizer high enough...
Things you can count on in the Fall:
Cooler Weather
Leaves Turning
Russell Wilson failing miserably to meet expectations with an awful offensive line...
Music Note Of The Week.
My favorite concert of the summer was easily Pinegrove at Southgate House Revival. A converted old church now a concert venue outside of Cincinnati. Young people like these are what makes me optimistic about the future. Not just the future of music but the future of our country. Check them out live this fall and see what I mean. Love these folks. Trust me on this one.
"Old Friends" is a great cut from them.
"I should call my parents when I think of them. I should tell my friends I love them."
Enjoy.
You likely know Dak Prescott's a great bargain for the Cowboys. But you may not know exactly how great. ESPN created this site to see how many minutes other QBs must play to equal Prescotts entire salary for 2017.
Amari Cooper dropped three potential touchdown passes Sunday. On one drive. And I still love him. But not as much as I did.
Cleveland's Joe Thomas is nearing 10,000 consecutive snaps played. That's incredible.
He's never been 1-0 in the regular season as a Brown. That feels criminal.
As if we needed more, here's another reason to love Joe Thomas.
He gave us video of the Browns Security team practicing tackling people who run onto the field...
Even more fun, the Security Guy who was running in the video tweeted back to Thomas.
Jaguars WR Allen Robinson tore his ACL Sunday. Blake Bortles immediately ran to him and slapped his injured knee.
Doug Schneider with the best comeback.
My friend Pat Thorman is an optimist...
J.J. Watt's Great-Grandmother is 99 years old. And wore his jersey to church Sunday morning.
Rock on.
Parting shot from the University of Southern California. To set the stage, this story ran in 2009. Jake Olson is a young man who went blind at twelve years of age. Pete Carroll and the USC team connected and became very close to him. You can watch the video here.
Fast forward to 2017.
Jake grew from a skinny kid to a 6' 4" / 235 pound athlete and looks more like a linebacker.
He fulfilled his lifelong dream a couple of Saturday's ago earning a play in the game as the long snapper for his beloved USC Trojans. You can see it here.
How cool is that?
Lots of credit all around. To Pete Carroll for welcoming Jake years ago. Certainly to his parents for the love and support and care. And by far, most of all to Jake. Who took a dramatic obstacle and persevered.
Rock on, Jake Olson.
Thanks to Footballguys John Lee and Devin Knotts for the help with that one.
That'll do it for this week, Folks.
Thanks to Footballguys Keith Overton, Clayton Gray, Brian Sumner, Kyle Lebeda, Jeff Pasquino, John Lee and Devin Knotts for the help with this one.
And thanks to you 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