#Even if he gives brutal beatdowns lmao

[sicklexclaws]

On some level, I find it equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking that Oscar is my muse who tries his hardest to do the best for other people and the rest of the world but is simultaneously full of the most doubt and self-loathing.

[unfortunate-songbird]

WHY LEO DIDNT DESERVE ANY OF WHAT HE WENT THROUGH: an essay by me

movie spoilers :)

ok so at the beginning of the movie he’s shown screwing around when he should be training, yeah?

okay, yes, arguably irresponsible, but considering it’s been 2 years since shredder and there’s no mention of any other formidable foes besides your typical Large Pig, Married Couple, and Bug Man, it’s understandable that he’s pretty lax about everything. Dont get me wrong, I totally get Ralph’s side! He’s constantly worried about a new threat appearing when they least expect it, plus even their regular missions can be life threatening if they aren’t careful

but dude Leo’s just goofing off and having a funky time, he doesn’t deserve the Epic Emotional Beatdown he gets in the movie

“Oh, but he’s just in general egotistical and braggy”

yeah. he’s 16. Donnie has probably broken the Geneva convention at least twice man idk. He’s a dumbass turtle doing dumbass things.

Then we get to the argument. What really gets me here is that Leo is visibly listening and taking what Raph says to heart- until the moment it gets too dark for him. Saw this pointed out somewhere else, but man really does use humor to cope. of course, in doing so he brushed off Ralph’s very real and important concerns, frustrating him

the fight over the key? Yeah, not his best work.

in his defense tho, if he actually knew the severity of the situation, he’s proven before that he can be completely serious (even while keeping his jokey persona) when things get more drastic. I truly believe after they meet Casey, things stop being about straight overconfidence. Leo goes into the fight jokey, but it’s been proven many times that he will often quip while putting his all into his battles, so that’s not the best judge of how seriously he’s actually taking it. he doesn’t insist everyone stays behind to get the key. he goes out himself, taking the risk because Casey is desperate to get it for really good reasons! I think his actions there- while somewhat reckless- would’ve been seen in a positive manner in most other movies. He’s taking the risk to grab the literal World-Destroying object.

then Raph gets taken

Leo has a panic attack, and he’s more visibly distraught than we’ve ever seen him, to the point where he gets actually, genuinely, dangerously angry for the first time in the entire franchise. He’s probably blaming himself for getting Raph caught.

His stubbornness next isn’t because he’s overconfident. He’s just so focused on getting Raph back, no matter what. He HAS to get his big brother back. Leo doesn’t consider waiting to plan, or retreating, not when it would feel like giving up on his brother. He’s blindly consumed by his fear and desperation. He makes a lot of bad decisions because of it, don’t get me wrong! They were Bad Decisions! But I really think they weren’t about ego, not really.

I’m glad he learned a lot of valuable lessons but I’m also worried about the like

MASS amount of trauma he has now. Like, that’s some Heavy stuff. The trade off of character development vs whatever all this new trauma and greatly worsened self-sacrificial tendencies (bc they already existed in the show and are probably going to get concerningly worse) might not be the best. worried about that guy

anyway I really want to see what they do there because that was a roller coaster and the long term effects could be really interesting to watch

Also does anyone else see a lot of parallels between Leo and c!Tommy from the dream smp or is that just me? Like:

-cocky/confident persona to cope and also bc it’s funny

-self worth issues lmao

-the amount of character development needed could’ve easily happened with like,, some minor trauma but no they get the whole sha bang

-ping pongs between overconfident and low self esteem and also “nothing is ever my fault” vs “everything is my fault”

-16 y/old brutally beaten by an unbeatable foe in an inescapable prison only to eventually get out alive despite all odds

This post is kind of a mess lmao

[tfw-no-tennis]

mtmte liveblog issues 4&5

its delphi time babey

I'm sorry but drift & co look like such fuckin nerds on their scooter things on the cover lmaooo

oh god. seeing the first page just reminded me of how horribly confused i was for this whole little arc the first time i read it. i was like ok, who are all these new characters, and also why does everyone look so similar

anyways now i now what's going on. i love first aid

love the running continuity of rung being the literal only psychologist on cybertron (except for fr*id but that's later). no wonder everyone's fucked up they all have to share a single therapist 

ok i find it extremely funny that first aid was demoted from doctor to nurse, as if that's a thing that happens EVER - I mean it'd be one thing if first aid was a nurse practitioner (which i doubt is a position that exists here), at least that demotion would make sense, but like...the doctors i work with don't know how to do most nurse stuff (like BP, cathing, vaccinations, hell even using some of the thermometers - that's all stuff nurses/etc do), so demoting one to a nurse would be a disaster (just like promoting a really good nurse to a doctor would be a bad idea). anyways i know I'm being pedantic but it Be like that when you work in the medical field and read something that has medicine-related stuff in it

i love swerve giving ratchet the tiniest free drink ever lmaooo

is that skids being a rowdy drunk in the bg lmaoooo

unironically i love medical statistics. keep it comin

i love magnus’s giant sternal chestpiece thing. its like a bird’s sternum but without the massive pec muscles attached 

i love magnus and rodimus’s dynamic so much

oh pipes....im so sorry but this fun space adventure is going to be not so much fun for you

ratchets ideologies are certainly interesting, and i liked seeing how they changed over the course of the story

drift: why would i be SCARED of the DJD, I've got a SWORD, two swords even,

hvbhajkhfbsdjkf pipes really said ‘oi, you two - what's this, then?’ that's the most british fucking thing, that's literally something i say when I'm doing an overexaggerated british accent, oh my god,

PIPES IS SUCH A TINY DUMBASS. ILY SIR BUT WHAT ARE YOU DOING

aaaand now you're covered in dead bodies, pipes. look at your life, look at your choices

drift epic sword moments

drift confirmed for the kinda weird guy who has katanas that he uses to like, cut up fruit and water bottles in his backyard while rodimus films him

‘i thought i heard...bickering’ lmaooooo

ah, so its covid

this arc is how i feel working in healthcare lmaooo especially now that i probably have covid 

so rewind condensed the entire war into an 11 second long cringe compilation. nice

seeing the mechanical stuff past tailgate’s visor is so cool

poor tailgate, this guy is getting slammed with history from multiple sides. and like, bias is inevitable in ANY sort of recounting of events, especially controversial historical events, so poor tg just kinda has to take it all in and decide who to listen to 

that’s...not really how immunity works, guys. also, you shouldn't be exposed to so much disease with proper ppe usage

is there even such thing as ppe in the transformers universe?? there are fluid- and contact-transmitted illnesses, so there SHOULD be

is there even OSHA in this universe??????? unbelievable 

first aid, holding a giant fucking claw clamp: we haven't tried EVERYTHING............

first aid read a human wikihow article on how to jumpstart a car and took notes 

i love tailgate’s ‘mom says its my turn on the xbox’ pose 

tailgate has a point - he’s from pre-war times, where things weren't as grey so of course he would try to divide the two sides into ‘good guys’ and ‘bad guys’

CYCLONUS BE NICE DONT HIT UR FUTURE HUSBAND

go get some character development and then maybe you'll feel better

seeing the word quarantine is making me twitchy w/my possible month-long complete isolation quarantine on the horizon

drift pulling his swords on pipes and ratchet pushing down drift’s arms...lmao

poor pipes...even tho this is completely his fault, its still rough

also jesus, pharma and ratchet look so goddamn similar, reading this was so confusing the first time around 

drifts idea of subduing pipes involves turning into a cool car and also posing with his sword

also. never gonna be over drift’s massive thighs. jesus man

ooof now drift has the rona. ouch 

poor drift, his covid realization is getting overshadowed by pharma being flung around

first aid bustin thru w/the epic medical nipple clamps and some Big Boi Backup

ok that's an epic pre-beatdown speech from fort max right there, daym 

im just gonna continue on w/issue 5 now for continuity’s sake. yay!

the cover of tailgate in magnus’s autobot school is so cute

and we open with an incredible shot of fort max str8 up ripping a guy in half. i mean, to be fair, he DID just give an epic speech about how much he was gonna do that, and he certainly followed thru

yeahhhhh, fort max is not doing so well atm

when he puts that dudes head in his chest vent thing and then snaps it shut....man 

also i fucking LOVE when their faces are shaded all in black w/only the eyes/mouth fully drawn...fantastic stuff

ratchet: phew i am not equipped to deal w/this level of Fucked Up Mental Trauma. u good m8?

ratchet is already writing up a referral to rung for fort max as this is happening

drift is just laying on the ground dying like, oh hey yeahh I'm still here too 

i fucking love when punctuation is drawn in story - like here where first aid has a little ? over his head....fav

ratchet holding drifts hand ;_; 

ok tbh ambulon having switched sides 10 yrs ago is wild bc like, 10 years is barely any time for these guys, especially in a war that lasted 4 million years. that would be like a human switching sides in a war like, 3 months before it ends. probably. i sense some math bs, I'm just extrapolating here

all that mexican standoff shit is going down and first aid is just like But That's None Of My Business

ah so ambulon is an asymptomatic carrier 

and there's first aid with the save! iconic

pharma calling ratchet ‘buddy’ hbvakjdsbfhkasdf

ooooh i love that they figured it out - and i love that twist, that transforming is what triggers the start of symptoms. remember when drift turned into a cool car? yep

s/o to Ambulon Transformers for helping me in my medical terminology courses, bc now ill always remember: Leg(tm)

also this explanation makes a ton more sense (in universe, at least) than the whole ‘i guess we as medical staff have been exposed to enough Germz that we’re more immune to this or something’ theory 

ah, i love the meaningless (to me) alien robot medical jargon 

drift and ratchet hhhhhhhhh

‘I'm too wide’ fort max L O R G E

also once again drift is forgotten in favor of a bunch of other dramatic stuff happening vbhjksdfbjhskdf

godddd i love tailgates little flashbacks where we see how Important and Special he is, complete with his ‘bomb disposal’ arm label...augh its so good! 

and tailgate’s autopedia page even reflects his lies! like, did tailgate go edit that first thing upon waking up??? seriously, I'm fascinated by tailgate’s meticulous dedication to his fake life

also the fact that ultra magnus believes everything he read on autopedia is amazing lmao

ultra magnus: you think somebody would just go on the internet and tell lies? 

fuckgin love magnus’s long ass name/title placard 

tailgate hvbahjkdfbjhaskf i mean, he’s gotten the abridged version of everything else, of course he would assume that’d be the case here too...but not on magnus’s watch

magnus cant even say ‘fun’ hvukdasdbjfkjsadf i love my uptight law dad

love rung implying that upon questioning, he would easily divulge a patient’s name and maybe even information about said patient’s treatment while under him....love the disregard for patient confidentiality and hipaa in general 

not that hipaa seems to exist here, at least not in a fully realized form 

also i mean the above genuinely, i think rung’s tendency towards at least slight malpractice is very interesting 

poor red alert....super bad luck that HE was the guy to get roped up in that overlord business 

I'm glad that, at the very least, red alert was able to prove that he was Actually hearing something to rung, rather than get brushed off completely 

god magnus and tailgate’s interactions are golden 

also tg is much more sarcastic/quippy than anyone gives him credit for tbh

‘thought warfare,’ ultra magnus says with complete seriousness. god i fucking love this comic

now i can tell pharma apart from ratchet bc pharma has let his true Petty Bitch nature emerge and you can see it in his expressions

the whole ‘tarn is addicted to transforming’ thing didn't really go anywhere, right? i feel like i noticed that on my second readthru as well 

also pharma is such an interesting character given the context of him like, trying to strike a bargain w/the djd to keep them from destroying delphi, but that arrangement inevitably kinda making him lose it as the situation escalates. he’s also just really entertaining bc i feel like he kins the joker or st and probably gets into really heated arguments w/people on twitter about just abt anything

‘sound bomb’ i love this comic

another important facet of pharma’s character becomes clear around this time as well - how he’s really into ratchet. i also choose to read them as awful exes tbh, it makes their dynamic even more entertaining

‘killmaster, with the wand’ is one of my favorite running remarks lmao

also, was killmaster even a character before mtmte? or, if he was, was he an important one? it would crack me up the most if he literally didn't exist at all, but any way you spin it is still funny 

ratchet’s tiny humansona facing off against pharma is wild

‘I'm miles from anyone i truly care about’ brutal, ratchet, drift is dying like 2 floors away (im p sure)

SUDDENLY DRIFT IS HERE, ACTUALLY 

oh don't worry first aid, that sure isn't the last we’ll be seeing of pharma 

so like, did first aid save everyone by posting that data log to his wreckers fan blog or something? lmao love it 

i love the pretty fucked up reveal of ratchet having stolen pharma’s hands. like, damn dude. 

and that wraps up the delphi arc! our first true ‘arc’ of mtmte, and a fantastic one at that. short and snappy and fresh, with some very clever writing and cool new characters, and a lot of great plot threads to be picked up later. plus, we got to see the beginnings of drift and ratchet’s whole thing (and ratchet and pharmas whole thing). and the lost light gets some much needed extra medical staff, so everyone wins! 

well, we’ll see how fort max feels about this all pretty soon.....

[purplesurveys]

812

Is there anyone you work with that you don't get along with? Why? I'm always civil with everyone, and when I get mad at someone I make sure it’s because they really fucked up on a task, and not just because I don’t like their personality or whatever. I’ve always just felt like butting heads with someone is only going to affect my work, so I try not to clash with people. If I don’t like someone for any reason, I usually just minimize my interactions with them. Have you ever been romantically interested in a coworker? ...Does a classmate count? I started crushing on Gab back in high school lol. Have you ever been romantically involved with a coworker? ^ Same question. Do you have any thoughts on a 14-year age-gap? Not a fan. Age gaps in general scare me away, though I think it’s because I’ve only been with someone of the same age. What is the game you're currently playing most often on your phone? Bitlife. It’s like a simpler Sims.

What is your go-to Starbucks order? MAN OH MAN does this question make me miss coffee shops. I get a grande iced caramel macchiato. I get it as is because having so many customization options just makes me overwhelmed. Do you have any friends that you're drifting apart from? I don’t think so. We all just have to be apart right now but once we can see each other again, I’m 110% sure it’ll only be like we hadn’t seen each other in a day. Are you close to someone who is mentally unwell? I think all my friends aren’t mentally okay to some extent. It’s pretty common in our age group. What phone do you have? iPhone 8. What is the last thing you ordered for delivery? Andrew and I had Chinese food delivered to Skywalk after a particularly brutal verbal beatdown from our thesis adviser who had told us to revise big chunks of our thesis ASAP. I was super stressed so I allowed myself to splurge on the Hong Kong noodles I really liked and I specifically asked for three fucking packets of peanut sauce to drown my noodles in lmao. Do you have an opinion on adopting/purchasing a pet? It’s my preferred way of getting a pet. Adopt and don’t shop, plz. What's your favorite chain restaurant? YABUUUUUUUU. If I reach the point where I only had ₱400 left to my name, I’d still most likely spend it on their katsu.  Have you ever dated someone who was of a foreign origin? No...well, Gabie is part Turkish, so kinda? She’s still mostly Filipino though. Have you ever read any of your idol’s books/autobiographies? Out of all the people I fangirl over, only AJ has produced an autobiography and yes, I have her book. Oh I have One Direction’s first book too, but I haven’t been able to buy the next ones that came out. Do you own any succulents? Nope. Can’t take care of plants to save my life. When was the last time you climbed a tree? I’ve never done that, all the trees here have red ants. :/ If you have any pets, how would you describe their personalities? Kimi’s an absolute diva and chooses to follow, listen to, and be sweet with only me. He’ll be super nice when he’s asking for food, but will be quick to stop minding you completely once he’s gotten enough food from you. We give him a pass since he’s a senior dog now, but he’s definitely the snobby type hahaha. What is your phone's background? My home screen is of Hayley Williams; my lock screen is of Beyoncé and Jay-Z on stage. Who played at the last concert you went to? Paramore. Who is playing at the next concert you're attending? I’m really fucking hoping it’s going to be Beyoncé because she’s the only artist left I have yet to see lmao but if not, I’m most likely going to see Paramore again. What's your favorite amusement park ride? I like riding the octopus, but only the one in my high school’s fair. What's your favorite deep-fried food item? Corndogs, for sure. Why were you last pulled over? I got confused with the road rules in Alabang and ended up stopping at a red light albeit over a pedestrian lane. Stilllllll pissed about that instance to this day and I’ve never gotten over how rude the traffic enforcer was towards me. Do you have any friends that own a private lake? I don’t think so, we don’t have a lot of lakes here to begin with. What was the last thing you've done on the water? Take a shower, if I understood this question correctly. Canoeing or kayaking? I kayaked in Palawan when we were there and it was so peaceful and felt like absolute heaven. I’d relive that experience over and over again. What's your favorite lake? Like I said, we don’t really have a lot of lakes here. I don’t even know enough to pick a favorite. Are you cool with swimming in a lake? Sure, why not. Do you have a drone? I don’t. I’m not interested in having one. Do you have a smart watch? Nope. I’d love one but tbh I end up losing every watch I ever try to wear, so buying one would be pointless. What's your favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant? It’s a bar rather than a restaurant, but Exile was such a fun place to be in. I still don’t understand why they had to close down so suddenly when sooooo many college kids were going there every single day. It’s since been replaced by this random shrimp restaurant, though I think that already closed too since no one ever went there because EVERYONE PREFERS EXILE. It was a very important part of my early college years and it helped me get out from my slump, so I’ll always be grateful that it was around at some point. What do you order from there? I don’t even remember anymore, it shut down two or three years ago. I’ll see if their menu is still up on Zomato... andddd it’s not. It’s like it never existed, sigh. What's your favorite ice-cream flavor? Cookies and cream. They jack up the prices for Ben & Jerry’s here like CRAZY so even though I’ve wanted to try so many of their flavors, I’ve never gotten to try it. I’m not paying ₱500-₱600 for ice cream. Do you have any t-shirts from any local businesses? Yes, I have a couple of shirts from this local business called Artwork. Their employees, who are also artists, produce original designs on t-shirts, bags, pins, shoes, wallets, etc. every week so every time I visit the store, the selection is almost always completely brand new. What is your prettiest friend's first name? Gabriela, hehe. Who is your favorite comedian? Not really into comedians. I like Andy Samberg’s work, but mostly only for Brooklyn Nine-Nine. What's your favorite Netflix series? Queer Eye or Black Mirror, if we’re talking about original Netflix series. Do you listen to any talk shows or podcasts? I regularly tuned in to a morning radio program when I’d drive to school before quarantine started, but that’s it. Do you know anyone who's had their own podcast? Nope, but I have friends and acquaintances who have released other stuff, like vlogs and EPs. Where were you the last time you stayed in a hotel? Cavite. What are you looking forward to, today? Mom bought shawarma so I can’t wait to eat them tonight. What are you looking forward to, in the next few months? For this Covid mess to finally blow over so I can have an actual, tangible graduation and see all my friends again. Are you a dog or a cat person? Dog. Without. A. Doubt. Do you know anyone who is freaked out by cats? Me. They never liked me no matter how nice I am with them, so I can never be around one for more than a minute. There’s only one cat that’s been nice to me – one of the cats that roam around the college, we call him Ginger – but even then, sometimes his claws can get super sharp when we play and it pierces my skin and I get scared, ahuhu. I’m sure cats are super nice and that they make for great pets, but we just can’t ever bond lol. Do you know any with Crohn's disease? No.

[crystalkleure]

Double Feature of horrible characters I love bc They Go Together: Hisoka and Illumi from HxH,

OHO, Ultimate Evil Clown To Surpass All Other Evil Clowns, and his creepy broken doll bf! 👀 They’ve both got such top-tier aesthetics, it’s been so long since I watched HXH and I still remember Hisoka and Illumi gvfcdcgvfcgv

I present:

Hayabusa Hideki, from Inazuma Eleven GO!

“The other students call him "Lord Snotty”. He’s an insufferable snob.“-Profile from the game[s]

And a few of his recruitment requirements from Galaxy are UH. These:

Topic: Minor Celebrity (ちょっとした有名人の話題)

Topic: Self-Trend Fashion (自己流ファッションの話題)

Topic: Narcissist (ナルシストの話題)

This is an absolutely narcissistic, VIOLENT little bastard lmao. We don’t see a whole lot of him in the anime, tragically, but he spent the entirety of what little screentime he got just bullying the absolute shit out of the Main Character’s team fvcdcgvfcdcgv he was NASTY. The physical violence wasn’t even half as bad as the constant verbal beatdowns, HE’S SO MEAN…He gets so aggressive and petty about the Mocking and Belittling that Kita [who "never stands up to authority”, and Kita may technically be the team captain here but Hayabusa is from Fifth Sector] actually felt the need to tell him he was going too far. [Which of course accomplished absolutely nothing because Hayabusa just totally ignored him lmao, why wouldn’t he]

Being a Fifth Sector SEED basically gives him free reign to Establish Superiority over everyone else, by any means necessary, with [supposedly] no consequences, And He Knows It. It is literally part of his job to convey that The Mighty Fifth Sector Cannot Be Opposed, but he is enjoying that WAY too much. He kicks people when they’re already down and then spits on them. He’s a middle-schooler on a permanent power trip. Awful boy.

HE’S SO PRETTY THOUGH. Look at this GNC king! He’s wearing lipstick! PURPLE LIPSTICK! And way too much mascara lmao. Also his Avatar is cool as shit. Giant Pointy Purple Birdman Shadow Monster…with abs!

The Great Aesthetic and Sick Brutality caught my attention real quick, I love this guy. Though it was fantastic to watch him get his ass kicked and Suddenly Realize that Maybe Being A Giant Bitch Might Actually Finally Have Consequences, rip. AND HIS NAME. I KNOW “Hayabusa” MEANS FALCON IN JAPANESE BUT IT’S ALSO THE NAME OF A MOTORCYCLE BRAND. He has the same name as a type of fucking motorbike. Absolutely Badass.

Also, he keeps saying things like “Cut the crap!” and “Quit screwing around!” and I’m not sure if that’s Hayabusa himself ironically trying to maintain a little bit of class, or if it’s just the subs that are pussying out of saying Much Stronger Words. He might actually be cussing people out lmao

[blaperile]

Homestuck Epilogues - Meat - Page 5

[junker-town]

10 winners from Week 4 in the NFL

Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

Fournette is good, but is he “Kyle Williams as a wedding officiant” good?

Week 4 did not put elegant football on display for the world to see. The final Sunday of September played host to a wide swath of ugly football across the league.

An AFC East showdown between the Patriots and Bills saw five interceptions thrown and the deciding touchdown scored via blocked punt. The Bears lost their starting quarterback minutes into their rivalry game against the Vikings. The first touchdown of Seahawks-Cardinals was a pick-six from a player who’d never had an interception in his six-year NFL career.

But manure helps flowers grow, without brutal ugliness we’d never appreciate true beauty, ugly ducklings become swans, etc. Week 4’s abject grossness made its bright spots shine a little harder. So who provided the silver lining to this week’s stormclouds?

It wasn’t ...

Not considered: the Falcons, who threw for nearly 400 yards and got 10 points from it

Matt Ryan has thrown for at least 304 yards in each of his four starts in 2019. His 331 passing yards per game are 22 more than his MVP campaign of 2016, when he led Atlanta to an 11-5 regular season record and a league-best 33.8 points per game.

Despite this, this year’s Falcons are 1-3. They are averaging only 17.5 points per game. They have to throw the ball so much because they’ve only led twice in a game so far — and both times it came in a Week 2 win over the Eagles.

Atlanta has gone from dark horse contender to looking like a team that had been called up from relegation without being ready in any meaningful way. The crazy thing is, the Falcons still look good on paper. The defense is allowing fewer than four yards per carry and fewer than 5.5 yards per play. Austin Hooper has emerged as a powerful cantilever to a receiving corps led by Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, and Calvin Ridley. Ryan sure seems like the kind of QB you’d want throwing the ball 44 times per game.

Then, you watch them play football and they look like they’re cosplaying a poorly organized Senior Bowl scrimmage.

Now, on to...

This week’s actual winners:

10. Marcus Mariota, who would really like to get paid in 2020

Mariota was the beneficiary of Atlanta’s ability to make uneven quarterbacks look like All-Pros this fall. The fifth-year passer followed Jacoby Brissett’s lead by carving up the Falcons in a win that was never in question after halftime. Mariota threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday. More importantly, he refused to give Atlanta any extra opportunities, keeping an impressive season-starting streak alive:

.@Titans Marcus Mariota is the only QB who has started every game this season and has yet to turn the ball over

— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) September 29, 2019

2019 has been an extremely Mariota year, as he’s alternated strong performances with confusing ones en route to what’s shaping up to be a nine-win season. Those inconsistent outings — he’d needed 49 dropbacks to throw for 304 yards in a 20-7 loss to the Jaguars a week prior — have made the Titans reticent to offer him the kind of deal most former top-five picks earn with their second contract. If Tennessee isn’t convinced, some needy team could look at Mariota’s showcase against the Falcons as a reason to give the Heisman winner who’s been to the playoffs only once in four seasons $50 million guaranteed next spring.

9. Trevor Davis, who is a running back now I guess

The greatest player an 80-yard football field has ever seen needed only one game to leave his mark in Oakland. The former Packer — acquired 11 days earlier in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick — hasn’t seen a target with his new club, but the wideout/kick returner was the Raiders’ most electric runner Sunday.

Yeah, @Trevor9Davis is gonna fit in just fine around here.#OAKvsIND | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/NjO4eK3VKe

— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) September 29, 2019

Davis only touched the ball twice against the Colts. He finished his day with 74 yards and a touchdown in the Raiders’ 31-24 win.

8. Jadeveon Clowney, who gave the Seahawks the exact presence the Texans really could have used

Clowney had never notched an interception in his five-year career leading up until Week 4. This made sense, as the pocket-destroying edge rusher was rarely asked to do much in coverage with the Texans or Seahawks. He wasn’t in pass coverage Sunday when he rewrote that section of his NFL resume.

THAT. WAS. HUUUUGE!@clownejd takes it to the house! #GoHawks x #SEAvsAZ pic.twitter.com/dl78eUxOik

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 29, 2019

Clowney was being blocked at the line of scrimmage when he used his 6’11 wingspan to pluck a Kyler Murray pass out of the sky. All he had to do after that was beat an offensive lineman to complete the first pick-six of his career.

That didn’t mean much for a Seahawks team that was rarely challenged in a 27-10 win over the Cardinals, but there was some delicious symbolism involved for Clowney. He’d been traded to Seattle after the Texans refused to offer him a market-resetting contract extension in 2019. His presence was missed in Week 4 as Houston fell to Kyle Allen and the Panthers.

Even though Houston got to Allen enough to force three fumbles, the Texans could have used another game-changing force alongside J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus to finish off a resilient young passer who managed to escape danger and reel off some big plays.

Kyle Allen avoided that JJ Watt sack!#KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/vZRfCwDHZk

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) September 29, 2019

The final score? 16-10 — a deficit that was, for one week, exactly what Clowney produced for his new team.

7. Eddy Pineiro, who might make Matt Nagy a little less insane about the double doink

The Bears ran more than 10 different kickers through the wringer in an effort to find Cody Parkey’s successor this offseason. That spinning wheel eventually landed on Pineiro, who so far has rewarded his head coach’s faith.

Pineiro may not have had a kick as important as his game-winning 53-yarder in Week 2, but he was still a consistent presence for Chicago Sunday. He made all four of his kicks in Week 4 — three field goals and an extra point — and has converted 14 of his 15 kicks (eight field goals, six XPs) to start the season. He was especially valuable in Week 4 because his Bears played all but one series of the game without starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

Backup Chase Daniel was fine in relief (195 yards, 6.5 yards per pass, no interceptions), but the furthest he could drive the Bears after that first drive was field goal range. That’s when Pineiro took over, building Chicago’s confidence in its special teams back one kick at a time. He poured in 10 points in a 16-6 victory over a Vikings team that never found its footing against the Bears’ brutal defense.

Pineiro won’t erase the pain of Parkey’s audible failure until he does it in the postseason, but Sunday’s performance continued a good start. If Trubisky misses extended time, Chicago could wind up leaning on its kicker to provide the bulk of its scoring until he comes back.

6. Nick Chubb, who helped the Browns bust the myth of the 2019 Ravens’ defense

No team had rushed for more than 160 yards against the Ravens defense in their last 29 games. Chubb hit that mark on his own in a Baltimore beatdown (hey, that sounds familiar) in Week 4.

The second-year back helped shatter the mythos of the Ravens’ stingy defense, carving his AFC North rival up from the inside out. Chubb ran for 165 yards on 20 carries, none bigger than the 88-yard score that stomped out Baltimore’s comeback hopes. Lamar Jackson had hit Mark Andrews for a touchdown one play earlier to cut the Browns’ lead to 24-18 — but Chubb made sure that was as close as Jackson would get in the fourth quarter.

To. The. House.@NickChubb21, everybody. pic.twitter.com/RCeJGdSsaX

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 29, 2019

How did his quarterback Baker Mayfield — who had a day of his own with 342 passing yards — feel about his performance?

Lmao pic.twitter.com/55VRH8N8cM

— JTB (@B1ckle) September 30, 2019

Pretty good!

5. Devin McCourty, who is approaching interception immortality

McCourty had four interceptions in his previous four seasons with the Patriots. It only took him four games in 2019 to match that total.

The Pro Bowl safety has yet to play a game this season where he hasn’t come down with an interception. He got on the board early against the Bills, sniffing out a bad Josh Allen decision downfield:

Devin McCourty has 1 INT in every game to start the season so far -- that ties Mike Haynes for the NFL record for most interceptions in consecutive games pic.twitter.com/Kmt7xOeJHc

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 29, 2019

That first-quarter pick put him alongside lofty company. McCourty tied an NFL record with interceptions in four straight games — a mark previously held by Hall of Famer (and former Patriot) Mike Haynes. McCourty doesn’t have the same impeccable resume Haynes has, but a late-career renaissance would certainly bolster any Hall of Fame debate the three-time NFL champion and three-time All-Pro has working in his favor.

4. Christian McCaffrey, who definitely inherited his father’s hands

McCaffrey has been one of the league’s most dangerous receivers out of the backfield since entering the league in 2017. On Sunday he pulled off his most eye-popping catch yet:

Christian McCaffrey is Superman pic.twitter.com/rGmaC5rpYB

— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) September 29, 2019

McCaffrey finished his day with 93 rushing yards, but he was much more valuable for backup-turned-starting quarterback Kyle Allen with his hands. McCaffrey caught all 10 of Allen’s targets, paving the way for the second-year quarterback to earn his third straight victory as a starter.

3. Mackenzie Park and Jordan Binggeli, whose halftime on-field wedding sparked a Bills comeback

Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d type:

Jim Kelly was able to give Josh Allen a pep talk because he was walking the bride down the aisle at a Bills-themed wedding at halftime.

CBS reported that the Bills’ legend spent some time on the sideline to talk up Buffalo’s current quarterback and address other members of the team. It worked, too! Kelly was one of several honored guests as two superfans exchanged mid-game nuptials in front of one of the sport’s most raucous crowds.

Mackenzie Park and Jordan Binggeli won the @BuffaloBills' NFL100 Experience of a Lifetime, and were married halftime of today's game! Former Bills legends Kyle Williams, @JimKelly1212, @thurmanthomas, and @SteveTasker89 were in the wedding. #NFL100 pic.twitter.com/sha7BTiJ9l

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2019

Kyle Williams WAS THE OFFICIANT. The dais was Zubaz-striped.

And @BuffaloBills legend Kyle Williams officiated the wedding! pic.twitter.com/3xexcOpwxu

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2019

The Bills were outscored by 10 points before the wedding took place, then held New England to just three second-half points after Park and Binggeli said “I do.” Buffalo didn’t win, however, which means the team needs to have a halftime wedding every week from now until its eventual 2023 Super Bowl win.

I don’t know where or what the reception was, but if it didn’t include someone in a Tyrod Taylor jersey getting powerbombed through a flaming folding table then I’m not sure we can call this a real Bills wedding, regardless of Kelly’s presence.

2. Frank Gore, who could be the last player to ever rush for 15,000 yards

Gore did not look 36 years old while being the only bright spot of a foundering Bills offense. The future Hall of Famer gashed the Patriots’ vaunted defense with regularity Sunday,

No run was bigger than his 41-yard sprint in the second quarter. It not only set up Buffalo’s first points of the afternoon, it also made him only the fourth player in league history to ever rush for 15,000 yards.

FRANK GORE JUST GOT TO 15,000 RUSHING YARDS pic.twitter.com/nnvKEtqQ7V

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 29, 2019

Gore finished with 17 carries for 109 yards — his first 100-yard game as a 36-year-old but 13th of his 30s — and averaged more yards per play than the Buffalo passing game. While the former 49er, Colt, and Dolphin is comparatively elderly compared to his peers at tailback, he put together a throwback performance to stand out as the Bills’ offensive MVP in a near-upset of the reigning Super Bowl champions.

Gore now ranks fourth among all NFL players in rushing yards, behind only Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, and Barry Sanders. He’s first among active backs. Here’s where that top five stands after Sunday:

Gore: 15,021 yards Adrian Peterson: 13,408 LeSean McCoy: 10,820 Mark Ingram: 6,335 Lamar Miller: 5,854

So yeah, there’s a good chance Gore is the last member to join the 15K club for a long, long time.

1. Leonard Fournette, who gained 225 rushing yards

I know, I thought he might be washed after last year’s 3.3-yard per carry campaign, too.

Can't be stopped.@_Fournette now has 165 rushing yards on the day.#DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/PnXKmJKQBG

— #DUUUVAL (@Jaguars) September 29, 2019

Fournette’s big day gave Jacksonville the leverage to come back from a 17-3 second quarter deficit and then later a 24-23 one with 92 seconds left to play, giving Gardner Minshew a safety valve in his second straight win behind center. And though Minshew was impressive in the comeback effort, Fournette’s third-year breakthrough may have finally stolen the spotlight — or at least tilted it slightly away from — the league’s most interesting rookie.

He also celebrated the blockbuster performance by cussing out a starting offensive lineman for nearly drawing a 15-yard penalty at the end of the game. That’s either a stunning example of leadership or, if you’re not sold on Fournette as a legit NFL running back, something weirder.

After nearly forcing his way out of Jacksonville with a disappointing 2018, the former No. 4 overall pick is finally starting to live up to his collegiate pedigree. He’s on pace for a 1,600-yard season, and while he’s unlikely to keep that pace, he’s got a great opportunity to put last year’s injury-shortened, 439-yard campaign in his rear view.