Fansided

NFL Week 13 Winners and Losers: Hoyer vs. Manziel, Rams players, Andy Dalton and more

By Andrew Garda

Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) puts his hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) puts his hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey (12) and wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) and tight end Jared Cook (89) and wide receiver Chris Givens (13) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) put their hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 30, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey (12) and wide receiver Tavon Austin (11) and tight end Jared Cook (89) and wide receiver Chris Givens (13) and wide receiver Kenny Britt (81) put their hands up to show support for Michael Brown before a game against the Oakland Raiders at the Edward Jones Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Winner: Stedman Bailey, Tavon Austin, Jared Cook, Chris Givens, and Kenny Britt

Agree or disagree with the St. Louis 5 for coming out with their hands raised in solidarity with the events in Ferguson, Missouri, I think they deserve to be applauded for taking a stand. Too often athletes sit on the sidelines and don’t speak their mind about social events going on around them. When they could raise awareness, they remain silent, more worried about their image than what they believe is right.

Bailey, Austin, Cook, Givens and Britt raising their hands won’t change the outcome of the grand jury in Ferguson, won’t improve police-African American relations or cure racism. However, even small gestures can make a difference and in the tradition athletes like Muhammad Ali, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, these men should be applauded for taking a stand.

As for the reaction of the St. Louis police department—well, it’s a bit ridiculous.

Plenty of you will write nasty things about them in the comments. Some of you will do the same, aiming them at me. Ultimately though, the world doesn’t change if we just sit and watch it. So the slings and arrows are worth it if the action makes anyone stop and think.

Next: Loser: Brian Hoyer, Interception Connoisseur

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