2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 14

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(2) Seattle Seahawks (9-3) Week 14 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

2.(3) New England Patriots (11-2) Week 14 opponent: Bye

3.(1) Los Angeles Rams (9-3) Week 14 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

4.(6) Green Bay Packers (8-3-1) Week 14 opponent: Chicago Bears

5.(5) Denver Broncos (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

6.(9) Buffalo Bills (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

7.(11) Chicago Bears (10-3) Week 14 opponent: Green Bay Packers

8.(10) San Francisco 49ers (9-4) Week 14 opponent: Bye

9.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

10.(7) Indianapolis Colts (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

11.(8) Detroit Lions (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

12.(14) Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

13.(16) Houston Texans (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

14.(17) Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

15.(19) Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) Week 14 opponent: Detroit Lions

16.(20) Carolina Panthers (7-6) Week 14 opponent: Bye

17.(18) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) Week 14 opponent: New Orleans Saints

18.(13) Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Houston Texans

19.(12) Baltimore Ravens (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

20.(15) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

21.(21) Miami Dolphins (5-7) Week 14 opponent: New York Jets

22.(25) Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Buffalo Bills

23.(22) Atlanta Falcons (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

24.(23) Minnesota Vikings (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Washington Commanders

25.(26) Washington Commanders (3-9) Week 14 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

26.(30) New York Jets (3-9) Week 14 opponent: Miami Dolphins

27.(27) Arizona Cardinals (3-9) Week 14 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

28.(24) Cleveland Browns (3-9) Week 14 opponent: Tennessee Titans

29.(29) New Orleans Saints (2-10) Week 14 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

30.(28) New York Giants (2-11) Week 14 opponent: Bye

31.(31) Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) Week 14 opponent: Denver Broncos

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-11) Week 14 opponent: Cleveland Browns 

Week 13 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers :2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) 

The Chiefs suffered a gut-wrenching loss to the Cowboys on Thanksgiving that greatly hurt their chances of making the playoffs this season, but nobody can attribute the defeat to the effort of their quarterback. Mahomes relished the opportunity to be back in his home state of Texas for the holiday and put together the kind of gem we used to see him from on a near weekly basis when the Chiefs offense was unstoppable from 2018-2022, throwing for 261 YDS and 4 TD's and rushing for 30 YDS. Mahomes has a really tough draw for a must-win Week 14 game as the stifling Texans defense are set to make their way to Arrowhead. 

Honorable Mentions: Jordan Love (Packers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars)

Biggest Loser: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

Jackson was a freak fumble and questionable OPI call away from having a much better showing, but alas that wasn't the case, and he ended up in this undesirable spot. While yardage wasn't a problem as he threw for 246 and ran for 27, a slew of turnovers (3) and inability to get in the endzone after the aforementioned 2 potential TD's by Isiah Likely and Zay Flowers got ripped away from him ensured this was one of the ugliest games Jackson has had in quite some time as the Ravens got lit up at home by a Bengals squad that looked revitalized with the return of Joe Burrow to the lineup after missing nearly 3 months with turf toe. Jackson is playing terrible football right now and will be a questionable starting option in Week 14 against a Steelers defense that is shaky on the whole but has a knack for forcing turnovers and getting sacks.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Sam Darnold (Seahawks), Caleb Williams (Bears), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

In what has been a recurring story for the Falcons all season long, Robinson was sensational (193 scrimmage and a rushing TD on 28 touches) as the team suffered a close loss in a game they absolutely should've won against the Jets. Robinson faces the Seahawks in Week 14. 

Honorable Mentions: D'Andre Swift (Bears), Kimani Vidal (Chargers), R.J. Harvey (Broncos)

Biggest Loser: Travis Etienne (Jaguars)

Etienne struggled with efficiency (12 carries for 28 YDS, 1 reception for 13 YDS) and got a redzone TD stolen from him by Bhayshul Tuten-who was even less efficient gaining only 19 YDS on his 9 touches-on a day where the Jags leaned on Trevor Lawrence's arm and their defense to embarrass the helpless Titans. A Week 14 showdown with the Colts presents a less-than-ideal rebound opportunity for the leader of the Jags backfield commitee. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Saquon Barkley (Eagles), Ashton Jeanty (Raiders), Rico Dowdle (Panthers)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: A.J. Brown (Eagles)

Feast your eyes on the only fantasy-relevant Eagle that showed well against the Bears on Friday! Admittedly, it took a late garbage time score to get Brown to the top of the WR leaderboard this week but that doesn't change the fact that he was making plays every time he got the ball in his hands-logging 10 receptions for 132 YDS and a pair of TD's and was the catalyst on every single one of the few productive drives the Eagles offense put together in this terrible showing in front of their home fans. Brown will look to stay hot against the Chargers in Week 14.   

Honorable Mentions: Rashee Rice (Chiefs), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys), Jameson Williams (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

Jefferson's increasingly nightmarish 2025 campaign reached a new low in Week 13 as undrafted rookie quarterback Max Brosmer didn't look his way much as he got devoured by the Seahawks ferocious defense during his first career NFL start, which led to him catching just 2-of-6 targets for a measly 4 YDS in a blowout loss for the reeling Vikings. If Brosmer has to start in place of J.J. McCarthy-who remains in concussion protocol as of today-versus the Commanders this week, he should have a much easier time making plays than he did against the Seahawks but nobody should feel good about Jefferson's ability to put up numbers regardless of matchup quality given the bleakness of the Vikings QB situation at the moment.    

Dishonorable Mentions: Jaxson Smith Njigba (Seahawks), Rome Odunze (Bears), Zay Flowers (Ravens)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Bowers made the most of his limited looks against the Chargers on Sunday afternoon, catching all 4 of his targets for 63 YDS and 2 TD's. The sole bright spot on the Raiders dismal offense will face a Broncos defense that just got lit up by Zach Ertz in Week 14.

Honorable Mentions: Trey McBride (Cardinals), Zach Ertz (Commanders), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Biggest Loser: Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

As I said above, the Eagles offense outside of Brown was pretty awful this past week and Goedert was very quiet for the most part-catching just 2 passes for 27 YDS against a Bears defense that has struggled to contain TE's all season. After a hot start to the year where he logged 5 TD's and 24 receptions over his first 5 games, the pendulum has shifted in the other direction for Goedert as he hasn't been a viable starter for much of the past 2 months. He'll get a Chargers defense that has been among the best in the league at limiting TE production in Week 14.

Dishonorable Mentions: Oronde Gadsden (Chargers), Cade Otton (Buccaneers), Theo Johnson (Giants)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Seahawks

Max Brosmer was completely in over his head facing one of the top defenses in the league in his first NFL start and the Seahawks took full advantage of that, picking up 4 sacks, a fumble recovery and 4 INT's including a pick six by Ernest Jones that is destined to become one of the funniest plays in NFL history. The Seahawks have another great matchup in Week 14 when they take on the reeling Kirk Cousins-led Falcons.  

Honorable Mentions: Bills, Jaguars, Patriots

Biggest Loser: Rams

The Rams D failed to take advantage of the Panthers vulnerabilities on offense, and it arguably cost them the game as they surrendered 25 points, got 2 sacks and forced 0 takeaways in a shocking 31-28 upset loss that snapped a 6-game winning streak and knocked them out of the top seed in the NFC. They should be out for blood this week against a Cardinals team that has surrendered the 6th most points to opposing D/ST's in 2025.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Texans, Lions, Browns 

Josh Hutcherson Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Josh Hutcherson-whose latest project "Five Nights at Freddy's 2" releases in theaters on Thursday. 

Josh Hutcherson's Filmography Ranked:

14.Tragedy Girls (D+)

13.The Kids Are All Right (C-)

12.Detention (C-)

11.The Polar Express (C-)

10.RV (C)

9.Journey to the Center of the Earth (C)

8.Kicking & Screaming (C)

7.Red Dawn (C+)

6.The Beekeeper (B)

5.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2 (B)

4.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 (B)  

3.The Hunger Games (B)

2.The Disaster Artist (A-)

1.The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (A)

Top Dog: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

While The Hunger Games franchise has displayed an impressive level of consistency through its first five films, Catching Fire reached heights that none of the other entries have. Francis Lawrence made such an impression with this electrifying, emotionally charged masterclass in blockbuster filmmaking that they haven't let anyone else direct a Hunger Games movie since (that streak will remain intact as Lawrence is returning for next year's Sunrise on the Reaping).    

Bottom Feeder: Tragedy Girls (2017)

I watched Detention last week in preparation for this piece and while I found it to be a pretty obnoxious mess of a horror comedy, it's easier to sit through than Tragedy Girls. Aside from a couple good kills, this slasher satire is a completely worthless affair filled with grating characters and enough eye roll-worthy meta jokes to fill a dozen movies.      

Most Underrated: The Disaster Artist (2017)

Much like the book it's based on, The Disaster Artist expertly threads the needle between detailing the insanity/hilarity of the chaotic production of the singular cult classic The Room and telling a surprisingly touching underdog story of a man living out his dreams to be a movie star against all odds. 

Most Overrated: The Kids Are All Right (2010)

As a Sundance-launched dramedy from 15 years ago, The Kids Are All Right has unsurprisingly faded into obscurity. However, it still managed to get nominated for multiple Oscars including Best Picture and that's enough for me to still declare it overrated. Lisa Cholodenko's film about a lesbian couple (Julianne Moore, Annette Benning) whose lives take a sudden turn when their children (Mia Wasikowska, Hutcherson) request to meet their biological sperm donor father (Mark Ruffalo) is a dull indie that takes a couple of bizarre, contrived turns that undermine its attempts to find the heart and humor in the inherently uncomfortable relationship dynamic that drives its narrative. 

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Los Angeles Rams (9-2) Week 13 opponent: Carolina Panthers

2.(3) Seattle Seahawks (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

3.(4) New England Patriots (10-2) Week 13 opponent: New York Giants

4.(2) Philadelphia Eagles (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Chicago Bears

5.(7) Denver Broncos (9-2) Week 13 opponent: Washington Commanders

6.(8) Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) Week 13 opponent: Detroit Lions

7.(6) Indianapolis Colts (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Houston Texans

8.(9) Detroit Lions (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Green Bay Packers

9.(5) Buffalo Bills (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

10.(11) San Francisco 49ers (8-4) Week 13 opponent: Cleveland Browns

11.(13) Chicago Bears (9-3) Week 13 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

12.(15) Baltimore Ravens (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

13.(16) Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

14.(14) Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

15.(12) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Buffalo Bills

16.(18) Houston Texans (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

17.(17) Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Tennessee Titans

18.(10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

19.(22) Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1) Week 13 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

20.(19) Carolina Panthers (6-6) Week 13 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

21.(21) Miami Dolphins (4-7) Week 13 opponent: New Orleans Saints

22.(23) Atlanta Falcons (4-7) Week 13 opponent: New York Jets

23.(20) Minnesota Vikings (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

24.(30) Cleveland Browns (3-8) Week 13 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

25.(24) Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

26.(26) Washington Commanders (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Denver Broncos

27.(25) Arizona Cardinals (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

28.(29) New York Giants (2-10) Week 13 opponent: New England Patriots

29.(27) New Orleans Saints (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Miami Dolphins

30.(28) New York Jets (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

31.(31) Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-10) Week 13 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 12 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

The Eagles may've suffered one of the most crushing, confusing collapses of the 2025 season thus far against the Cowboys in Week 12 but at least Hurts got back in the good graces of his fantasy managers after back-to-back duds. Hurts was in peak dual-threat mode against the 'Boys anemic defense, throwing for 289 YDS and a score and rushing for 33 YDS and 2 TD's. He'll have another plus matchup when the Eagles return home to face the Bears on Friday afternoon.

Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Matthew Stafford (Rams), Caleb Williams (Bears)

Biggest Loser: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)

While there was never any real danger of the Ravens losing to the Jets on Sunday, you wouldn't have known that by looking at the play of Jackson. The star QB had one of the most uneventful games of his career in a spot where he should've cleaned up, throwing for 153 YDS, rushing for only 11 YDS on 7 carries and failing to score a TD. About the only positive for Jackson was that he committed zero giveaways, which was good to see after his 2-INT performance against the Browns in Week 11. Jackson has been pretty unremarkable over the past 3 games and will have the difficult task of trying to right the ship on a short week as the Ravens will face the Bengals on Thanksgiving night.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Josh Allen (Bills), Brock Purdy (49ers), Jordan Love (Packers)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

Gibbs was the main reason the Lions survived a scare from the 2-win Giants as he ripped off 219 YDS and 2 TD's on just 15 carries and acted as Jared Goff's security blanket in the passing game with a career-high 11 receptions for 45 YDS and another TD. He'll remain a top 5 option for the Lions huge Thanksgiving Day divisional clash with the Packers.  

Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Wilson (Packers), Christian McCaffery (49ers), Derrick Henry (Ravens)

Biggest Loser: D'Andre Swift (Bears)

It was a tough day at the office for Swift against the Steelers as he not only was a complete non-factor (29 scrimmage YDS on 9 touches) in the victory but ceded the bulk of the backfield snaps to Kyle Monangai after losing a fumble early in the second quarter. Swift's standing in the Bears 1-2 backfield punch will be worth monitoring as they prepare to take on his former team in Philly on Friday.     

Dishonorable Mentions: Kyren Williams (Rams), David Montgomery (Lions), Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)

The most valuable fantasy receiver of 2025 so far by a mile was brilliant once again in Week 12, carving up the Titans for 167 YDS and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. He also gained 4 YDS on his sole backfield touch of the afternoon. JSN has arguably his toughest remaining matchup of the season in Week 13 against a Vikings secondary that has only allowed 3 100+ YD games and 8 TD's to WR this year.  

Honorable Mentions: Wan'Dale Robinson (Giants), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions), George Pickens (Cowboys)

Biggest Loser: Jordan Addison (Vikings)

J.J. McCarthy had the worst game of his terrible inaugural NFL campaign on Sunday in Green Bay and while nobody on the Vikings left this ugly affair smelling like roses, Addison suffered the most as he failed to catch his lone target. With McCarthy entering concussion protocol yesterday after reporting symptoms to team doctors on the flight back to Minneapolis and undrafted rookie Max Brosmer in line to make his first career start against the Seahawks, Addison is a clear sit for Week 13.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Stefon Diggs (Patriots), Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers), Jameson Williams (Lions)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Hunter Henry (Patriots)

Henry ended up being the only Patriot to truly feast against the Bengals bottom-ranked defense, putting together his best outing since Week 3 against the Steelers with an impressive 7/115/1 line. He'll look to become one of the proud few Patriots pass-catchers to have back-to-back impactful games in 2025 when they take on the Giants on MNF in Week 13.  

Honorable Mentions: Colston Loveland (Bears), Trey McBride (Cardinals), George Kittle (49ers)

Biggest Loser: Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Zay Flowers was the only one to put together a respectable performance (5/58) amidst Jackson's struggles against the Jets on Sunday, which means Andrews got left out in the cold-catching just 1-of-3 targets for 9 YDS and gaining 2 YDS on a pair of carries. If Jackson can get back on track, Andrews has a dream matchup against the Bengals in Week 13 that he should be able to exploit.

Dishonorable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Kyle Pitts (Falcons), T.J. Hockenson (Vikings)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Packers

As I mentioned above, J.J. McCarthy had an awful showing in Week 12 and the Packers defense is to blame for those struggles. The league's 5th ranked scoring defense completely disrupted the flow of the Vikings offense for 60 minutes, picking up 5 sacks, 2 INT's and a fumble recovery in a 22-6 victory. The Pack will look to steal another soul on Thanksgiving when they face a Lions offense that is currently in their most vulnerable state since they became a contending team in 2023.     

Honorable Mentions: Rams, Falcons, Browns

Biggest Loser: Lions

Did the Lions defense ultimately do enough to help their team win a game that they very easily could have lost? Yes. However, it was still a pretty dispiriting performance from a group that's looked great recently despite the rash of injuries they've endured in the secondary as they surrendered 27 points and only notched a pair of positive contributions on their fantasy stat sheet (1 sack, 1 INT) against the Jameis Winston-led Giants. The always unpredictable Packers offense presents a wild card of a Week 13 matchup that will definitely test the trust some owners have in this group.    

Dishonorable Mentions: Seahawks, Eagles, Chiefs

Thomas Haden Church Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Thomas Haden Church-whose latest project "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery" releases in select theaters on Wednesday and begins streaming on Netflix on December 12th. 

Thomas Haden Church's Filmography Ranked:

14.John Carter (D)

13.Spanglish (C)

12.George of the Jungle (C)

11.Rolling Kansas (C)

10.Hellboy (C+)

9.Spider-Man 3 (C+)

8.The Peanut Butter Falcon (B-) 

7.Daddy's Home (B-)

6.We Bought a Zoo (B)

5.Spider-Man: No Way Home (B)

4.Idiocracy (B)

3.Sideways (B)

2.Easy A (B)

1.Tombstone (B+)

Top Dog: Tombstone (1993)

There was a sneaky great run of westerns in the 90's and outside of Clint Eastwood's triumphant farewell to the genre that helped turn him into an international star with Unforgiven, Tombstone just might be the best of the bunch. George P. Cosomatos, who was previously best known for his work with Sylvester Stallone on Rambo: First Blood Part II and Cobra, brings a degree of pure action movie slickness that helps it stand out from other entries in the genre and the cast filled with beloved character actors from Kurt Russell to Bill Paxton to Sam Elliott to Val Kilmer to Michael Biehn help turn a collection of real-life gunslingers into larger-than-life figures worthy of being immortalized on the big screen.       

Bottom Feeder: John Carter (2012)

One of the most infamous bombs of the 2010's is also one of my least favorite movies from that decade. Pixar vet Andrew Stanton completely faceplanted with his live-action debut, which turns a seminal sci-fi text that has inspired generations of sci-fi writers/filmmakers into a convoluted, meandering epic that fails to parlay its impressive visuals into anything that's even remotely compelling. Stanton's second ever live action feature In the Blink of an Eye is currently in post-production, so it'll be interesting to see if he's learned anything from the failure of John Carter.   

Most Underrated: We Bought a Zoo (2011)

While We Bought a Zoo may be a minor entry in the (mostly) solid filmography of Cameron Crowe, it remains a heartfelt human story that's really enjoyable to watch. Returning to the world of light, warm crowdpleasers might be the ticket Crowe needs to punch to get out of the unemployment purgatory he's been stuck in for the last decade following the release of the obscenely awful Aloha.   

Most Overrated: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

As inherently pleasant as this dramedy about a man with a Down Syndrome (Zack Gottsagen) who escapes from an assisted living facility in Georgia and heads out on the road with a down-on-his luck fisherman (Shia LaBouef) and his kindhearted caretaker (Dakota Johnson) to fulfill his dream of going to a wrestling school in North Carolina that's run by his idol (Haden Church), this story of found family and living out your dreams simply didn't move me in the way that it did a lot of other people. Perhaps I'll give it another shot one of these days and see if I just wasn't in the mood for it when I saw it in theaters.  

Michelle Monaghan Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Michelle Monaghan-whose latest project "The Family Plan 2" begins streaming on Apple TV+ tomorrow. 

Michelle Monaghan's Filmography Ranked:

19.Playing It Cool (C)

18.Pixels (C)

17.The Bourne Supremacy (C)

16.Mr. & Mrs. Smith (C)

15.Machine Gun Preacher (B-)

14.Unfaithful (B-)

13.Sleepless (B-)

12.Eagle Eye (B)

11.Patriots Day (B)

10.Nanny (B)

9.Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (B)

8.Constantine (B)

7.MaXXXine (B)

6.Mission: Impossible III (B)

5.Due Date (B)

4.Mission: Impossible-Ghost Protocol (B+)

3.Mission: Impossible-Fallout (B+)

2.Source Code (A)

1.Gone Baby Gone (A)

Top Dog: Gone Baby Gone (2007)

Ben Affleck makes one of hell a first impression as a filmmaker with this gripping, emotional and surprisingly thorny noir mystery thriller about a Boston couple who work as private investigators (Casey Affleck, Monaghan) who are hired by another couple (Amy Madigan, Titus Welliver) to locate their missing 4-year-old niece (Madeline O'Brien). It's been a minute since I've seen this tremendous movie, so a rewatch is definitely in order.      

Bottom Feeder: Playing It Cool (2015)

Playing It Cool is a romantic comedy starring Chris Evans, Monaghan, Aubrey Plaza, Topher Grace, Ioan Gruffudd and Anthony Mackie. If you haven't heard of it, there's a good reason: It effectively got buried as it was an indie production that toiled around in the ether for a few years after it wrapped shooting until Vertical picked it up and quietly put it on VOD in the spring of 2015. While it's unfortunate that any movie would meet this fate, I can't sit here with a straight face and say that it deserved better. Plain and simple, it's an instantly forgettable watch that only staves off a worse fate because the solid cast genuinely does their best to try and elevate the flat material they had to work with.     

Most Underrated: Source Code (2011)

The downward trajectory of Duncan Jones' career over the last decade or so is kind of unfathomable given how good Moon and Source Code are. I'm particularly fond of Source Code as it blends high-concept sci-fi with the urgency and propulsion of a thriller, making it a uniquely intense, entertaining viewing experience. Jones will be making his return to filmmaking with the animated feature Rogue Trooper, which is in post-production and is currently expected to release sometime next year. Fingers crossed that he's able to get his groove back.    

Most Overrated: The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

While The Bourne Ultimatum-which is often cited as one of the greatest action movies ever made-is considerably more overrated in my book, I still have plenty of gripes with the second installment of the Bourne franchise. Supremacy was the installment where Paul Greengrass got his hands on the Bourne franchise and immediately sent the series spinning into the depths of mediocrity with its flaccid pacing and relentless use of choppy, quick-cut editing that went onto become the industry standard for action movies until John Wick came along a decade later and provided a much-needed shakeup with its long takes/fluid editing. I look forward to honoring Jason Bourne by forgetting to watch the next inevitable future reboot of this franchise.        

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

()=Previous Ranking

1.(2) Los Angeles Rams (8-2) Week 12 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

2.(3) Philadelphia Eagles (8-2) Week 12 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

3.(1) Seattle Seahawks (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Tennessee Titans

4.(5) New England Patriots (9-2) Week 12 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

5.(7) Buffalo Bills (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Houston Texans

6.(6) Indianapolis Colts (8-2) Week 12 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

7.(10) Denver Broncos (9-2) Week 12 opponent: Bye

8.(9) Green Bay Packers (6-3-1) Week 12 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

9.(4) Detroit Lions (6-4) Week 12 opponent: New York Giants

10.(8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-4) Weel 12 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

11.(12) San Francisco 49ers (7-4) Week 12 opponent: Carolina Panthers

12.(13) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) Week 12 opponent: Chicago Bears

13.(15) Chicago Bears (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

14.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) Week 12 opponent: Bye

15.(16) Baltimore Ravens (5-5) Week 12 opponent: New York Jets

16.(14) Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

17.(19) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) Week 12 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

18.(18) Houston Texans (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Buffalo Bills

19.(20) Carolina Panthers (6-5) Week 12 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

20.(17) Minnesota Vikings (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Green Bay Packers

21.(21) Miami Dolphins (4-7) Week 12 opponent: Bye

22.(22) Dallas Cowboys (4-5-1) Week 12 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

23.(23) Atlanta Falcons (3-7) Week 12 opponent: New Orleans Saints

24.(24) Cincinnati Bengals (3-7) Week 12 opponent: New England Patriots

25.(25) Arizona Cardinals (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

26.(26) Washington Commanders (3-8) Week 12 opponent: Bye

27.(27) New Orleans Saints (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

28.(28) New York Jets (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

29.(29) New York Giants (2-9) Week 12 opponent: Detroit Lions

30.(30) Cleveland Browns (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

31.(31) Las Vegas Raiders (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Cleveland Browns

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-9) Week 12 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

 Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Josh Allen (Bills)

Allen was able to shake off 2 ugly picks in the first half and put together one of the most dominant QB showings we've seen in the league this year (317 passing YDS, 3 TD's, 40 Rushing YDS, 3 TD's) in a shootout win over the Bucs on Sunday. The reigning MVP will get right back to work roughly 48 hours from now when the Bills take on the Texans in Houston on TNF.   

Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Brock Purdy (49ers), Jordan Love (Packers)

Biggest Loser: Justin Herbert (Chargers)

Things couldn't have gone much worse for Herbert in Week 11 as relentless pressure from the Jaguars front and a complete lack of help from his rushing game led to him throwing for 81 YDS, which is a new career-low and an INT while adding just 21 YDS on the ground. He'll get a much-needed reprieve from the weekly beatings he's taking behind his garbage offensive line this week as the Chargers are on bye.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Caleb Williams (Bears), Joe Flacco (Bengals)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Christian McCaffery (49ers)

It was an easy victory for the 49ers over the Cardinals and CMC's play was a big reason why the game was sealed up well before halftime. The star running back only needed 18 touches (13 carries, 5 receptions) to rack up 121 YDS and 3 TD's and largely ceded his backfield work to Brian Robinson Jr. in the second half of this laugher. Next up for McCaffery is a meeting with the Panthers and their middling defense.   

Honorable Mentions: TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots), Bijan Robinson (Falcons), Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars)

Biggest Loser: David Montgomery (Lions)

Montgomery was effective when he got the ball against the Eagles, averaging over 5 YDS per touch. There just wasn't action for him as Dan Campbell leaned heavily on Jahmyr Gibbs as his speed was one of the only things that gave the Eagles D trouble during this rough showing for the Lions typically high-flying offense and that caused him to finish the game with just 37 scrimmage YDS. While Montgomery's usage rate has been all over the place this season, he should see more action against an undermanned Giants team that has really struggled to contain the run through 11 games.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Quinshon Judkins (Browns), Ashton Jeanty (Raiders), R.J. Harvey (Broncos)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Tetairoa McMillan (Panthers)

The Panthers rookie broke his 4-week TD drought in spectacular fashion by not only finding the endzone twice but setting new career-highs in receptions (8) and receiving YDS (130) over the Falcons. It was really encouraging to see McMillan finally take advantage of his huge target share and he'll have a real shot to put together another monster performance in Week 12 against an injury-depleted 49ers secondary that has gotten lit up over the past few weeks.    

Honorable Mentions: Michael Wilson (Cardinals), George Pickens (Cowboys), Nico Collins (Texans)

Biggest Loser: DeVonta Smith (Eagles)

It was finally Smith's turn to get punished by the Eagles passing games woes as he caught just 1-of-5 targets for 8 YDS in a win over the Lions. Smith will face the Cowboys and their stinky secondary in Week 12.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Ladd McConkey (Chargers), Ricky Pearsall (49ers), Quentin Johnston (Chargers)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

McBride painted another garbage time masterpiece against the 49ers, hauling in 10 catches for 115 YDS and a TD. Jacoby Brissett's favorite target will look to make it 3 100+ YD/1 TD outings in a row against the Jaguars this Sunday. 

Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Biggest Loser: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Pitts was an afterthought in the Falcons passing attack against the Panthers, catching just 2-of-3 targets for 14 YDS as the Dirty Birds suffered yet another heartbreaking single digit loss in a game they should've won. With Drake London out indefinitely with a PCL sprain, Pitts should be in line for a huge usage bump and can confidently be fired up as a TE1 in all formats.

Dishonorable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Cade Otton (Buccaneers), David Njoku (Browns)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Steelers

Teryl Austin's group showed up big once again, embarrassing the Bengals offense in a 34-12 victory by logging 1 sack and 2 defensive scores in the second half (a pick-6 from Kyle Dugger and a fumble return by James Pierre). The Steelers will face the Bears-who've done a good job of minimizing giveaways and sacks this season-in Week 12. 

Honorable Mentions: Browns, Texans, Rams

Biggest Loser: Chargers

The Chargers didn't look like the top 10 defense they've been for the bulk of this season as Travis Etienne, Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen ran wild in a shocking 35-6 win for a Jags team that's looked like shit for much of the last month. An early pick of Trevor Lawrence-who wasn't overly sharp once again despite the large margin of victory-was the only highlight for Jesse Minter's unit. The Chargers will face a turnover-happy, largely inept Raiders offense when they return to action in Week 13.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Seahawks, Chiefs, Lions 

Quick Movie Reviews: Frankenstein, The Running Man, Now You See Me: Now You Don't, Keeper

Frankenstein: An adaptation of Frankenstein is the project Guillermo del Toro has been wanting to make for the entirety of his 30+ year career. Now that Netflix has given him the opportunity to make his dream a reality, it's kind of sad to say that del Toro's vision feels a little bit miscalculated. His take on Mary Shelley's classic novel is effectively a tale of two halves as the opening stretch detailing the origins of the tormented, egotistical surgeon Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) and his efforts to prove that he can bring the dead back to life is too stoic to be overly compelling while the second half where the focus shifts to Frankenstein's monster (Jacob Elordi) is a harrowing, emotional tale of a being trying to find beauty in a cruel world that he's cursed to stay in for eternity. Elordi-who only landed the role after Andrew Garfield dropped out-is remarkable in the role as he embodies the complex range of emotions the creature feels as he learns about his unnatural origins and s world that has labeled him as a bloodthirsty beast without even trying to understand his true nature. If the other aspects of Frankenstein outside of the top-notch cinematography and production design del Toro delivers on all of his films were in line with Elordi's thoughtful, astonishing craftsmanship, Frankenstein would've unquestionably landed at or near the top of the legendary director's filmography instead of the merely respectable middle where it ended up residing.  

Grade: B

The Running Man: A reboot of The Running Man couldn't have been timed better. Not only does Stephen King's novel take place in 2025, a dystopian world where authoritarian oligarchs control the government, media, etc. and the economy is so bad that the bottom 99% of society are willing to risk their lives for the entertainment of others in exchange for the slim chance of being able to enjoy a life where they don't have to worry about their ability to have access to medical care, food or housing isn't too far off from the reality we're currently living through. As fun as the cheesy 1987 version with Arnold Schwarzenegger is, Edgar Wright's version is an improvement across the board. The grizzled old school action-meets-blunt modern satire approach Wright uses is a great ode to the story 80's origins while taking aim at the increasingly dangerous actions of today's ruling class that are doing every they can to suppress the truth and sow division among the population so they can continue to live in blissful excess while pushing more people into poverty by the day. I'm not going to pretend that The Running Man' 25 has some masterful script, but there's still something to be said about a mainstream Hollywood movie actively confronting one of the biggest threats currently facing our world and preaching the importance of class solidarity as a means to fight it. That might not sound like much to most people but consider this: Paramount was taken over in early August by David Ellison's Skydance Media. Ellison's father Larry is the second richest person in the world and is actively seeking to help his son's company purchase Warner Brothers to further add to their family's growing media empire (they're also involved in the upcoming purchase of the American version of TikTok from Chinese company ByteDance). Would they even consider funding a movie like The Running Man? The answer is obvious and, that's why it's so awesome that Wright was able to release something serves as a giant middle finger to people like Hollywood's newest power players under the banner that now bares their company's name.

On top of its topicality, The Running Man represents a further elevation in Glen Powell's acting stock. Disgruntled everyman Ben Richards-who enters the titular game show where three contestants have the chance to win a billion dollars if they can survive 30 days while a group of elite mercenaries known as "The Hunters" (Lee Pace, Karl Glusman, James Frencheville, Joey Ansah, Alex Hoeffler, Greg Townley) attempt to kill them on live television in an attempt to pay for medical care for his sick infant daughter-provides the budding star with the ideal vessel to build out his range. Richards is a classic everyman action hero with rage issues that is also willing to do anything he can to have the backs of the people around him. Powell expertly balances the conflicting faces of Richards by knowing when he needs to be a hardened, resilient badass with a short fuse and when he has to lean into something more vulnerable or funny. The mix of his established snarky yet affable personality with something darker and meaner makes this his best performance in a blockbuster to date. 

In terms of the action, it's easily the most straightforward group of setpieces Wright has ever crafted. What drove the decision to dial back on his signature stylization is a mystery (the turnaround time on this one was super tight as shooting wrapped in March), but it was kind of a bummer to see these huge chases and fights assembled in a manner that don't reflect his established sensibilities. Wright and his second unit director Darrin Prescott are such pros that these sequences still manage to be solid and propulsive (particularly the bit with Michael Cera's oddball Maine-based revolutionary character), they just all happen to be begging to be staged in a more fluid, flamboyant manner. Nitpicks over the action aside, The Running Man is another winner for Wright and one of the best blockbusters of the year.                                           

Grade: B+

Now You See Me: Now You Don't: There's something beautiful about the Now You See Me franchise returning from a 9-year hiatus and sliding right back into its unapologetically silly groove without missing a beat. You wouldn't know that Ruben Fleischer is the third different director to take the reins of the magician heist series by how smoothly he assimilates to the series house style (heavily stylized illusions/tricks, snarky banter, absurd plot twists galore) and all of the newcomers (Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, Rosamund Pike) have a blast teaming up/squaring off against the recently reunited Horseman (Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher-who returns to the fold after sitting out Now You See Me 2)-whose dynamic is just as strong now as it was in the first installment 12 years ago. By the time it's exhilaratingly dumb Abu Dhabi-set finale concluded, I was ready to break into a Cannes-worthy round of extend applause. Please let the powers that be at Lionsgate grant this franchise the opportunity to continue for as long as the creatives involved have an interest in making them.                  

Grade: B+

Keeper: I was on board with Keeper for the bulk of its runtime. Osgood Perkins establishes a really ominous atmosphere through eerie visuals, well-deployed jump scares and good fashioned isolation while Tatiana Maslany is solid as a woman having a really bad/weird time during a romantic getaway to her boyfriend's (Rossif Sutherland) family cabin. Then Keeper has to start providing answers to what the hell is going on in and around this cabin, and it goes from scary to silly in no time at all as it shatters the hypnotic ambiguity of its first two acts with a lengthy exposition dump that paves the way for a groan-inducing ending that stops Perkins' hot streak at Neon dead in its tracks. Perkins won't have to wait long to redeem himself for this misstep as he's currently in production on his next project The Young People-which will mark the fourth film he's made this decade.                

Grade: C

Ruben Fleischer Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Ruben Fleischer-whose latest project "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" releases in theaters today. 

Ruben Fleischer's Filmography Ranked:

6.Uncharted (B-)

5.30 Minutes or Less (B-)

4.Venom (B)

3.Gangster Squad (B+)

2.Zombieland: Double Tap (A)

1.Zombieland (A)

Top Dog: Zombieland (2009)

Thanks to its irreverent humor and winning makeshift family dynamic that its magnetic leads (Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin) provided it with, Zombieland has enjoyed an enduring power that has exceeded many of the more conventional comedies released around the same time. Bill Murray's cameo remains one of the funniest scenes I've seen on screen and Flesicher provided a nice proof-of-concept for his eventual pivot to blockbuster filmmaking with his confident handling of the film's action sequences-particularly the final showdown where hordes of zombies descend on an abandoned amusement park.       

Bottom Feeder: Uncharted (2022)

Uncharted is a perfectly fine adventure movie that's just never quite able to overcome the feeling that it's a cheap-ish modern-day knockoff of Indiana Jones despite arguably being a better crafted film than either of the 21st century entries in that legendary franchise. If the sequel Sony put into development back in the spring of 2022 ever materializes, hopefully they can find a way to once again make Papa John's part of a key plot point       

Most Underrated: Gangster Squad (2013)

Going to bat for Gangster Squad is something that I'm always happy to do. It's just so refreshing to watch a mob movie that excels at being cartoony and fun. Not everything can or needs to be Goodfellas or The Godfather people! Sometimes getting something cut from the same cloth as The Untouchables is great too!   

Most Overrated: None

Fleischer has made precisely one acclaimed movie in his career: the original Zombieland and that's been a movie I've loved since I saw it in theaters 16 years ago. Other than that, he's been a magnet for stuff that has gotten mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. As you can see from above, I've never disliked anything he's made as I feel like he always brings enough energy to his direction to keep things relatively entertaining regardless of the quality of the script he's working with. I'm really looking forward to seeing what he does with the long-brewing third installment of the preeminent magician heist franchise.      

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 11

 =Previous Ranking

1.(2) Seattle Seahawks (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

2.(3) Los Angeles Rams (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

3.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions

4.(5) Detroit Lions (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

5.(9) New England Patriots (8-2) Week 11 opponent: New York Jets

6.(7) Indianapolis Colts (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Bye

7.(1) Buffalo Bills (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

8.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills

9.(8) Green Bay Packers (5-3-1) Week 11 opponent: New York Giants

10.(10) Denver Broncos (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

11.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

12.(11) San Francisco 49ers (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

13.(12) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

14.(14) Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Denver Broncos

15.(15) Chicago Bears (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

16.(18) Baltimore Ravens (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Cleveland Browns

17.(17) Minnesota Vikings (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears

18.(20) Houston Texans (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans

19.(16) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

20.(19) Carolina Panthers (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

21.(26) Miami Dolphins (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Washington Commanders

22.(22) Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) Week 11 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders  

23.(23) Atlanta Falcons (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers

24.(24) Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

25.(21) Arizona Cardinals (3-6) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

26.(25) Washington Commanders (3-7) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins

27.(30) New Orleans Saints (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Bye

28.(31) New York Jets (2-7) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots

29.(27) New York Giants (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers

30.(28) Cleveland Browns (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

31.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-8) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Stafford made history on Sunday by becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw 4 TD's and 0 INT's in 3 straight games with the gem that he spun (280 YDS, 4 TD's) in a dominant divisional win over the 49ers. This remarkable streak will likely come to an end this week against a frisky Seahawks defense that is on a heater right now, but their secondary is vulnerable enough to keep Stafford in high-end QB1 territory.

Honorable Mentions: Jaxson Dart (Giants), Caleb Williams (Bears), Jared Goff (Lions)

Biggest Loser: Bo Nix (Broncos)

There was no 4th quarter magic to atone for an otherwise poor performance from Nix this week as the Broncos QB put together one of the worst performances (150 YDS/TD/2 INT, -2 Rushing YDS) of his largely ugly sophomore season in a terrific matchup with the lowly Raiders. Nix will be a really risky starting option for this week's huge showdown with the Chiefs.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Jordan Love (Packers), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Just when you think Taylor couldn't possibly keep one-upping himself during his magical 2025 campaign, he goes ahead and does it again. The Colts star back was completely unstoppable (32 CAR/244 YDS/3 TD's, 3 REC/42 YDS) as he carried the Colts to a thrilling OT win over the Falcons in Berlin. Taylor's fantasy owners will be scrambling for a replacement as the current runaway frontrunner for fantasy MVP gets a well-deserved rest as the Colts head into their Week 11 bye.  

Honorable Mentions: De'Von Achane (Dolphins), Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions), TreVeyon Henderson (Patriots)

Biggest Loser: Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders)

The Lions tough run D and the Marcus Mariota-led Commanders getting bulldozed from start to finish made Croskey-Merritt pretty much useless for fantasy purposes as he turned his 11 carries into just 30 YDS. Croskey-Merritt will be an RB3 for this week's sure-to-be thrilling matchup with the Dolphins in Madrid. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Mason (Vikings), R.J. Harvey (Broncos), Chuba Hubbard (Panthers)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Drake London (Falcons)

While it wasn't quite as dominant as his Week 9 performance against the Patriots, London once again shined bright in a heartbreaking Falcons loss-hauling in 6 receptions for 104 YDS and a TD while further boosting his statline with a 2 PT-CNV grab against the Colts. London will have revenge on the brain this week when he goes up against a Panthers secondary that held him to 55 scoreless YDS during their previous meeting in Week 3. 

Honorable Mentions: Jameson Williams (Lions), Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers), Nico Collins (Texans)

Biggest Loser: A.J. Brown (Eagles)

Brown's shockingly quiet 2025 continued in Green Bay last night as he caught 2-of-3 targets for 13 YDS in a defensive slugfest that saw DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert serve as the primary beneficiaries of Jalen Hurts' limited passing production. The next stop on Brown's current boom-or-bust tour is a home date with a banged-up Lions secondary that has held up surprisingly well over the last few games. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Courtland Sutton (Broncos), Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), D.J. Moore (Bears)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Trey McBride (Cardinals)

Early garbage time for the Cardinals in a wire-to-wire shellacking carried out by the menacing hands of the Seahawks meant plenty of opportunities for McBride to run his numbers up. In fact, Jacoby Brissett's favorite target ended up having his most productive game of the season-ripping off 127 YDS and a TD on his 9 receptions. McBride will look to extend his career-best 4-game TD streak against the 49ers on Sunday.     

Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Tyler Warren (Colts), Juwan Johnson (Saints)

Biggest Loser: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Facing a short week and dealing away Jakobi Meyers to the Jaguars on Tuesday meant the Raiders were going to be leaning even heavier on Bowers than usual. The Broncos knew this too and effectively removed him from the game, holding the star TE to just 2 total touches (a 31-YD reception, a -4-YD carry) in one of the least compelling games of the year so far. Bowers' stint in the fantasy doghouse should be short-lived as he'll have an excellent opportunity to feast in Week 11 when he goes up against the Cowboys porous defense.    

Dishonorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Vikings), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Seahawks

A big part of why garbage time came early for the Cardinals on Sunday was the play of the Seahawks defense. The 'Hawks brought hellfire down on the Cards offense, picking up 5 sacks and a pair of fumble recovery TD's from DeMarcus Lawrence in a 44-22 victory. This upstart group will have a much tougher task in front of them this week when they're asked to try and slow down a scorching hot Rams offense in their building.  

Honorable Mentions: Chargers, Texans, Broncos

Biggest Loser: Lions

This wasn't a horrible performance by the Lions defense, it was just an unremarkable one given that an already vulnerable Commanders offense was forced to trot out their backup QB. Kelvin Sheppard's troops got 2 sacks and forced zero turnovers in an easy 44-22 victory over an injury-depleted squad that looks nothing like the team that bounced them from the playoffs in January. They'll draw a total wild card assignment in Week 11 when they head east to Philly to take on a comically erratic Eagles offense.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Bills, Browns, Patriots  

Movie Review: Predator: Badlands

Whether it's greenlighting another Tron movie, throwing Rachel Zegler and Nia DaCosta under the bus after the tremendous commercial failure of movies that barely anybody liked or caving into the demands of a fascist president, The Walt Disney Corporation has made plenty of awful decisions in recent years. One thing the cowardly mouse house has done correctly is entrust Dan Trachtenberg to be the creative czar of the Predator franchise. Trachtenberg has bucked the modern Disney playbook entirely by daring to do more than just worship at the altar of the classic original like Fede Alvarez did with Alien: Romulus last year. Instead, Trachtenberg has dared to experiment with different subgenres, settings (both location and time period) and even mediums to tell Predator stories in and it's resulted in an image rehabilitation for the brand that felt like a complete pipe dream after Shane Black's The Predator ate shit back in September 2018. Trachtenberg's third Predator film (and first theatrical release) Badlands pushes the boundaries even further by doing something that the series has never done before: Have the protagonist be a Predator (aka Yautja).

The uniqueness of Badlands isn't limited to having the main character be a member of the lethal alien race that's served as the franchise's antagonist in every prior film. Trachtenberg uses the character of Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Kolomatangi)-a Yautja whose been labeled as an outcast and liability to his clan by his own father (Reuben De Jong)- as the driver for a story of someone deifying the odds to prove their worth in a world that has labeled them as a disgraceful failure that's unworthy of existing. The prideful underdog setup then quickly blossoms into unexpected found family story when Dek reluctantly teams up with a wounded Weyland-Yutani synthetic (Elle Fanning, who is disarmingly charming and chipper in a role that's crucial to selling this narrative) and a fellow lonely alien creature named Bud to complete his mission of slaying the most lethal predator on the "death planet" of Genna known as the Kalisk-a massive dragon-esque creature that even Dek's alpha father fears. Having such a simple, universal story provides the kind of relatable emotional stakes that we've never seen in a Predator movie before. There have been enough riffs on the badass "humans try to outwit an elite alien hunter that they can't always see" over the years that it's cool to a version of the story where the Yautja has the kind of proper character arc and range of emotions that are typically reserved for the Homo sapiens. The fact that this massive reimagining of an iconic villain didn't come at the expense of softening the action makes it even better as the producers weren't lying when they said that Badlands wouldn't sanitized be due to the PG-13 rating. Giving the Predator a heart all and is great but it wouldn't be a Predator movie if there weren't spines getting ripped out and limbs flying off, so shoutout to Trachtenberg for understanding that a Yautja finding their heart doesn't mean that they're going to stop using their collection of sick ass alien weapons to murder their enemies in a bunch of creative ways.     

I will say that despite its uniqueness, I'll stop short of saying that Badlands is the best Predator sequel. It slips into the dreaded "big shit repeatedly slamming into each other" phenomenon at times-which brings an unwelcome choppiness to some of the bigger action sequences and the wall-to-wall VFX prevents the natural beauty of its on-location shooting in New Zealand from hitting the same way it did in the less VFX-heavy Prey. Perhaps I'll warm up to these elements upon rewatch, but for now they were enough to allow Badlands to fall just short of greatness.                               

Grade: B

2025 NFL Mid-Year Awards+Updated Playoff and Super Bowl Predictions

Top Player: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

While much of the MVP discussion has centered around Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes up to the point, Stafford has been quietly authoring one of the best seasons of his perpetually underappreciated career at age 37. The Rams signalcaller has already surpassed his TD total (20) from 2024 by throwing a league-high 21 TD's through 8 games, done a tremendous job of protecting the ball (2 INT's on 274 passing attempts) and is posting his best completion percentage since 2022 (67.2%) all while leading his team to a 6-2 start. If Stafford can maintain this level of play through the final 9 games, it'll be hard to deny him the top accolades that have long alluded him.    

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Sam Darnold (Seahawks), Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Top Offensive Player: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Daniel Jones borderline revelatory play (excluding his implosion against the Steelers last week of course) has been huge and all but the real catalyst for the Colts offensive surge that has stunned the entire league is Taylor. The 6th year back's start to 2025 is easily the best he's been since he won the rushing title in 2021 as he's amassed 1,113 scrimmage YDS (895 rushing, 218 receiving) and 14 total TD's on 184 touches.   

Honorable Mentions: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals), James Cook (Bills)

Top Defensive Player: Myles Garrett (Browns)

It's been another ugly season in Cleveland as they've dealt with a mighty depressing QB carousel that saw Joe Flacco get benched for overmatched rookie Dillon Gabriel after 4 games, Sheduer Sanders creating drama by pouting that he wasn't immediately named the backup QB after Flacco got traded to the Bengals last month and just saw embattled coach Kevin Stefanski surrender playcalling duties to OC Tommy Rees after finishing as the 30th ranked scoring offense through 8 games. Amongst all this despair, Myles Garret is once again proving that he's one of the best players the league has ever seen. The future Hall of Famer is currently leading the league in sacks with 11 through 8 games, added an additional 34 QB pressures and has graded out as the best pash rusher in football according to PFF.   

Honorable Mentions: Micah Parsons (Packers), Jamel Dean (Buccaneers), Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

Top Offensive Rookie: Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

While a hamstring injury has slowed down Egbuka over the last couple of weeks, what he accomplished before that was so impressive that it still allowed him to edge out Tyler Warren for this honor. The Bucs 1st round pick out of Ohio State has done an excellent job of filling the shoes of the Bucs injured veteran WR's Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, registering 562 YDS and 5 TD's on just 34 receptions.  

Honorable Mentions: Tyler Warren (Colts), Cam Skattebo (Giants), Quinshon Judkins (Browns)

Top Defensive Rookie: Jihaad Campbell (Eagles)

Howie Roseman appears to have done it again. The Eagles 1st round pick has seen a higher-than-expected level of playing time thanks to 2024 starter Nakobe Dean missing time as he recovered from a torn patellar tendon he suffered in the Wild Card Round against the Packers back in January and been precisely the kind of do-it-all inside linebacker that Vic Fangio wants in the middle of his defense.  

Honorable Mentions: Will Johnson (Cardinals), Carson Schwesinger (Browns), Donovan Ezeriuaku (Cowboys)

Top Coach: Shane Steichen (Colts)

Steichen has gone from the hot seat to coach of the year frontrunner courtesy of his shocking rehabilitation of the disgraced Daniel Jones and tapping Lou Anarumo to replace Gus Bradley at DC-who has elevated the group from the 24th ranked scoring defense a year ago to 7th this year. As impressive as Steichen has been so far, there were some alarming cracks in the operation that showed up during last week's loss to the Steelers (6 turnovers!) that could snowball into a tailspin if he and his staff don't promptly nip them in the bud.   

Honorable Mentions: Mike Vrabel (Patriots), Mike Macdonald (Seahawks), Kyle Shanahan (49ers)

Top Comeback Player: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions)

As expected, Hutchinson immediately returned to elite form upon returning to action after sustaining a broken leg 5 games into the 2024 season. The Lions star edge rusher currently leads the NFL in QB pressures with a whopping 55 through 8 games, and the attention he draws with his consistent disruptiveness (he also has 7 sacks) has allowed guys like journeyman edge Al-Quadin Muhamad and inside linebacker Derrick Barnes to significantly elevate their pass-rushing productivity.    

Honorable Mentions: Christian McCaffery (49ers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Daniel Jones (Colts)

All-Pro Teams:

Quarterback:

1st team: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

2nd team: Drake Maye (Patriots)

Running Back:

1st team: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

2nd team: James Cook (Bills)

Wide Receiver:

1st team: Jaxson Smith-Njigba (Seahawks), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

2nd team: Puka Nacua (Rams), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Lions)

Tight End:

1st team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

2nd team: Tucker Kraft (Packers)

Tackle:

1st team: Garrett Bolles (Broncos), Penei Sewell (Lions)

2nd team: Andrew Thomas (Giants), Lane Johnson (Eagles)

Guard:

1st team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Quinn Meinerz (Broncos)

2nd team: Peter Skoronski (Titans), Kevin Dotson (Rams)

Center:

1st team: Creed Humphrey (Chiefs)

2nd team: Drew Dalman (Bears)

Edge Rusher:

1st team: Myles Garrett (Browns), Micah Parsons (Packers)

2nd team: Aidan Hutchinson (Lions), Will Anderson Jr. (Texans)

Defensive Tackle

1st team: Jeffrey Simmons (Titans), Cameron Heyward (Steelers)

2nd team: Derrick Brown (Panthers), Maliek Collins (Browns)

Inside Linebacker

1st team: Fred Warner (49ers), Devin Lloyd (Jaguars)

2nd team: Jack Campbell (Lions), Jihaad Campbell (Eagles)

Cornerback

1st team: Jamel Dean (Buccaneers), Trent McDuffie (Chiefs)

2nd team: Cooper DeJean (Eagles),  Cor'Dale Flott (Giants)

Safety

1st team: Kyle Hamilton (Ravens), Jalen Pitre (Texans)

2nd team: Derwin James (Chargers), Talanoa Hufanga (Broncos)

Kicker:

1st team: Brandon Aubrey (Cowboys)

2nd team: Chris Boswell (Steelers)

Punter:

1st team: Daniel Whelan (Packers)

2nd team: Michael Dickson (Seahawks)

Return Specialists:

1st team: Myles Price (Vikings), Chimere Dike (Titans)

2nd team: Luke McCaffery (Commanders), Marcus Jones (Patriots)

Special Teamer

1st team: Elijah Hicks (Bears)

2nd team: Juaneyh Thomas (Cowboys)

Playoff Predictions:

AFC:

1.Bills

2.Colts

3.Broncos

4.Steelers

5.Patriots

6.Chiefs

7.Chargers

Wild Card:

Colts over Chargers

Chiefs over Broncos

Patriots over Steelers

Divisional Round:

Chiefs over Bills

Colts over Patriots

Conference Championship:

Chiefs over Colts

NFC:

1.Lions

2.Eagles

3.Bucanneers

4.Rams

5.Seahawks

6.Packers

7.49ers

Wild Card:

Eagles over 49ers

Buccaneers over Packers

Rams over Seahawks

Divisional Round:

Rams over Lions

Eagles over Buccaneers

Conference Championship:

Rams over Eagles

Super Bowl:

Rams over Chiefs 

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 10

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(5) Buffalo Bills (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins

2.(7) Seattle Seahawks (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

3.(8) Los Angeles Rams (6-2) Week 10 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

4.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Green Bay Packers

5.(1) Detroit Lions (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Washington Commanders

6.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) Week 10 opponent: New England Patriots

7.(2) Indianapolis Colts (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

8.(3) Green Bay Packers (5-2-1) Week 10 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

9.(10) New England Patriots (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

10.(11) Denver Broncos (7-2) Week 10 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

11.(12) San Francisco 49ers (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

12.(15) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

13.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

14.(9) Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Bye

15.(16) Chicago Bears (5-3) Week 10 opponent: New York Giants

16.(14) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Houston Texans

17.(19) Minnesota Vikings (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

18.(20) Baltimore Ravens (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

19.(21) Carolina Panthers (5-4) Week 10 opponent: New Orleans Saints

20.(17) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

21.(24) Arizona Cardinals (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

22.(18) Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) Week 10 opponent: Bye

23.(23) Atlanta Falcons (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

24.(25) Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Bye

25.(22) Washington Commanders (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Detroit Lions 

26.(26) Miami Dolphins (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Buffalo Bills

27.(27) New York Giants (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Chicago Bears

28.(28) Cleveland Browns (2-6) Week 10 opponent: New York Jets

29.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Denver Broncos

30.(30) New Orleans Saints (1-8) Week 10 opponent: Carolina Panthers

31.(31) New York Jets (1-7) Week 10 opponent: Cleveland Browns

32.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-8) Week 10 opponent: Bye

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Caleb Williams (Bears)

A date with the Bengals league-worst defense granted Ben Johnson the freedom to deploy Caleb Williams in a variety of ways and the gameplan worked like a charm. Williams' statline in the shootout victory for the Bears was so busy that it almost reads as a joke: 280 passing YDS/3 TD's, 5 CAR/53 YDS and 2 REC/22 YDS/TD. While he certainly won't be able to repeat this incredible outing, Williams should remain a viable QB1 play for this week's showdown with the Giants 28th ranked scoring defense.

Honorable Mentions: Joe Flacco (Bengals), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Josh Allen (Bills)

Biggest Loser: Jordan Love (Packers)

Following his brilliant performance against the Steelers in Week 8, the Jordan Love pendulum harshly shifted back in the other direction as he put together a dud (273 YDS/0 TD/INT, A 1 YD Rushing TD) against the Panthers that contributed to a shocking upset home loss. Love has a date with the Eagles in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Daniel Jones (Colts)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Christian McCaffery (49ers)

After a pretty quiet showing against the Texans in Week 8, McCaffery returned to driving the 49ers offense in style with a dominant workhorse outing (173 scrimmage YDS and 2 TD's on 33 touches) against the Giants on Sunday afternoon. The potential return of Ricky Pearsall to the lineup this week against the Rams could cut into his target share a bit, but CMC should remain locked into his elite RB1 role as long as he avoids the dreaded 49ers injury bug.  

Honorable Mentions: Rico Dowdle (Panthers), Kyle Moanagai (Bears), Josh Jacobs (Packers)

Biggest Loser: Jahmyr Gibbs (Lions)

Brian Flores sold out to contain Gibbs and it worked beautifully as the Lions explosive back had his worst game of 2025 so far by a wide margin (28 scrimmage YDS on just 12 touches) in a loss to the Vikings. Gibbs should have no problem bouncing back gracefully as the Lions are set to square off against a completely depleted, dejected Commanders defense in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Alvin Kamara (Saints), Javonte Williams (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Drake London (Falcons)

The Falcons may've narrowly lost to the Patriots in heartbreaking fashion, but the best player on the field all game long at Gillette Stadium was Drake London. The star wideout stacked up highlight reel plays and the souls of every DB the Pats deployed against him in coverage as he posted 9 receptions for 118 YDS and a career-best 3 TD's. London will be hoping for another busy day with a more favorable outcome for his struggling Falcons this week when they travel to Berlin to take on the Colts.    

Honorable Mentions: Tee Higgins (Bengals), D.J. Moore (Bears), Davante Adams (Rams)

Biggest Loser: Rome Odunze (Bears)

It's genuinely mind-boggling that on a day where the Bears torched the Bengals for 576 YDS of total offense and had 3 players (Colston Loveland, D.J. Moore, Olamide Zaccheaus) clear 50 YDS receiving Odunze couldn't even manage a single catch. The Bears WR1 was only the target on 3 of Caleb Williams' 34 pass attempts, which was a new season-low and well below the average of 8 per game he had coming into Week 9. He'll undoubtedly be extra motivated to take advantage of this week's plus matchup against the Giants.      

Dishonorable Mentions: D.K. Metcalf (Steelers), Jakobi Meyers (Raiders), Xavier Worthy (Chiefs)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Brock Bowers (Raiders)

Bowers' return to the lineup went unbelievably well as he posted 12 receptions for 127 YDS and 3 scores and a 6-YD carry in an OT loss against the Jaguars. With Jakobi Meyers being traded to the Jaguars today, Bowers' already robust target share should only get higher in the Raiders pass-happy offense. 

Honorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid (Bills), Sam LaPorta (Lions), Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Biggest Loser: George Kittle (49ers)

It was another quiet day for Kittle as a fantasy player against the Giants, as he caught just 4 passes for 32 YDS and got stuffed in the backfield for a 3-yard loss on his only carry of the day. He's got a pretty tough matchup with the Rams-who've allowed the 11th fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season-in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Warren (Colts), Jake Ferguson (Cowboys), Evan Engram (Broncos)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Steelers

If you exercised patience with the Steelers D/ST after their horrendous showing against the Packers in Week 8, you were rewarded big time. Teryl Austin's group put the Colts through absolute hell in their  27-20 upset victory on Sunday, picking up 5 sacks, 3 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries against one of the best offenses in football right now. They'll have another chance to make some magic happen this week when they go against a Chargers offense who is horrendous in pass-protection and has turned the ball over 11 times through their opening 9 games.

Honorable Mentions: Ravens, Rams, Seahawks

Biggest Loser: Patriots

The Patriots D/ST 5-game streak of posting 10+ fantasy points came to a halt with their worst performance of the year against the Falcons in Week 9 as they mustered just a single sack and zero takeaways in a fortunate 24-23 victory. They'll face a Bucs offense that has surrendered 7 sacks and turned the ball over 3 times over their past 2 games in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Chiefs, Jaguars, Packers 

Guillermo del Toro Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Guillermo del Toro-whose latest project "Frankenstein" is in select theaters now and begins streaming on Netflix this Friday.  

Guillermo del Toro's Filmography Ranked:

10.Nightmare Alley (C-)

9.Cronos (B-)

8.Pinocchio (B)

7.Hellboy II: The Golden Army (B)

6.Blade II (B)

5.Hellboy (B)

4.The Shape of Water (B+)

3.Crimson Peak (B+)

2.Pan's Labyrinth (B+)

1.Pacific Rim (A-)

Top Dog: Pacific Rim (2013)

Most people prefer Pan's Labyrinth's seamless marriage of fantastical wonder with the horrors of the real world or the whimsical fairy tale romance of The Shape of Water. But for me, del Toro peaked when he made big mechas fight big sea monsters for 2+ hours. Pacific Rim is the kind of colossal, badass blockbuster spectacle that the big screen was made for and one of the only effective uses of 3D I've ever comes across. It sucks that del Toro passed off directorial duties to screenwriter Steven S. DeKnight for the 2018 sequel Uprising-which was dumb fun in its own right but nowhere near as good as its predecessor-because this could've turned into a really sick franchise if it had remained in his hands.         

Bottom Feeder: Nightmare Alley (2021)

As of this writing, this remains the only del Toro movie I've disliked. Despite boasting strong visuals, impeccable production design and a haunting final scene that features some of the best acting of Bradley Cooper's career, Nightmare Alley is a misfire that takes forever to tell a story that's light on compelling characters, style or double crosses that can't be seen coming from a mile away      

Most Underrated: Crimson Peak (2015)

del Toro's previous trip to the world of gothic horror prior to Frankenstein resulted in one of his finest hours as a filmmaker. There's something really spellbinding about the manner in which Crimson Peak blends romance with dread-fueled haunted house atmospherics and revels in spinning together a soapy web that only becomes invigorating as the story progressively ratchets up the cartoonish melodrama until it reaches a boiling point in its glorious grand finale. Plus, it features the usual obscenely detailed, gorgeous visuals/sets you'd expect from a del Toro feature and an incredibly fun Jessica Chastain performance that really amplifies the effectiveness of its over-the-top storytelling.        

Most Overrated: Nightmare Alley (2021)

Few films this decade have been less deserving of a Best Picture nomination than Nightmare Alley. del Toro struggles to bring the passion he has for the source material to the screen as this noir thriller crawls for the bulk of its 151-minute runtime and only really comes alive in the magnificent final moments when the damage of the near constant tedium that preceded it has already been done. 

Zoey Deutch Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked', a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Zoey Deutch-whose latest projects "Anniversary" and "Nouvelle Vague" are in theaters now ("Nouvelle Vague" will also be available to stream on Netflix starting on November 14th).  

Zoey Deutch's Filmography Ranked:

15.Flower (C)

14.Before I Fall (B-)

13.Good Kids (B-)

12.Something from Tiffany's (B-)

11.Why Him? (B-)

10.Buffaloed (B)

9.Dirty Grandpa (B)

8.Everybody Wants Some!! (B)

7.The Outfit (B)

6.Set It Up (B)

5.Not Okay (B)

4.Juror #2 (B)

3.The Threesome (B+)

2.The Disaster Artist (A-)

1.Zombieland: Double Tap (A)

Top Dog: Zombieland : Double Tap (2019)

Getting the band back together after 10 years proved to be a great move as Zombieland: Double Tap manages to rival the quality of its predecessor against all odds. Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin effortlessly slip back into the makeshift family dynamic that made the first one so special, the new cast members (Rosario Dawson, Avan Jogia, Deutch) all kill their respective roles, and Ruben Fleischer turns back the clock to direct with a level of energy that he hadn't shown since 2009. Falling Stone's suggestion of making a new Zombieland every 10 years wouldn't be a bad idea at all.   

Bottom Feeder: Flower (2017)

Despite Deutch bringing her reliable charisma and comedy chops to the title role, Flower is too morally questionable to deliver on its bizarre late pivot from dark comedy to pseudo-sweet coming-of-age romance.  

Most Underrated: The Threesome (2025)

Thanks to some sharp writing and lead performances from Jonah Hauer-King, Ruby Cruz and Deutch, The Threesome is able to take a really absurd sex comedy plot (a man gets both women he had a threesome with pregnant) and turn it into a really grounded, earnest story of three people trying to navigate the many challenges of their new shared reality. When this not even two-month-old indie romantic dramedy shows up on streaming sometime early next year, please check it out.   

Most Overrated: Everybody Wants Some!! (2016)

This is a tad unfair as Everybody Wants Some!! has kind of disappeared into the vastness of Richard Linklater's filmography at this point, I just never felt that it lived up to its reputation of being an excellent 80's-set hangout movie that rivals Linklater's best works. Honestly, the only enduring memory I have of it is that it marked the first time that Glen Powell and Deutch landed on my radar as they stole the whole damn movie with their key supporting roles as the hard-partying teammate and free-spirited love interest of the college baseball player protagonist (Blake Jenner) respectively. Perhaps a rewatch would allow me to appreciate more about it than the two shining stars that headlined its supporting cast. 

Movie Review: Shelby Oaks

YouTube film critic Chris Stuckmann made history in March 2022 when he received over $1 mil in crowdfunding donations via Kickstarter in just 24 days to make his debut feature film Shelby Oaks. This was the realization of a long-gestating dream for the now 37-year-old Stuckmann-who has been making short films since he was a teenager. Three and a half years after the launch of the Kickstarter campaign, Shelby Oaks was released in theaters by indie juggernaut Neon-who acquired the film following its world premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal in July 2024. As inspiring of a story as the realization of Shelby Oaks is for the dreamers out there that are looking to make their own DIY movie, the movie itself just isn't very good.

Being a critic and stepping behind the camera to make a movie are obviously two very different skill sets. That being said, the one thing you would probably expect out of a movie made by someone who's been reviewing movies professionally for over 15 years is a passionate vision. Working up the courage to make a movie, particularly a crowdfunded DIY indie, is a conscious choice that's driven by a burning desire to create art. If I wasn't aware of the love Stuckmann has for the artform, I would've assumed that somebody put him up to making Shelby Oaks against his will. 

The biggest detractors of Shelby Oaks that I've come across over the past couple weeks have cited its lack of originality as its biggest issue. While I can't really refute that point as Shelby Oaks is effectively a hodgepodge of several found footage, supernatural, mystery and family-centric "grief" horror movies that have received acclaim from the 1960s through the present day, the flaccid execution was more off-putting to me than the fusion of recycled ideas that drive the story. There's a real clock-punching feeling behind the narrative as the protagonist (Camille Sullivan, whose does all she can to lift up a painfully underwritten character) suddenly receives a string of clues about the disappearance of her sister (Sarah Durn) 12 years prior that provides her the string of answers she's long been looking for in rapid succession and once she figures out who/what was behind her disapperance, the film promptly ends on the most ridiculous, unsatisfying note possible. Something that was rightfully framed as the product of years of hard work finally paying off shouldn't feel so rushed and half-assed, especially since the film underwent some reshoots and a full re-edit once Neon bought it. A labor of love that was rough around the edges would've been infinitely better than the dull, half-baked slog Shelby Oaks ended up being.

I'll be honest, I'm taking it a little bit easier on Stuckmann than I would've if a more seasoned director had made this exact some movie. Despite the lackluster results, his eagerness to make a movie is admirable and I have no doubt that this idea was birthed with the best intentions. I'd be lying if I said there was much here that showed Stuckmann is destined for a future in filmmaking beyond one eerie sequence set inside an abandoned prison and the faux documentary opening that lays out the backstory for the film in a pretty efficient manner, but if he does make another film, I hope he can learn from the mistakes he made here and put something into the world that more accurately reflects the love he has for the cinematic artform.                   

Grade: C-

2025 NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Detroit Lions (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

2.(2) Indianapolis Colts (7-1) Week 9 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

3.(3) Green Bay Packers (5-1-1) Week 9 opponent: Carolina Panthers

4.(4) Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye

5.(5) Buffalo Bills (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

6.(6) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye

7.(7) Seattle Seahawks (5-2) Week 9 opponent: Washington Commanders

8.(8) Los Angeles Rams (5-2) Week 9 opponent: New Orleans Saints

9.(9) Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) Week 9 opponent: Buffalo Bills

10.(11) New England Patriots (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

11.(12) Denver Broncos (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Houston Texans

12.(10) San Francisco 49ers (5-3) Week 9 opponent: New York Giants

13.(18) Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) Week 9 opponent: Tennessee Titans

14.(14) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

15.(13) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

16.(15) Chicago Bears (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

17.(23) Houston Texans (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Denver Broncos

18.(17) Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1) Week 9 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

19.(16) Minnesota Vikings (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Detroit Lions

20.(27) Baltimore Ravens (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Miami Dolphins

21.(19) Carolina Panthers (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Green Bay Packers

22.(21) Washington Commanders (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

23.(20) Atlanta Falcons (3-4) Week 9 opponent: New England Patriots

24.(24) Arizona Cardinals (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

25.(22) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Chicago Bears

26.(30) Miami Dolphins (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

27.(25) New York Giants (2-6) Week 9 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

28.(26) Cleveland Browns (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Bye

29.(29) Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

30.(28) New Orleans Saints (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

31.(32) New York Jets (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Bye

32.(31) Tennessee Titans (1-7) Week 9 opponent:  Los Angeles Chargers

Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2025 Edition

 Quarterback

Biggest Winner: Jordan Love (Packers)

The mentee bested the mentor as Jordan Love went into Pittsburgh and spoiled Aaron Rodgers first (and almost certainly only) chance at beating the Packers with a masterful performance (360 YDS/3 TD/1 2 PT-CNV). This was a much needed get right game for Love as he put together back-to-back quiet showings since returning from bye in Week 6. He'll square off against a burnable Panthers D in Week 9. 

Honorable Mentions: Drake Maye (Patriots), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

Biggest Loser: Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers)

Mayfield's magic was completely absent for a second straight game as he mustered just 152 passing YDS and a lost fumble as the defense/special teams carried the Bucs to an easy win over the Saints. Their Week 9 bye couldn't be coming at a better time and hopefully Mayfield can get guys like Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin back when they return to action against the Patriots in Week 10.

Dishonorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Caleb Williams (Bears), Jaxson Dart (Giants)

Running Back

Biggest Winner: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Taylor only needed 14 touches (12 carries, 2 receptions) to eviscerate an overwhelmed Titans defense. He racked up an astonishing 174 scrimmage YDS and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) before retiring to the bench early in another blowout win for the now 8-1 Colts. After the other candidate stumbled this week, Taylor has moved into pole position in the fantasy MVP race and very well could stay there the rest of the way assuming that he remains healthy or doesn't hit a mid-season wall.  

Honorable Mentions: James Cook (Bills), Breece Hall (Jets), Saquon Barkley (Eagles)

Biggest Loser: Bijan Robinson (Falcons)

No one is immune to duds in the world of fantasy football, but the top dual-threat back in the league right now eating shit against the Dolphins porous defense is a complete shock. To be fair to Robinson, game script and a lost fumble were the primary reasons he had such an uneventful day (9 carries for 25 YDS, 3 receptions for 23 YDS) as the Kirk Cousins-led Falcons got shellacked by the lowly Dolphins at home. Robinson could be in for tough sledding once again in Week 9 against a Patriots defense that has been good against the run in 2025.

Dishonorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Jordan Mason (Vikings), Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Commanders)

Wide Receiver

Biggest Winner: Rashee Rice (Chiefs)

Last night was the Rashee Rice show at Arrowhead as the 3rd-year wideout was one of the focal points of the passing attack (9/93/1) and factored into the run game with 2 carries for 12 YDS in the Chiefs commanding win over the shorthanded Commanders. Rice has hit the ground running in his first two games back from suspension and will look to keep rolling against the Bills this Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins), Ladd McConkey (Chargers)

Biggest Loser: Quentin Johnston (Chargers)

On a night where Justin Herbert absolutely dismantled the Vikings defense, Johnston was left out of the fun. In fact, he didn't even register a single target as Ladd McConkey and rookie tight Oronde Gadsden were the primary beneficiaries of Herbert's big night. After an incredible opening 4 weeks, Johnston has crashed down to Earth in whiplash-inducing fashion with just 70 YDS and a score in his last 3 games. He'll be a risky starting option against the Titans in Week 9. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Deebo Samuel (Commanders), Jerry Jeudy (Browns), Emeka Egbuka (Buccaneers)

Tight End

Biggest Winner: Tucker Kraft (Packers)

The Steelers defense had absolutely no answer for Kraft on Sunday night as he erupted for 143 YDS and 2 TD's on 7 receptions. Kraft will look to extend his TD streak to 4 games in Week 9 against a Panthers defense that has struggled to cover TE's all season long.

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Orande Gadsden (Chargers)

Biggest Loser: Jake Ferguson (Cowboys)

Ferguson's incredible fantasy run from Weeks 2-7 came to a screeching halt as the target/redzone scoring machine failed to catch his lone target in a game against the Broncos where Dak Prescott turned in his first poor performance of 2025. He'll have a great chance to bounce back this week against a Cardinals defense that has been rather generous to tight ends this season. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid (Bills), T.J. Hockenson (Vikings), Zach Ertz (Commanders)

Defense/Special Teams

Biggest Winner: Buccaneers

As I mentioned above, the Bucs rode the strong play of their defense to a 23-3 victory over the Saints. Todd Bowles' group got 5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 INT's including a pick 6 in the 1st quarter by edge rusher Anthony Nelson where he ran straight through Spencer Rattler on his way into the endzone. The Bucs have been an up-and down group so far this year and very well could remain the way the rest of the way.  

Honorable Mentions: Bills, Patriots, Chiefs

Biggest Loser: Steelers

Jordan Love absolutely tore a hole through the Steelers defense on Sunday in a 35-25 loss for Mike Tomlin's team that saw them post 0 sacks or takeaways. I feel like a broken record at this point, but the Steelers are no longer a reliable fantasy D/ST option and should only be rostered/started when they have a soft matchup (which they won't have until Week 12 against the Bears). 

Dishonorable Mentions: Falcons, Bengals, Vikings

Movie Review: Black Phone 2

At the end of The Black Phone, Finney Blake (Mason Thames) kills The Grabber (Ethan Hawke)-a serial child abductor/killer who had been terrorizing his Denver suburb for years-after concocting an escape plan with The Grabber's past victims who communicated with him from beyond the grave via a phone in the basement he was locked in. Finney proceeds to reunite with his younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw)-who has psychic visions in her dreams, and his father Terrence (Jeremy Davies) and the family uses the blessing of their reunion as a reason to turn over a new leaf and work on the issues that have torn them apart since the death of their mother years earlier. The Black Phone end up being a box office hit in the summer of 2022, and nothing revives a great horror villain faster than the opportunity to return for a sequel. That sequel has arrived in the form of Black Phone 2 and fortunately, the returning creative duo of Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill didn't just bring The Grabber back to make a few more bucks for Universal/Blumhouse.

Using the established supernatural backbone of the original, The Grabber makes his return as a ghost-like entity who begins stalking Gwen in her dreams with the intention of killing her. The Grabber's master plan brings Gwen, Finney and Gwen's friend Ernesto (Miguel Mora)-who's the younger brother of Finney's friend Robin who was killed in the first film- to a Christian Youth Camp called Alpine Lake that's run by a man named Armando (Demian Bichir) and his niece Mustang (Arianna Rivas). Alpine Lake holds more than the key to figuring out why The Grabber is hanging around in Gwen's dreams waiting to kill her, it also provides Gwen and Finney with a link to their deceased mother (Anna Lore)-who was a counselor at Alpine Lake as a teenager- that they didn't know about previously. Trapped on the snow-covered grounds of the camp squaring off against a threat that nobody who's awake can see, this ragtag group has to work together to try and stop The Grabber's reign of terror before they end up as his next victims.

While it would be disingenuous for me to say that the whole reviving The Grabber thing isn't a contrivance to justify the existence of a sequel-especially since it simultaneously provides an opportunity to further develop Finney and Gwen's late mother, it didn't bother me in the slightest since Black Phone 2 is such an effective continuation of the story that the original told. Seeing where Finney, Gwen and Terrence are 4 years after their experience with The Grabber provides a look at a family that's struggling to heal from their collective wounds despite their best efforts further builds empathy for these characters who were already in a tough place when they were introduced in the original while The Grabber using Gwen's visions as a way to seek vengeance on the people responsible for his death is a cool way to reinvent him as a different breed of killer without stepping outside of the universe's boundaries. Everything about this setup makes sense for the character's journeys and honestly, what more could you ask for from a sequel?

Solid character work and the performances that come with them (Thames again stands out with his grounded take on a young man struggling to contain his rage and pain in the wake of going through an unspeakably horrific experience while Bichir makes for a great addition to the cast with his gentle, caring performance) give Black Phone 2 a sincere emotional core that's worth investing in. However, this is a horror movie after all and the real fun of it comes with the delivery of its spooky elements. After Sinister and The Black Phone, Derrickson and Cargill have an established track of record doing good work together in this genre. Black Phone 2 shows once again that they can be counted on to make quality horror pictures. 

The harsh winter aesthetic that the bulk of the film uses is an inherently awesome one to root a horror movie in, but the real genius of it is how they use the snow-covered camp as an evil playground for The Grabber's spirit to loom large over. Establishing proof that The Grabber is present at the camp early on along with the killer synth score from Derrickson's son Atticus gives things that are as routine as looking out the window at the frozen lake or going to the mess hall to get something to eat an unshakably sinister feeling. Even the way the cabins are lit with these wall-mounted coils give off the impression that an evil presence is watching over everyone as they sleep (or at least try to!). Establishing an atmosphere that's genuinely evil/unsettling is a key tenet of good horror that's pretty difficult to pull off and Derrickson is one of the best around at making it looking effortless.     

Shifting more of the story to focus on Gwen and her visions further bolstered the strengths of the atmosphere since they got to utilize more of the Super 8 photography which factored into several of the eeriest moments from the first one. The super grainy look of 8mm film has a unique power to it that makes every tree branch, snowflake or shadowy figure that may or may not be a lurking serial killer it captures feel like were ripped straight out of a nightmare. For a movie that's built around the horrors of dreams being actually real, that's a cheat code that puts the viewer as close as they can possibly can to being in Gwen's shoes while The Grabber aims to kill her. On top of how much it elevates the presence of evil in film, it provides it with a beautiful, distinct look as 8mm is hardly ever used these days (the vast majority of modern movies shot on film use 35mm). It may not stand a chance of being recognized with any cinematography honors this awards season, but I certainly won't forget the brilliant work Par M. Ekberg and this camera/lighting team did to create this striking look that was so crucial to making Black Phone 2 work.   

Black Phone 2 is a much-needed victory for Blumhouse after enduring a pretty lengthy stretch where the money wasn't coming in and the majority of the films they were putting out weren't living up to the quality standard they set when they took the horror genre by storm in the 2010's. Given the rules of this universe and how it's performing financially, Black Phone 3 feels inevitable and while I'm not sure how they'll make it happen, I trust Derrickson and Cargill's ability to find a hook that makes the endeavor a worthwhile one.                                     

Grade: B+