Week 17 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last week's ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (14-1) Week 17 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. (2) Arizona Cardinals (13-2) Week 17 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
3. (3) New England Patriots (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Miami Doplhins
4. (7) Denver Broncos (11-4) Week 17 opponent: San Diego Chargers
5. (8) Kansas City Chiefs (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Oakland Raiders
6. (10) New York Jets (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Buffalo Bills
7. (4) Seattle Seahawks (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
8. (11) Minnesota Vikings (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Green Bay Packers
9. (6) Cincinnati Bengals (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
10. (5) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Cleveland Browns
11. (12) Washington Redskins (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
12. (9) Green Bay Packers (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
13. (14) Houston Texans (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
14. (15) Oakland Raiders (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
15. (19) Atlanta Falcons (8-7) Week 17 opponent: New Orleans Saints
16. (20) St. Louis Rams (7-8) Week 17 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
17. (17) Buffalo Bills (7-8) Week 17 opponent: New York Jets
18. (13) New York Giants (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
19. (21) Indianapolis Colts (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Tennessee Titans
20. (22) Detroit Lions (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Chicago Bears
21. (24) Chicago Bears (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Detroit Lions
22. (25) New Orleans Saints (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
23. (18) Philadelphia Eagles (6-9) Week 17 opponent: New York Giants
24. (16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Carolina Panthers
25. (23) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Houston Texans
26. (31) Baltimore Ravens (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
27. (26) San Diego Chargers (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Denver Broncos
28. (28) Dallas Cowboys (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Washington Redskins
29. (29) San Francisco 49ers (4-11) Week 17 opponent: St. Louis Rams
30. (27) Miami Dolphins (5-10) Week 17 opponent: New England Patriots
31. (30) Cleveland Browns (3-12) Week 17 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
32. (32) Tennessee Titans (3-12) Week 17 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

Week 16 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Kirk Cousins (Redskins)
Anyone who picked up Kirk Cousins on the waiver wire last week deserves a medal. The 1st year starter overcame his season-long road struggles with a masterful performance (365 YDS, 4 TD, 1 2-PT conversion) against the Eagles to clinch the NFC East crown for the Redskins.
Honorable Mentions: Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Drew Brees (Saints), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets)

LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger's stellar 2015 fantasy campaign ended in the worst possible fashion. Roethlisberger threw a pair of ugly INT's and failed to throw a touchdown against a lowly Ravens secondary that had allowed multiple passing touchdowns in all but 5 games prior to this week
Dishonorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Tom Brady (Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Running Back
MVP: Tim Hightower (Saints)
There has been not been a more improbable NFL success story in 2015 than Saints running back Tim Hightower. The 29-year old running back -who hadn't played in the NFL since 2011- was thrust into the starting role in Week 14 when starter Mark Ingram was placed on season-ending IR with a shoulder injury had arguably the best game of his career in Week 16 against the Jaguars. Hightower put up 169 total yards (122 rushing, 47 receiving) and 2 TD's on 30 touches and was one of the primary reasons the Saints were able to put away the Jaguars so easily. Hightower was a late-season blessing at the injury-ravaged running back position and I'd be willing to wager that this performance single-handedly won a lot of people a fantasy championship. 
Honorable Mentions: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Frank Gore (Colts), David Johnson (Cardinals)

LVP: Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
Doug Martin's unexpected return to the dominant form of his 2012 rookie campaign made him the one of the biggest fantasy steals of 2015. Unfortunately, Martin's fairy tale season had a tragic conclusion for his fantasy owners. Despite scoring an early TD, Martin couldn't much going (49 yards on 17 carries) against the Bears 27th ranked run defense and a pair of fumbles forced him to get benched for most of the second half. While Martin's performance would've been much worse if he hadn't scored, a single digit performance against a very beatable opponent is an undeniable disappointment. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Denard Robinson (Jaguars), Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Alfred Morris (Redskins) 

Wide Receiver:
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Julio Jones got revenge on brash star corner Josh Norman and the Panthers defense after they held him to 82 yards and 0 TD's in Week 14. Jones frequently gassed the Pro Bowl-bound shutdown corner and any other Panther defender that was asked to cover him, finishing the game with an incredible 178 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. Despite the Falcons litany of struggles in the second half of the season, Jones remained a top 3 fantasy WR option and should be a top 5 overall pick in 2016. 
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Jets), Allen Hurns (Jaguars), Allen Robinson (Jaguars)

LVP: DeSean Jackson (Redskins)
Despite the recent development of a strong rapport with Kirk Cousins and being engaged in a prime revenge matchup against his former team, DeSean Jackson didn't do much to aid the Redskins offense in their grade-A evisceration of the Eagles in Week 16. The Eagles defense's inability to stop the short passing game made Jackson an afterthought in the offense as he reeled in 4 of his 6 targets for just 40 yards.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Mike Evans (Buccanners), Antonio Brown (Steelers)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Red-hot Redskins tight end Jordan Reed was largely responsible for crushing the playoff dreams of the Eagles with his 9 reception/129-yard/2 TD performance Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field. Reed closed out the 2015 season with the most dominant stretch of play of his young career so far and if he can stay healthy through the offseason and training camp, he'll be one of the first tight end's off the board in next year's fantasy drafts.
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

LVP: Julius Thomas (Jaguars)
Julius Thomas was pretty much the only Jaguars pass-catcher not invited to their garbage-time scoring party against the Saints. Thomas mustered just 12 yards on 2 receptions in an afternoon that saw 3 different Jaguars receivers hit paydirt. This poor performance aside, Thomas' solid late-season play after an injury-plagued start to his inaugural season with the Jaguars is encouraging for his 2016 prospects.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Benjamin Watson (Saints), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals defense reversed their recent middling output with one of the most dominant defensive performances in recent memory. The Cardinals massacred a Packers offense that had allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing defenses coming into this week, picking up 9 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, an interception and 2 TD's while allowing just 8 points.  
Honorable Mentions: Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks followed up their disappointing Week 15 performance against the Browns with an even more forgettable performance against the Rams. The Seahawks allowed just 17 points, but failed to register a single sack or takeaway against a Rams offense that they absolutely destroyed (2 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and a TD) in their 1st meeting this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins

Quick Announcement for Upcoming Posts

Dear readers,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I will be using this week to catch up on albums and movies from this earlier this year that I missed out on, so I will not be making any posts outside of my weekly fantasy football column and NFL power rankings. Be sure to check back early next week for my year-end music recap, NFL season recaps and much more!

Chris Maitland

The Best and Worst of Jennifer Lawrence

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Joy" star Jennifer Lawrence.

Film starring Jennifer Lawrence that I've seen:
Winter's Bone
The Beaver 
X-Men: First Class
Like Crazy
The Hunger Games
Silver Linings Playbook
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
American Hustle
X-Men: Days of Future Past
The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part I
The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part II

Best Performance: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Lawrence had previously impressed me in The Beaver and The Hunger Games, but I didn't fully realize her true talent as an actress until I saw Silver Linings Playbook. Lawrence is absolutely mesmerizing as Tiffany, a young, clinically depressed widow who develops an unconventional friendship with a bipolar man (Bradley Cooper) freshly released from a mental health facility after an eight-month stint. She brings a maturity well beyond her years to the role and brilliantly expresses the pain, confusion and mental anguish Tiffany is going through following the unexpected death of her husband.   

Worst Performance: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
This is a bit of unfair distinction as Lawrence is one of the rare actors in Hollywood that has never turned in a truly horrible performance. However, Lawrence was much less dialed in than usual in her second go-round as shape-shifting mutant Mystique. Despite being a pivotal cog in the narrative, Lawrence got outshined by just about every other member of Days of Future Past's wildly talented ensemble. 

Best Film: Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
This is a textbook example of one of the rare times where a film just gets everything right. From the brilliant script to the award-worthy performances from the entire cast to its heavy emotional resonance, Silver Linings Playbook is a cinematic triumph of the highest order.

Worst Film: Like Crazy (2011) 
Do you like your teen romance films to be full of pretension, completely disconnected from reality and feature no discernible point? Then Like Crazy is the film for you!!!!! The normally great Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones mumble through line after line of moronic dialogue in this seemingly eternal film that may or may not be responsible for my cynical view on relationships.   

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". In two weeks, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "The Revenant" star Tom Hardy.

Top 10 Live Performances of 2015

Concerts I attended in 2015:
January 14th: Big K.R.I.T./Michael Christmas, The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA
January 25th: August Burns Red/Miss May I/Northlane/Fit for a King/Erra, House of Blues, Boston, MA
January 31st: Machine Head, Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA
February 21st: The Contortionist/Revocation/Fallujah/Toothgrinder, Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA
February 27th: Cannibal Corpse/Behemoth/Aeon, House of Blues, Boston, MA
March 14th: Dropkick Murphys/The Mahones/Blood or Whiskey, House of Blues, Boston, MA
April 5th: Revocation/Black Crown Initiate/Sexcrement/Coagula, The Middle East Upstairs, Cambridge, MA
April 10th: At the Gates/Converge/Pallbearer/Vallenfyre, Royale Boston, Boston, MA
April 27th: Action Bronson/Meyhem Lauren, House of Blues, Boston, MA
May 17th: Mastodon/Clutch/Graveyard, House of Blues, Boston, MA
June 9th: Lana Del Rey/Grimes, Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
June 10th: Juicy J, House of Blues, Boston, MA
June 18th: The Dillinger Escape Plan/Mutoid Man/Primitive Weapons, Royale Boston, Boston, MA
July 14th: Vans Warped Tour (Neck Deep/Miss May I/Riff Raff/August Burns Red/Four Year Strong/Beartooth/'68/While She Sleeps/Crossfaith/Hundredth/I Killed the Prom Queen), Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
August 4th: Slipknot/Lamb of God/Bullet for My Valentine, Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
August 7th: Incubus/Deftones/Death from Above 1979/The Bots, Xfinity Center, Mansfield, MA
September 18th: The Fall of Troy/And So I Watched You from Afar/Slothrust, Royale Boston, Boston, MA
September 19th: A$AP Rocky/Tyler, the Creator/Danny Brown/Vince Staples, Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell, Lowell, MA
October 3rd: Revocation/Archspire/Black Fast/Coagula, Great Scott, Allston, MA
October 29th: Rae Sremmurd/Mike Stud/KaneHoller, Salem State University, Salem, MA
November 12th: The Weeknd/Banks/Travi$ Scott, DCU Center, Worcester, MA
November 15th: Parkway Drive/Miss May I/Thy Art is Murder, House of Blues, Boston, MA
November 28th: August Burns Red/Every Time I Die/Stick to Your Guns/Polyphia, The Palladium, Worcester, MA

10 Best Shows:
10.Incubus/Deftones/Death from Above 1979/The Bots
9.Action Bronson/Meyhem Lauren
8. The Weeknd/Banks/Travi$ Scott
7.Cannibal Corpse/Behemoth/Aeon
6.Slipknot/Lamb of God/Bullet for My Valentine
5.August Burns Red/Every Time I Die/Stick to Your Guns/Polyphia
4.The Dillinger Escape Plan/Mutoid Man/Primitive Weapons
3.Revocation/Black Crown Initiate/Sexcrement/Coagula
2.A$AP Rocky/Tyler, the Creator/Danny Brown/Vince Staples
1.The Contortionist/Revocation/Fallujah/Toothgrinder

10 Best Performances:
10.Archspire (10/3):
In a genre full of acts that can't match the inhuman speeds of their studio material in a live setting, Archspire is the gold standard. These beautiful Vancouver-bred cyborgs play their spastic brand of progressive/technical  death metal with awe-inspiring precision and unrivaled intensity, making their live shows a slice of extreme metal bliss.
      
9.Action Bronson (4/27):
While his goofy, abstract persona may lead people to believe otherwise, Action Bronson is one of the most gifted rappers in the game right now and his damn near perfect performance at the House of Blues in April further confirmed that notion. With his relentless energy, joyous stage presence and flawless line delivery, Bronson has cemented himself as an elite live hip-hop act.

8.Behemoth (2/27):
There was a time not too long ago where I thought I'd never get the opportunity to see Behemoth perform again. Vocalist/guitarist Adam "Nergal" Darski's brush with death (he was diagnosed with stage 3 leukemia in August 2010 and received a life-saving bone marrow transplant in December 2010) has revitalized the band and made them even more of a sinister powerhouse than they were prior to his bout with cancer. Armed with a setlist driven by material from their spectacular 2014 comeback record The Satanist, Behemoth put on a gloomy, triumphant performance that served as a firm reminder to the audience as to why they are one of the greatest extreme metal acts of all-time.

7.The Weeknd (11/12):
The talent and appeal of the breakout pop star of 2015 becomes even more evident when you see him perform in person. The Weeknd's clever experimentation with the musical arrangements of his material paired with the sheer power of his vocals makes his live show a true wonder to behold. 

6.Slipknot (8/4):
Slipknot has never been one of my favorite bands, but they are by far one of the most consistent and impressive live bands I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Their live show is a raucous, circus-like spectacle that demands to be see by anyone who has even a passing interest in heavy music. 

5.Incubus (8/7):
I went to this show exclusively to see Deftones and stuck around for Incubus just for nostalgia's stake. This proved to be a fantastic decision as Incubus put on one hell of a live show. Brandon Boyd's fantastic vocals made even the most forgettable songs in their catalog ("Love Hurts", "Here in My Room") breathtaking and the setlist had far more pre-Light Grenades material than I expected. Kudos to Incubus for putting on arguably the most surprisingly outstanding live performance I've ever witnessed. 

4.Lana Del Rey (6/9):
Between her infamous Saturday Night Live meltdown in 2012 and the overwhelmingly negative reviews I had read from people that had seen her over the past few years, I was incredibly nervous to see Lana Del Rey live. Those fears vanished the minute her vocals came in on set opener "Cruel World". Del Rey's voice is distinctly beautiful live and her low-key stage presence made the 20,000 capacity venue she was performing in feel like an intimate setting. 

3.Revocation (4/5):
I saw Revocation three times in 2015 and while they were excellent on all three occasions, this headlining show at the Middle East Upstairs on Easter Sunday was the clear standout. The combination of seeing them perform in a under 200 capacity venue and an absolutely sensational setlist featuring a handful of songs I'd never seen them perform before made Revocation's technically-dazzling, intense live show even more satisfying than usual.

2.Fallujah (2/21):
Fallujah has been one of my favorite bands for about three years now, but this marked the first time I saw them where their live show was in line with the quality of their albums. Their comfort level with performing has finally caught up with their immense talent and made their live show as epic, nuanced and crushingly beautiful as their masterful studio material.    
 
1.The Dillinger Escape Plan (6/18):
I've seen hundreds of bands over the years and no one has even come close to matching the tornado of unadulterated chaos The Dillinger Escape Plan produces every time they take the stage. While The Dillinger Escape Plan never fails to create havoc when they take the stage, this show was particularly special because they dedicated an extensive part of the set to playing rare material from their 2004 breakout record Miss Machine. It was surreal to see them play so many songs that I never dreamed I'd see live in the same set and the presence of these rarities paired with Dillinger's trademark off-the-walls energy made this is the most memorable performance of 2015. 

Honorable Mentions: Machine Head (1/31), Parkway Drive (11/15), August Burns Red (7/14), Lamb of God (8/4), Danny Brown (9/19), Converge (4/10), At the Gates (4/10), Every Time I Die (11/28), A$AP Rocky (9/19), Mutoid Man (6/18) 

Week 16 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last week's ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (14-0) Week 16 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
2. (2) Arizona Cardinals (12-2) Week 16 opponent: Green Bay Packers
3. (3) New England Patriots (12-2) Week 16 opponent: New York Jets
4. (5) Seattle Seahawks (9-5) Week 16 opponent: St. Louis Rams
5. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
6. (7) Cincinnati Bengals (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Denver Broncos
7. (4) Denver Broncos (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
8. (8) Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Cleveland Browns
9. (9) Green Bay Packers (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
10. (10) New York Jets (9-5) Week 16 opponent: New England Patriots
11. (11) Minnesota Vikings (9-5) Week 16 opponent: New York Giants
12. (17) Washington Redskins (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
13. (12) New York Giants (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
14. (18) Houston Texans (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Tennessee Titans
15. (13) Oakland Raiders (6-8) Week 16 opponent: San Diego Chargers
16. (15) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Chicago Bears
17. (14) Buffalo Bills (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
18. (16) Philadelphia Eagles (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Washington Redskins
19. (23) Atlanta Falcons (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Carolina Panthers
20. (26) St. Louis Rams (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
21. (19) Indianapolis Colts (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Miami Dolphins
22. (25) Detroit Lions (5-9) Week 16 opponent: San Francisco 49ers  
23. (21) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9) Week 16 opponent: New Orleans Saints
24. (20) Chicago Bears (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
25. (22) New Orleans Saints (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
26. (32) San Diego Chargers (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Oakland Raiders
27. (22) Miami Dolphins (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
28. (28) Dallas Cowboys (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Buffalo Bills
29. (27) San Francisco 49ers (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Detroit Lions
30. (30) Cleveland Browns (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
31. (29) Baltimore Ravens (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
32. (31) Tennessee Titans (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Houston Texans      

Week 15 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton's late season reign of terror on the NFL continued in Week 15 with his finest performance of the season to-date. Newton picked up 440 total yards (340 passing, 100 rushing) and 5 TD's against the Giants ailing defense. Newton has now picked up 40+ fantasy points in 3 of the last 5 games and he has a solid chance of making it 4 out of 6 against a Falcons defense that he blew up for 265 YDS and 3 TD's in their first meeting this season.
Honorable Mentions: Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings), Tyrod Taylor (Bills)

LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
What the hell is wrong with Aaron Rodgers in 2015? The usually-reliable Rodgers has been a liability for his fantasy owners for most of the season and his latest underwhelming performance (204 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT) against the Raiders prevented some of his fantasy owners from advancing in the playoffs. It's probably wise to find a streaming option to replace Rodgers for this upcoming week as he goes up against an elite Cardinals defense that hasn't allowed more than 2 TD passes to an opposing quarterback since Week 8.
Dishonorable Mentions: Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Patriots), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: David Johnson (Cardinals)
Cardinals rookie running back David Johnson has been a revelation for fantasy owners looking to make a late-season playoff push and his week 15 beatdown of the Eagles defense was easily his most impressive work since he took over as the starter in Week 13. Johnson proved to be the Cardinals primary source of offense during an uncharacteristically poor performance from Carson Palmer and their supremely talented receiving corps, picking up 239 total yards (187 rushing, 42 receiving) and 3 TD's on 33 touches in a 40-17 blowout victory that clinched the Cards their first NFC West title since 2009. Johnson's heavy volume of carries and status as a versatile, everydown back makes him a weekly top-end RB1 option. 
Honorable Mentions: Danny Woodhead (Chargers), Matt Forte (Bears), Devonta Freeman (Falcons)

LVP: Lamar Miller (Dolphins)
The Dolphins vow to get Lamar Miller more involved in the offense once again proved to be false as Miller finished with just 24 total yards (12 rushing, 12 receiving) on 11 touches in a prime matchup against the Chargers porous defense on Sunday afternoon. A 23-0 halftime deficit for the Dolphins and Miller playing through a quad injury were certainly factors in his poor performance, but as a fantasy owner, you can't help be disappointed that Miller wasn't able to keep his recent hot streak alive in this game. Miller will be a mid-level RB2 play against the Colts if he's healthy enough to play.
Dishonorable Mentions: Javarious Allen (Ravens), Denard Robinson (Jaguars), Chris Ivory (Jets)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Antonio Brown never ceases to blow my mind. In a matchup with a Broncos secondary that has allowed the least fantasy points to receivers this season (they had only allowed 2 receivers to go for 100+ yards against them coming into this week), Brown went off for a mind-boggling 189 yards and 2 TD's on 16 receptions. Brown burned Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr regularly throughout the game and served as the catalyst for the Steelers massive 34-27 comeback victory on Sunday night in the Steel City. As long as Ben Roethlisberger is healthy, Brown is the best wide receiver in real and fantasy football by a healthy margin.
Honorable Mentions: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Amari Cooper (Raiders), Sammy Watkins (Bills)

LVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
The Cardinals receiving corps collectively underachieved against the Eagles horrific secondary, but Fitzgerald was the prime offender, finishing the game with just 43 yards on 3 receptions. Fitzgerald has cooled off considerably after his excellent start, but is still worth keeping in your starting lineup for a championship week matchup against the Packers middling secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), A.J. Green (Bengals)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Jordan Reed duplicated his success from a week ago with yet another dominant performance in Week 15. Reed hauled in all of his targets for a 2nd straight week, gassing the banged-up the Bills defense for 84 yards and 2 TD's on 7 receptions. Reed is Kirk Cousins' favorite target at the moment and he should continue to be one of the few elite TE1 options as the fantasy season comes to a close.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Zach Ertz (Eagles)

LVP: Richard Rodgers (Packers)
Richard Rodgers' notoriously boom-or-bust play was once again on display in Week 15 as he picked up just 1 reception for 7 yards against a Raiders defense that has surrendered the 2nd most fantasy points to tight ends in 2015. Rodgers will be nothing more than an emergency play in a Week 16 tilt against the Cardinals.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Heath Miller (Steelers), Zach Miller (Bears)

Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs were the latest defense to take advantage of the depleted Ravens offense (14 points allowed, 2 sacks, 2 INT's, 1 FUM REC, 2 TD's) during the fantasy football stretch run. The Chiefs have been a top 5 fantasy defense over the past month and I fully expect that hot streak to continue against the trainwreck that is otherwise known as the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. 
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals

LVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers D appeared to be in line for another solid performance for the first 3/4 of Sunday's contest with the Giants, allowing 14 points and picking up an interception and fumble recovery in the first 3 quarters of play. The Panthers defense proceeded to piss away their decent fantasy outing with an uncharacteristic late-game implosion in which they surrendered 21 points and were alarmingly close to allowing the Giants to pull off a highly improbable comeback and end their perfect season. The Panthers D are strong contenders to bounce back in Week 16 against a Falcons offense that they absolutely destroyed just two weeks ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Rams  

Movie Review: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Writer/director J.J Abrams needs to legally change his name to " The Legendary Sci-Fi Franchise Resuscitator" as soon as humanly possible. Against all odds, Abrams returned the long-dormant and disgraced Star Trek franchise to its former glory with his spectacular 2009 reboot. Abrams has now worked his magic on the Star Wars franchise, making the long-awaited seventh installment, The Force Awakens, the first worthy sequel to the iconic original trilogy.

As soon as the trademark "In a galaxy far, far away" scroll appears on screen, it's clear that Abrams' primary goal was to restore the sense of fun to the series and he succeeds in a major way. By the time the first action scene rolls around 10 minutes into the film, I was instantly reminded of the joy the original Star Wars franchise brought me as a child and the mediocrity Episodes I-III offered up in droves seemed like a distant memory. The promising start is indicative of the rest of the film as Abrams keeps the tone appropriately light and drops stunning, large-scale action sequences throughout the film. Star Wars fans have been asking for a giddy nostalgia trip since Return of the Jedi came out in 1983 and The Force Awakens is that film that finally turns that three-decade longing into something tangible.

Abrams also deserves a lot of credit for assembling a pitch-perfect cast. The biggest sin of the prequels was the horrendous miscasting of Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor and Jake Lloyd in the lead roles. Their collective wooden acting was painful to watch and forced audiences to become entirely disengaged from the characters they were playing. Here, the three main leads (John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Oscar Issac) are all fantastic. Boyega, Ridley and Issac all bring a level of energy and personality to their respective roles that the antagonists of the previous three films sorely lacked. Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron are the type of likable, interesting heroes you build a series around and the prospect of watching their characters progress over two more films is very exciting.

While I clearly can't get into the specifics of the story without divulging a ton of spoilers, I will say that the film is basically A New Hope 2.0. The plot points feel very familiar and there were numerous points of the film where I thought was I was watching a remake of the 1976 original instead of an entirely new film. I get that Abrams and co-writers Michael Arndt and Lawrence Kasdan-who had a hand in writing The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi- were trying to recapture the spirit of the original trilogy after George Lucas deviated so far from the formula with the prequels, but the excessive copying-and-pasting from the narrative of A New Hope prevents The Force Awakens from rivaling the quality of Episodes IV-VI.

The Force Awakens may not be a groundbreaking piece of movie magic like the originals were, but it still nicely sets the stage for the new era of Star Wars films. With the obligatory world building now out of the way, the trilogy has the chance to really flourish with its next installment.

4/5 Stars   

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Russell Wilson's career-long hot streak continued with yet another another absurd outing (292 YDS, 5 TD) against the Ravens in Week 14. This marked Wilson's 2nd 5 TD outing in 3 games and he's now thrown 16 TD's and 0 INT's over his past 4 games. I expect Wilson to air it out even more this week against the Browns now that running back Thomas Rawls is officially out for the year with an ankle inury.

Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets)

LVP: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
Jameis Winston has garnered a lot of praise for his recent performances, but there was nothing masterful about his play against the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Winston only managed 206 total yards(182 passing, 24 rushing) and a TD against a Saints defense that has gotten torched by just about every other quarterback they've faced this season. Despite the remarkable progress he's made after a horrible start to his rookie campaign, Winston is still a shaky fantasy play at this point in time. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
After a month-long hiatus, Todd Gurley has officially returned to the land of the living. The Rams fed the rookie phenom all game long and it paid major dividends as Gurley's 140-yard, 2 TD performance led the Rams to a much-needed victory over the Lions. With Gurley seemingly out of his slump, he should be a solid RB1 play in Week 15 as the Rams take on the middling rush defense of the Buccaneers.  
Honorable Mentions: James Starks (Packers), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

LVP: Shaun Draughn (49ers)
Shaun Draughn has done a pretty serviceable job since taking over as the 49ers de facto starting running back in Week 9, which makes his poor performance against the Browns that much more disappointing. Draughn mustered just 51 total yards (43 rushing, 8 receiving) on 13 touches versus a Browns defense that has allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to running backs this season. Despite this lackluster performance, Draughn will be a mid-tier RB2 for the 49ers week 15 contest against a banged-up Bengals defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Frank Gore (Colts)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Remember when people thought that Odell Beckham Jr. was an overrated player who was only praised because he made one unforgettable catch? Beckham Jr. made his legions of irrational and uninformed detractors look foolish once again by roasting the Dolphins for 166 yards and 2 TD's (his 6th straight game with 100 + receiving yards) under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. Beckham Jr. has proved throughout 2015 that his tremendous rookie campaign wasn't a fluke and his status as the Giants sole offensive weapon has made him one of the most reliable WR1's in fantasy football. Beckham Jr. faces his toughest challenge of the season so far in Week 15 as he goes up against the Panthers top corner Josh Norman, who has all but completely shut down the likes of Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and DeAndre Hopkins this season.
Honorable Mentions: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), Ted Ginn Jr. (Panthers), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
I can't remember the last time I saw Calvin Johnson play as bad as he did this past Sunday against the Rams. Megatron reeled in just 1 of his 5 targets for 16 yards and also managed to commit a couple of uncharacteristically ugly drops along the way. Johnson has an excellent chance of redeeming himself in Week 15 against the Saints horrible secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Copper (Raiders), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Sunday at Solider Field served as a reminder of just how great Jordan Reed can be when's healthy. The 3rd-year tight end caught all 9 of his targets for 120 yards and a TD and was the catalyst for the Redskins 24-21 victory over the Bears. Reed should continue to be a top 5 tight end option in Week 15 as the Redskins face a Bills defense that just allowed 98 yards to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.  
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Gary Barnidge (Browns), Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

LVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Travis Kelce's recent woes continued in Week 14 as he picked up just 18 yards on 3 receptions against the below average defense of the Chargers. Kelce has now only scored 1 TD and had 1 50+ yard performance since returning from Bye in Week 10 and is a shaky bet to return to form against a Ravens defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest amount of fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers took advantage of the Falcons slumping offense and put together one of the most impressive performances (0 points allowed, 5 sacks, 2 INT, 2 FUM REC) of their stellar 2015 season.
Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs

LVP: New York Giants
The Giants defense has been pretty horrible in real life all season long, but their ability to create turnovers and get defensive touchdowns have made them a solid fantasy option. Week 14 was not one of their brighter moments as they had a pretty lackluster game (24 points allowed, 1 sack, 1 FUM REC) against the vastly underachieving and often sloppy offense of the Dolphins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills  

Week 15 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last week's ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (13-0) Week 15 opponent: New York Giants
2. (4) Arizona Cardinals (11-2) Week 15 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (5) New England Patriots (11-2) Week 15 opponent: Tennessee Titans
4. (3) Denver Broncos (10-3) Week 15 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
5. (6) Seattle Seahawks (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Cleveland Browns
6. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Denver Broncos
7. (2) Cincinnati Bengals (10-3) Week 15 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
8. (8) Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
9. (9) Green Bay Packers (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Oakland Raiders
10. (12) New York Jets (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
11. (10) Minnesota Vikings (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Chicago Bears
12. (16) New York Giants (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Carolina Panthers
13. (18) Oakland Raiders (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Green Bay Packers
14. (11) Buffalo Bills (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Washington Redskins
15. (14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-7) Week 15 opponent: St. Louis Rams
16. (19) Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 
17. (21) Washington Redskins (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Buffalo Bills
18. (13) Houston Texans (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
19. (15) Indianapolis Colts (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Houston Texans
20. (17) Chicago Bears (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
21. (27) Jacksonville Jaguars (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
22. (26) New Orleans Saints (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Detroit Lions
23. (20) Atlanta Falcons (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
24. (22) Miami Dolphins (5-8) Week 15 opponent: San Diego Chargers
25. (23) Detroit Lions (4-9) Week 15 opponent: New Orleans Saints
26. (31) St. Louis Rams (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers   
27. (24) San Francisco 49ers (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
28. (25) Dallas Cowboys (4-9) Week 15 opponent: New York Jets
29. (28) Baltimore Ravens (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
30. (32) Cleveland Browns (3-10) Week 15 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
31. (29) Tennessee Titans (3-10) Week 15 opponent: New England Patriots
32. (30) San Diego Chargers (3-10) Week 15 opponent: Miami Dolphins

The Best and Worst of Harrison Ford

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" star Harrison Ford.

Films starring Harrison Ford that I've seen:
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 
Blade Runner
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Firewall
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 
Cowboys & Aliens
42
Ender's Game 
Anchorman: The Legend Continues
The Expendables 3

Best Performance: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
The first two Star Wars films may put Ford on the map, but Raiders of the Lost Ark was the film that made him a bona fide movie star. Ford's badass presence and sharp wit instantly made Indiana Jones one of the greatest action heroes of all-time. 

Worst Performance: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)
This is one of the few times in film history where an actor has given the best and worst performance of their career playing the same role. While Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't nearly as bad as it's made out to be on the whole, Ford seems like he's being forced against his will to dawn the fedora and satchel one last time. I don't know if it was because he was pissed about rebooting the series after a nearly two decade hiatus or if he just really hated working with Shia LaBeouf, but I've never seen Ford look more displeased on screen than he does here.
      
Best Film: Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Like basically every other film nerd on the planet, I have a deep, undying love for the original Star Wars trilogy. While the entire trilogy is excellent, The Empire Strikes Back stands out from the pack by a considerable margin. It's the first movie I ever saw that had the look and feel of an epic event film and to this day, it remains one of the most well-constructed and entertaining blockbusters to ever come out of Hollywood.

Worst Film: Blade Runner (1982)
I'm well aware that cinephiles and sci-fi fanboys will want to hang me for saying this but I've personally never understood the outpouring of acclaim for this film. Blade Runner is a visually-stunning film that's dragged down by an overstuffed, convoluted storyline and a pace so slow that it makes Paul Thomas Anderson's films seem breezy by comparison.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Joy" star Jennifer Lawrence.

Assessing Active NFL Player's Hall of Fame Odds

It's a debate that NFL fans across the country frequently have when discussing the finest players in the league: Is (insert player) good enough to make it into the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Determining whether or not a player is worthy of being inducted into the Hall of Fame is not nearly as easy it sounds. You have to take a good hard look at the player's accolades (Pro Bowl/All-Pro appearances, Super Bowl titles, various statistical benchmarks, all-time records, consistency, playoff performance, etc.) and the impact they made on the game throughout their career before you can determine if they're going to be fortunate enough to be immortalized with a gold bust and plaque in Canton, Ohio. Out of sheer boredom and morbid curiosity, I decided to assess the Hall of Fame odds for today's NFL greats. It should be noted that I don't any have concrete evidence as to why I believe these guys will make or miss the Hall of Fame, it's simply an opinion I formed after breaking down these player's resumes and how they stack up against guys that have already been enshrined in Canton. Hope you enjoy and I encourage all of you to share your thoughts on my list or your own list of future Hall-of-Famers in the comment section below.

*indicates a player who isn't on an active roster, but hasn't formerly retired
Locks:
Jared Allen, defensive end (Current team: Carolina Panthers Former teams: Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears)
Tom Brady, quarterback (Current team: New England Patriots)
Drew Brees, quarterback (Current team: New Orleans Saints Former team: San Diego Chargers)
Jahri Evans, guard (Current team: New Orleans Saints)
Larry Fitzgerald, wide receiver (Current team: Arizona Cardinals)
Antonio Gates, tight end (Current team: San Diego Chargers)
Rob Gronkowski, tight end (Current team: New England Patriots)
Andre Johnson, wide receiver (Current team: Indianapolis Colts Former team: Houston Texans)
Calvin Johnson, wide receiver (Current team: Detroit Lions)
Shane Lechler, punter (Current team: Houston Texans Former team: Oakland Raiders)
Peyton Manning, quarterback (Current team: Denver Broncos Former team: Indianapolis Colts)
Julius Peppers, defensive end/outside linebacker (Current team: Green Bay Packers Former teams: Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears)
Adrian Peterson, running back (Current team: Minnesota Vikings)
Jason Peters, tackle (Current team: Philadelphia Eagles Former team: Buffalo Bills)
Darrelle Revis, cornerback (Current team: New York Jets Former teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots)
Aaron Rodgers, quarterback (Current team: Green Bay Packers)
Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback (Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Steve Smith, wide receiver (Current team: Baltimore Ravens Former team: Carolina Panthers)
Ndamukong Suh, defensive tackle (Current team: Miami Dolphins Former team: Detroit Lions)
Joe Thomas, tackle (Current team: Cleveland Browns)
Adam Vinatieri, kicker (Current team: Indianapolis Colts Former team: New England Patriots)
DeMarcus Ware, outside linebacker/defensive end (Current team: Denver Broncos Former team: Dallas Cowboys)
J.J. Watt, defensive end (Current team: Houston Texans)
Reggie Wayne*, wide receiver (Former team: Indianapolis Colts)
Charles Woodson, safety/cornerback (Current team: Oakland Raiders Former team: Green Bay Packers)

Strong Possibility:
Lance Briggs*, outside linebacker (Former team: Chicago Bears)
Jammal Charles, running back (Current team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Dwight Freeney, defensive end/outside linebacker (Current team: Arizona Cardinals Former teams: Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers) 
Matt Forte, running back (Current team: Chicago Bears)
Arian Foster, running back (Current team: Houston Texans)
Stephen Gostkowski, kicker (Current team: New England Patriots)
James Harrison, outside linebacker (Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers Former team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Marshawn Lynch, running back (Current team: Seattle Seahawks Former team: Buffalo Bills)
Logan Mankins, guard (Current team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Former team: New England Patriots)
Brandon Marshall, wide receiver (Current team: New York Jets Former teams: Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Chicago Bears)
Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle (Current team: Detroit Lions Former team: Baltimore Ravens)
Joe Staley, tackle (Current team: San Francisco 49ers)
Terrell Suggs, outside linebacker (Current team: Baltimore Ravens)
Vince Wilfork, defensive tackle (Current team: Houston Texans Former team: New England Patriots)
Mario Williams, defensive end (Current team: Buffalo Bills Former team: Houston Texans)
Jason Witten, tight end (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)
Marshal Yanda, guard (Current team: Baltimore Ravens)

Too Early to Tell, but Appear to Be on the Right Track:
Geno Atkins, defensive tackle (Current team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Dan Bailey, kicker (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)
Odell Beckham Jr., wide receiver (Current team: New York Giants) 
Eric Berry, safety (Current team: Kansas City Chiefs)
NaVorro Bowman, inside linebacker (Current team: San Francisco 49ers)
Antonio Brown, wide receiver (Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Dez Bryant, wide receiver (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)
Kam Chancellor, safety (Current team: Seattle Seahawks)
Fletcher Cox, defensive end (Current team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Marcell Dareus, defensive tackle (Current team: Buffalo Bills)
Lavonte David, outside linebacker (Current team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Aaron Donald, defensive tackle (Current team: St. Louis Rams)
Joe Haden, cornerback (Current team: Cleveland Browns)
Justin Houston, outside linebacker (Current team: Kansas City Chiefs)
A.J. Green, wide receiver (Current team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Travis Fredrick, center (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)  
Julio Jones, wide receiver (Current team: Atlanta Falcons)
Luke Kuechly, inside linebacker (Current team: Carolina Panthers)
Zach Martin, guard (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)
Pat McAfee, punter (Current team: Indianapolis Colts)
Gerald McCoy, defensive tackle (Current team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
LeSean McCoy, running back (Current team: Buffalo Bills Former team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Von Miller, outside linebacker (Current team: Denver Broncos)
Cam Newton, quarterback (Current team: Carolina Panthers)
Patrick Peterson, cornerback (Current team: Arizona Cardinals)
Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive end (Current team: New York Giants)
Maurkice Pouncey, center (Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Sheldon Richardson, defensive end (Current team: New York Jets)
Richard Sherman, cornerback (Current team: Seattle Seahawks)
Tyron Smith, tackle (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)
Demaryius Thomas, wide receiver (Current team: Denver Broncos)
Earl Thomas, safety (Current team: Seattle Seahawks)
Justin Tucker, kicker (Current team: Baltimore Ravens)
Bobby Wagner, inside linebacker (Current team: Seattle Seahawks)
Trent Williams, tackle (Current team: Washington Redskins)
Russell Wilson, quarter (Current team: Seattle Seahawks)


Toss-Ups:
Anquan Boldin, wide receiver (Current team: San Francisco 49ers Former teams: Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens)
Ryan Clady, tackle (Current team: Denver Broncos)
Elvis Dumervil, outside linebacker (Current team: Baltimore Ravens Former team: Denver Broncos)
Frank Gore, running back (Current team: Indianapolis Colts Former team: San Francisco 49ers)
Tamba Hali, outside linebacker (Current team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Devin Hester, wide receiver (Current team: Atlanta Falcons Former team: Chicago Bears)
Steven Jackson, running back* (Former teams: St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons)
Ryan Kalil, center (Current team: Carolina Panthers)
Nick Mangold, center (Current team: New York Jets)
Eli Manning, quarterback (Current team: New York Giants)
Clay Matthews, outside/inside linebacker (Current team: Green Bay Packers)
Robert Mathis, outside linebacker (Current team: Indianapolis Colts)
Tony Romo, quarterback (Current team: Dallas Cowboys)
Cameron Wake, defensive end (Current team: Miami Dolphins)
Eric Weddle, safety (Current team: San Diego Chargers)
Wes Welker, wide receiver (Current team: St. Louis Rams Former teams: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos)

Longshots:
Jon Beason, inside linebacker (Current team: New York Giants Former team: Carolina Panthers)
Michael Bennett, defensive end (Current team: Seattle Seahawks Former team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Antonie Bethea, safety (Current team: San Francisco 49ers Former team: Indianapolis Colts)
Duane Brown, tackle (Current team: Houston Texans)
Jairus Byrd, safety (Current team: New Orleans Saints Former team: Buffalo Bills)
Antonio Cromartie, cornerback (Current team: New York Jets Former teams: San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals)
Vernon Davis, tight end (Current team: Denver Broncos Former team: San Francisco 49ers)
Vontae Davis, cornerback (Current team: Indianapolis Colts Former team: Miami Dolphins)
Darnell Dockett*, defensive end (Former team: Arizona Cardinals)
Jimmy Graham, tight end (Current team: Seattle Seahawks Former team: New Orleans Saints)
Brent Grimes, cornerback (Current team: Miami Dolphins Former team: Atlanta Falcons)
Matt Hasselbeck, quarterback (Current team: Indianapolis Colts Former teams: Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans)
Mike Iupati, guard (Current team: Arizona Cardinals Former team: San Francisco 49ers)
Vincent Jackson, wide receiver (Current team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Former team: San Diego Chargers)
Chris Johnson, running back (Current team: Arizona Cardinals Former teams: Tennessee Titans, New York Jets)
Derrick Johnson, inside linebacker (Current team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Andy Lee, punter (Current team: Cleveland Browns Former team: San Francisco 49ers)
Jake Long, tackle (Current team: Atlanta Falcons Former teams: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams)
Alex Mack, center (Current team: Cleveland Browns)
Evan Mathis, guard (Current team: Denver Broncos Former teams: Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers Philadelphia Eagles)
Jerod Mayo, inside linebacker (Current team: New England Patriots)
Devin McCourty, safety (Current team: New England Patriots)
DeMarco Murray, running back (Current team: Philadelphia Eagles Former team: Dallas Cowboys)
Heath Miller, tight end (Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Phillip Rivers, quarterback (Current team: San Diego Chargers)
Antrel Rolle, safety (Current team: Chicago Bears Former teams: Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants)
Matt Ryan, quarterback (Current team: Atlanta Falcons)
Josh Sitton, guard (Current team: Green Bay Packers)
Aqib Talib, cornerback (Current team: Denver Broncos Former teams: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots)
Charles Tillman, cornerback (Current team: Carolina Panthers Former team: Chicago Bears)
Justin Tuck, defensive end (Current team: Oakland Raiders Former team: New York Giants)
Max Unger, center (Current team: New Orleans Saints Former Team: Seattle Seahawks)
Michael Vick, quarterback (Current team: Pittsburgh Steelers Former teams: Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets)
T.J. Ward, safety (Current team: Denver Broncos Former team: Cleveland Browns)
Roddy White, wide receiver (Current team: Atlanta Falcons)
Donte Whitner, safety (Current team: Cleveland Browns Former teams: Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers)
Kyle Williams, defensive tackle (Current team: Buffalo Bills)

The Best and Worst of Christian Bale

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "The Big Short" star Christian Bale.

Films starring Christian Bale that I've seen:
Pocahontas 
American Psycho
Batman Begins
The Prestige
3:10 to Yuma
The Dark Knight 
Terminator Salvation
Public Enemies
The Fighter
The Dark Knight Rises
Out of the Furnace
American Hustle
Exodus: Gods and Kings 

Best Performance: American Psycho (2000)
Bale's performance as yuppie businessman/serial killer Patrick Bateman is firmly in my top 10 performances of all-time. Bale is a deranged, hilarious force of nature every time he's on screen and is the primary reason this film's pitch-black comedy is so effective.

Worst Performance: Public Enemies (2009)
There's no other celebrated actor in Hollywood right now that turns in more crappy performances than Bale. Of these duds, his performance as FBI agent Melvin Purvis in the John Dillinger docudrama Public Enemies is by far his most underwhelming. Armed with a god awful Southern accent and not even a hint of conviction, Bale turns in a wildly over-the-top performance in an otherwise slow-burning, subtle film.

Best Film: 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Westerns have made a serious resurgence in the past decade with the release of brilliant films like True Grit, Django Unchained and Meek's Cutoff. I believe that this resurgence of quality westerns can be tied back to James Mangold's near-perfect remake of 3:10 to Yuma. Thanks to a great script from Michael Brandt, Derek Haas and Halston Welles and a pair of award-worthy leading performances from Bale and Russell Crowe, 3:10 to Yuma is able to a create an engrossing, stunning film that forges its own path while also honoring the legacy of the 1957 original 

Worst Film: Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
Ridley Scott finally put an end to a nearly decade-long cold streak earlier this year with the release of the widely-acclaimed sci-fi flick The Martian. The high quality of The Martian is particularly surprising because at this time last year when Scott released Exodus: Gods and Kings, it seemed like the 78-year old film icon was never going to make a worthwhile film again. Exodus: Gods and Kings had noble ambitions as a dark Biblical epic, but ended up a boring, poorly-acted and often unintentionally hilarious film that was a nightmare to sit through.

 Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" star Harrison Ford.

Week 14 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last Week's Ranking
1. (1) Carolina Panthers (12-0) Week 14 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
2. (5) Cincinnati Bengals (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
3. (3) Denver Broncos (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Oakland Raiders
4. (4) Arizona Cardinals (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
5. (2) New England Patriots (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Houston Texans
6. (10) Seattle Seahawks (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
7. (9) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
8. (8) Kansas City Chiefs (7-5) Week 14 opponent: San Diego Chargers
9. (7) Green Bay Packers (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
10. (6) Minnesota Vikings (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
11. (15) Buffalo Bills (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
12. (17) New York Jets (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Tennessee Titans
13. (12) Houston Texans (6-6) Week 14 opponent: New England Patriots
14. (18) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6) Week 14 opponent: New Orleans Saints
15. (11) Indianapolis Colts (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 
16. (13) New York Giants (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Miami Dolphins
17. (14) Chicago Bears (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Washington Redskins
18. (16) Oakland Raiders (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Denver Broncos
19. (31) Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Buffalo Bills
20. (19) Atlanta Falcons (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Carolina Panthers
21. (20) Washington Redskins (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Chicago Bears
22. (25) Miami Dolphins (5-7) Week 14 opponent: New York Giants
23. (21) Detroit Lions (4-8) Week 14 opponent: St. Louis Rams
24. (28) San Francisco 49ers (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Cleveland Browns
25. (27) Dallas Cowboys (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Green Bay Packers
26. (26) New Orleans Saints (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
27. (22) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
28. (23) Baltimore Ravens (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
29. (30) Tennessee Titans (3-9) Week 14 opponent: New York Jets
30. (24) San Diego Chargers (3-9) Week 14 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
31. (29) St. Louis Rams (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Detroit Lions
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (2-10) Week 14 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

Update

Dear readers,
I just wanted to let you all know that I'm taking a brief hiatus from posting content to work on the final set of papers, term projects and finals of my college career. I'll be returning to regular posting sometime between the 11th and 14th. Thank you for your continued support and I look forward to getting back into the routine of regular posting within the next week.

Chris Maitland

The Best and Worst of Samuel L. Jackson

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Chi-Raq" star Samuel L. Jackson.

Films starring Samuel L. Jackson that I've seen:
Goodfellas
Juice
True Romance
Menace II Society
Jurassic Park
Pulp Fiction
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Jackie Brown
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Deep Blue Sea
Unbreakable 
Formula 51
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
xXx
Basic
S.W.A.T.
Coach Carter
xXx: State of the Union
Stars Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
The Man
Freedomland
Snakes on a Plane
Black Snake Moan
Jumper
Soul Men
The Spirit
Iron Man 2
The Other Guys
The Avengers
Django Unchained
Oldboy
Robocop
Captain America: The Winter Solider
Kingsman: The Secret Service 
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Big Game  

Best Performance: Pulp Fiction (1994)
After starting his career with bit parts in major films and leading roles in widely unseen indie movies, Jackson finally got his chance to shine in the spotlight with Pulp Fiction. Jackson dominates every scene he's in as the stylish, vulgar, Bible-quoting hitman Jules Winfield. Jackson's wit, intensity and undeniably cool presence made Winfield one of the most iconic characters of all-time and forced Hollywood to finally take notice of his immense talent as an actor.

Worst Performance: The Man (2005) 
While Jackson is one of the most talented actors currently working in the industry, he has a tendency to take on basically any project that's offered to him. The Man is one of the many films he probably would've been better off staying away from. Jackson unsuccessfully skewers his tough-guy persona as an ATF agent forced to work with a bumbling dental supplies salesman (Eugene Levy) to bring down a major drug ring in this mostly unfunny comedy.

Best Film: Pulp Fiction (1994)
As I said in the Bruce Willis entry of this series(http://maitlandsmadness.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-best-and-worst-of-bruce-willis.html), Pulp Fiction is my favorite film of all-time and I could sit here and hurl accolades at it for hours on end. While Pulp Fiction's brilliance is widely touted by fanboys like myself and movie critics around the globe, one thing that's frequently glossed over in discussions about this film is the impact it had on the career's of those who were involved with it. This film made Quentin Tarantino, Uma Thurman and Jackson household names, brought John Travolta's career back from the brink of extinction and proved to the world that Bruce Willis was far more than just another 80's action star. When film historians 50-100 years from now look back on this film's legacy, I hope they stress just how important this film was in the career trajectory of these Hollywood icons.    

Worst Film: Big Game (2015)
Jackson has dedicated a large part of his career to starring in B-movies. From Snakes on a Plane to Deep Blue Sea to Kingsman: The Secret Service, Jackson has been a part of some of the most insane and entertaining B-movies of the past two decades. Jackson's background and track record of success within genre made his latest over-the top project, Big Game, that much more of a disappointment. Big Game has the ridiculous setup (a 13-year old Finnish boy on a solo hunting trip protects the President of the United States after Air Force One is shot down by terrorists) without any of the fun or tongue-in cheek humor that's required to make B-movies work. The tone is way too serious, the action scenes are infrequent and underwhelming and the actors never embrace the silliness of the material they're working with. 

 Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "The Big Short" star Christian Bale.

Week 12 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
The typically conservative Russell Wilson had an unusually strong passing day in Week 12, throwing for 345 YDS and a career-high 5 TD against the Steelers horrendous secondary. Wilson has taken advantage of his much improved pass protection of late by throwing for a whopping 605 YDS and 8 TD's and completing 76.1% of his passes over the last two games. Wilson's aerial hot streak paired with his top-notch rushing ability make him a very attractive QB1 option for his Week 13 matchup with the Vikings.
Honorable Mentions: Matthew Stafford (Lions), Philip Rivers (Chargers), Tyrod Taylor (Bills)

LVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees simply couldn't get anything going against the suddenly dominant Texans defense throwing for a pedestrian 228 YDS and finishing a game without a TD pass for the first time since 2012. Brees has fallen off quite a bit since his 7 TD performance against the Giants in Week 9 and I would strongly advise his fantasy owners to bench him for the Saints week 13 matchup with the Panthers.
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Jay Cutler (Bears), Brian Hoyer (Texans)

Running Back
MVP: Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
The remarkable 2015 comeback campaign of Adrian Peterson continued in Week 12. The 30-yard old running back carried the Vikings offense on his back yet again, picking up 187 total yards (158 rushing, 29 receiving) and 2 TD's on 31 touches against the Falcons. The Vikings should continue to ride Peterson as they fight for a playoff spot in the ultra-competitive NFC and even with some rough matchups on the docket, he should continue to be best fantasy running backing option for the remainder of the season.
Honorable Mentions: C.J. Anderson (Broncos), Eddie Lacy (Packers), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)

LVP: DeMarco Murray (Eagles)
DeMarco Murray's turkey of a performance on Thanksgiving against the Lions (30 yards on 14 carries) was easily one of the worst outings in a beyond frustrating first season in Philadelphia for the 2014 NFL rushing leader. The combination of a banged-up offensive line that can't open up holes with any form of consistency and a terrible fit in Chip Kelly's uptempo scheme has made Murray one of the biggest fantasy flops of 2015. No team in the NFL has looked as incompetent as the Eagles over the past 2 weeks and I wouldn't bother starting Murray until they show some signs of life.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Frank Gore (Colts), Todd Gurley (Rams)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks)
Doug Baldwin was the primary beneficiary of Russell Wilson's career day, hauling in 145 YDS and 3 TD on 6 receptions. Baldwin should be more involved with the offense now that Jimmy Graham is out for season, but Wilson's tendency to have a new favorite receiver every week makes him nothing more than a boom-or-bust WR3.
Honorable Mentions: Sammy Watkins (Bills), Calvin Johnson (Lions), Brandon Marshall (Jets)

LVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
DeAndre Hopkins' 5 reception/36-yard performance against the Saints in Week 12 might be the biggest single game disappointment of the 2015 fantasy season. Hopkins seemed primed to go off against the Saints 31st-ranked pass defense, but couldn't get anything going despite the fact that he was facing one of the worst cover corners in the NFL in Brandon Browner. Hopkins should draw the attention of excellent rookie cornerback Ronald Darby in a decent, but not overly great matchup with the Bills in Week 13.
Dishonorable Mentions: Michael Floyd (Cardinals), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), Dez Bryant (Cowboys)

Tight End
MVP: Julius Thomas (Jaguars)
After a pretty slow start since returning from minor offseason hand surgery in Week 5, Julius Thomas finally showcased why the Jaguars signed him to a massive deal this past offseason. Thomas was the Jaguars primary source of offense in a dogfight with the Chargers, securing 9 of his 10 targets for 116 YDS and a TD. Thomas' largely unimpressive numbers this year make him a pretty risky play, but his distinction as the Jaguars primary redzone threat makes him worth a look at the talent-barren tight end position.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

LVP: Jason Witten (Cowboys)
It's kind of unfair to pick on Jason Witten since his unproductive day (36 YDS on 4 receptions) against the Panthers stemmed from Tony Romo's nightmare 3 INT performance, but fantasy owners ultimately only care about the results, not what caused them. With Romo now done for the year after re-breaking his clavicle at the end of the 3rd quarter in this horrendous loss, Witten will be reduced to a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 moving forward.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Dolphins), Richard Rogers (Packers), Charles Clay (Bills)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers defense made Tony Romo and the Cowboys big Thanksgiving homecoming a massive nightmare. This widely disrespected defense took advantage of a clearly not 100% Romo by picking up 3 INT and 2 TD in the first half, basically ending the game the halftime. The Cowboys did ultimately put up 14 points (11 of which where scored in garbage time) on the Panthers D, but that was only a small victory for a team whose slim playoff hopes went up in flames after this crushing loss. The Panthers are an elite fantasy defense that could very well end up passing the Broncos as the top fantasy defense by the time the season is over.
Honorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens

LVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The defensive issues the Eagles displayed in Week 11 somehow got even worse in Week 12. Matthew Stafford and the below-average Lions offense hung 45 points on the Eagles without even breaking a sweat. They couldn't even muster a single takeaway to salvage this terrible performance. A top-flight fantasy defense just a few weeks ago, the Eagles are now on the verge of being droppable in both 10-and 12 team leagues.
Dishonorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots 

Week 13 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last Week's Ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (11-0) Week 13 opponent: New Orleans Saints
2. (2) New England Patriots (10-1) Week 13 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
3. (4) Denver Broncos (9-2) Week 13 opponent: San Diego Chargers
4. (3) Arizona Cardinals (9-2) Week 13 opponent: St. Louis Rams
5. (6) Cincinnati Bengals (9-2) Week 13 opponent: Cleveland Browns
6. (8) Minnesota Vikings (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
7. (5) Green Bay Packers (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Detroit Lions
8. (10) Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Oakland Raiders
9. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
10. (12) Seattle Seahawks (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
11. (13) Indianapolis Colts (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
12. (16) Houston Texans (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Buffalo Bills
13. (9) New York Giants (5-6) Week 13 opponent: New York Jets
14. (18) Chicago Bears (5-6) Week 13 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
15. (11) Buffalo Bills (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Houston Texans
16. (17) Oakland Raiders (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
17. (19) New York Jets (6-5) Week 13 opponent: New York Giants
18. (14) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
19. (15) Atlanta Falcons (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. (23) Washington Redskins (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
21. (26) Detroit Lions (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Green Bay Packers
22. (21) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Tennessee Titans
23. (25) Baltimore Ravens (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Miami Dolphins
24. (31) San Diego Chargers (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Denver Broncos
25. (22) Miami Dolphins (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
26. (24) New Orleans Saints (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Carolina Panthers
27. (20) Dallas Cowboys (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Washington Redskins
28. (29) San Francisco 49ers (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Chicago Bears
29. (28) St. Louis Rams (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
30. (30) Tennessee Titans (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
31. (27) Philadelphia Eagles (4-7) Week 13 opponent: New England Patriots
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

Concert Review: August Burns Red-- Worcester, MA-- November 28th, 2015

Massachusetts metal fans had several reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving weekend as metalcore titans August Burns Red brought their first headlining tour for their recently-released record Found in Far Away Places to the Palladium in Worcester on Saturday night. W

Wage War: I arrived late and missed their set. Based on word of-mouth from the crowd, they apparently went over pretty well.

Polyphia: When this tour got announced in late August, I had no clue who Polyphia was. After doing a bit of research around my go-to music review sites, I read a ton of insanely positive things about this young instrumental group.  Despite the fact that I read all of these glowing reviews of their music, I never actually took the time to check out their stuff before the show. After seeing them perform, I officially hate myself for not taking the time to listen to any of their work in the months leading up to the show. Polyphia is without doubt one of the most interesting, talented and badass instrumental groups I've ever heard. Their ability to write wildly technical compositions without delving into empty wankery reminded me a lot of fellow Texas prog metal instrumental act Scale the Summit. While their technical chops were certainly impressive, it was the soaring melodies and catchy riffs that really sold me on these guys. There's a solid number of instrumental bands in the scene right now that are more concerned with displaying their virtuoso musicianship than writing fully fleshed-out songs, so it's great to see a band with the songwriting chops to write dense songs that aren't just an empty excuse to play as fast as humanly possible. Based on what I saw at this show, I believe Polyphia is going to have a bright future in this scene and I really hope that touring with one of the most popular acts in modern metal will get them a lot of new fans.

Stick to Your Guns: It's something that I've said more times than I can remember, but Stick to Your Guns is one of the strongest examples of a band whose music was designed to be heard in a live setting. Their fast, breakdown-filled songs make their shows relentlessly energetic and fun as all hell. While the music itself is naturally chaotic, their live show wouldn't be nearly as crazy it is without the fiery presence of vocalist Jesse Barnett. Barnett brings a level of intensity and passion to the stage that hasn't been seen since the hardcore genre's heyday in the late 80's and early 90's. While their studio material rarely rises above decent, Stick to Your Guns is a special live act that is an absolute must-see for any diehard metal/hardcore fan.

Every Time I Die: Even with vocalist Keith Buckley in a visibly intoxicated state, Every Time I Die still managed to deliver one hell of a performance. This marked the fifth time I've seen these guys live and they never fail to blow me away. Every time they take the stage, they are a wrecking ball of destruction and they're never less than invigorating to watch. Their setlist lacked any real surprises, but still featured a nice mix of material that spanned across their entire discography and did a good job of displaying what the band is all about to the audience members who weren't familiar with their music. What did shock me about their set was how well they were received by the crowd. I was fully expecting them to get a lukewarm reception akin to what they got the first couple of times I saw them on Warped Tour from August Burns Red's predominantly young fanbase, but people were going absolutely insane for them. The pits covered about 90% of the floor and the volume of crowdsurfers was so large that it didn't stop between songs. In short, Every Time I Die slays live and you should probably go see them if they come to your city. 

August Burns Red: Like Every Time I Die, August Burns Red is one of the most consistent live acts in metal and this show was no exception. Just like with their studio material, they continue to push themselves as performers and make noticeable strides as a live act with each tour they go on. While they were still excellent, their show did not get off to the smoothest of starts. The first third of their set was almost exclusively made of songs up that are amongst the weakest in their entire catalog ("Provision", "Meddler", "Beauty in Tragedy", "Salt & Light"). There was nothing objectively wrong with this stretch of the set as they played everything flawlessly, it was just disappointing to see them come out and play so many average songs in a row to start off the set. Thankfully, the song selection following "Beauty in Tragedy" was pretty much flawless and more than made up for any of the issues with the early part of the set. The material from their phenomenal new record Found in Far Away Places ("Identity", "Majoring in the Minors", "Ghosts") sounds even better live and older crowd-favorites "White Washed", "Empire" and "Composure" were great as always. August Burns Red is a band that I will never grow tired of seeing live and I hope they return to Massachusetts on the second leg of their headlining tour for Found in Far Away Places.

Scores:
Polyphia 8/10
Stick to Your Guns 8/10
Every Time I Die 9/10
August Burns Red 9/10

Setlists:
Polyphia:
Champagne
87
Impassion
Transcend
Finale

Every Time I Die:
Moor
Floater
Typical Miracle
Thirst
Decayin' With the Boys
We'rewolf
Ebolarama
The New Black
Roman Holiday
The Marvelous Slut
Idiot
No Son of Mine
Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space
Bored Stiff

August Burns Red:
Martyr
Provision
Back Burner
Meddler
Salt & Light
Beauty in Tragedy
Spirit Breaker
Identity
Carol of the Bells
Composure
Majoring in the Minors
Empire
Ghosts
White Washed 

Encore:
Frosty the Snowman
Fault Line

The Best and Worst of Sylvester Stallone

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "Creed" star Sylvester Stallone.

Films starring Sylvester Stallone that I've seen:
Rocky
Rocky II
Rocky III
First Blood
Rocky IV
Rocky V
Judge Dredd 
Antz
Rocky Balboa
Rambo
The Expendables 
Zookeeper
The Expendables 2
Bullet to the Head
Escape Plan
Grudge Match
The Expendables 3 

Best Performance: Rocky (1976)
Stallone is not exactly known for his acting ability, but he's phenomenal in the film that made him a household name and Rocky Balboa one of the most iconic sports heroes in the history of cinema.

Worst Performance: Grudge Match (2013)

Stallone has never looked more bored or confused on screen than he did in this wildly subpar comedy about a pair of former boxing legends(Stallone and Robert De Niro) engaging in their long-awaited "grudge match", 30 years after stepping away from the sport. Based on his general lack of effort and chemistry with any of the actors he shares the screen with, it's clear that he only took this role for the paycheck.

Best Film: First Blood (1982)
The action genre started to really establish its identity in the 80's and First Blood is one of the most essential films to come out of this decade of innovation and creativity. The action sequences are badass, the tension level never lets up and there's a hefty amount of intelligence and social commentary buried beneath the high body count.  

Worst Film: Rocky V (1990)
Moronic and lacking the winning formula that drove the first four films, Rocky V tarnished the Rocky franchise's previously good name and will go down as one of the most incompetent sequels ever made.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Chi-Raq" star Samuel L. Jackson.   

Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Despite being held in check on the ground (16 yards on 4 carries), Cam Newton managed to put up one of his impressive performances of the year, torching the lowly Redskins defense for 246 YDS and 5 TD through the air. Newton has a good shot of continuing his hot streak against a up-and-down Cowboys defense in Week 12.
Honorable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Carson Palmer (Cardinals)

LVP: Derek Carr (Raiders)
After a pretty excellent start, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has fell into a bit of a slump over the past couple of weeks. While hindered by some huge drops from his receivers, Carr looked pretty shaky against the Lions subpar defense, managing just 169 YDS and 0 TD's on 13/25 passing. Carr will look to redeem himself in Week 12 against the Titans rapidly-declining pass defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Tom Brady (Patriots)

Running Back
MVP: Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
Doug Martin put his recent cold streak to bed in the flashiest possible fashion. Martin carved up an Eagles defense that's typically stout against the run all afternoon, picking up 235 YDS on 27 carries. Martin's insane rushing day paved the way for Jameis Winston's historic 5 TD performance and the Buccaneers surprise blowout road victory over the suddenly imploding Eagles. Martin's return to form after his largely underwhelming 2013 and 2014 campaigns has made him one of the biggest fantasy steals of 2015.
Honorable Mentions: LeSean McCoy (Bills), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

LVP: Danny Woodhead (Chargers)
The Chargers injury-plagued offense was nothing short of horrendous against the Chiefs and their inability to get Danny Woodhead-their most lethal healthy offensive weapon by far- the ball was the primary cause for their struggles. The versatile running back only touched the ball 7 times and finished the game with just 16 total yards. While this poor showing is discouraging, Woodhead is bound to be the featured option in this depleted offense and should remain on the RB2/FLEX radar.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), DeMarco Murray (Eagles), Chris Ivory (Jets)

Wide Receiver
MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Revis Island proved to be no match for Texans wideout DeAndre Hopkins. The 3rd-year breakout star made Revis look silly multiple times during the game and finished the game with 118 yards and 2 TD's on 5 receptions. This performance further validates Hopkins status as a matchup-proof WR1 and one of the most reliable players in all of fantasy football.
Honorable Mentions: James Jones (Packers), Julio Jones (Falcons), DeSean Jackson (Redskins)

LVP: Amari Cooper (Raiders)
While Amari Cooper has mostly been impressive in his inaugural season in the NFL , Week 11 was a showcase of the negative aspects of his game. Cooper (1 REC, 4 YDS) couldn't get much separation from the Lions top corner Darius Slay for most of the game and committed a pair of pivotal drops on his four targets. Cooper's not likely to repeat this disastrous performance in Week 12 against the Titans, but his high volume of drops and inconsistent route-running make him nothing more than a mid-level WR2.   
Dishonorable Mentions: Tavon Austin (Rams), Allen Hurns (Jaguars), Sammy Watkins (Bills)

Tight End
MVP: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Kyle Rudolph emerged as the surprising go-to guy in the Vikings passing offense in Week 11. Rudolph was tied with Stefon Diggs for the team lead in targets and picked up 106 yards and 6 receptions including a beautiful 42-yard touchdown against the Packers horrific secondary. While Rudolph was undeniably excellent against the Packers, The Vikings wishy-washy pass offense and Rudolph's general lack of targets most weeks make him a less-than-stellar fantasy option.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Delanie Walker (Titans)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Last Wednesday, Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore said that his team had a plan to take Rob Gronkowski out of the game. Gronkowski's lackluster statline (2 catches/37 yards on 7 targets) proved that Gilmore wasn't blowing smoke. The Bills stuck multiple defenders on Gronkowski and granted him no open space to run after the catch. Gronkowski is far from a lock to return to his cyborg form against the Broncos physical, top-ranked passing defense in Week 12. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Antonio Gates (Chargers)

Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense continued their recent reign of dominance against the Chargers shell of an offense in Week 11. The Chiefs picked up 3 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery, a touchdown and surrendered just 3 points to Phillip Rivers and co. in the increasingly non-hostile environment of Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The Chiefs could be in store for another huge day if the Bills have to start walking turnover E.J. Manuel over the injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 12.  
Honorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers

LVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense has largely kept the team afloat while their offense has struggled in 2015, but this typically resilient, reliable unit looking anything but in their Week 11 blowout loss at the hands of the Buccaneers. The Eagles ability to generate takeaways and sacks were largely absent (they managed just a single sack and fumble recovery) as they got gassed for 39 points as the Buccaneers found massive success on the ground and through the air. The Eagles have an ideal rebound matchup on Thanksgiving against the turnover-prone and pass-protection challenged offense of the Lions.

Dishonorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks  

Week 12 NFL Power Rankings

()=Last Week's Ranking

1. (1) Carolina Panthers (10-0) Week 12 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
2. (2) New England Patriots (10-0) Week 12 opponent: Denver Broncos
3. (3) Arizona Cardinals (8-2) Week 12 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
4. (7) Denver Broncos (8-2) Week 12 opponent: New England Patriots
5. (9) Green Bay Packers (8-2) Week 12 opponent: Chicago Bears
6. (5) Cincinnati Bengals (8-2) Week 12 opponent: St. Louis Rams
7. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) Week 12 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
8. (4) Minnesota Vikings (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
9. (8) New York Giants (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Washington Redskins
10. (12) Kansas City Chiefs (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Buffalo Bills
11. (10) Buffalo Bills (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
12. (16) Seattle Seahawks (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
13. (15) Indianapolis Colts (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14. (21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
15. (14) Atlanta Falcons (6-4) Week 12 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
16. (22) Houston Texans (5-5) Week 12 opponent: New Orleans Saints
17. (13) Oakland Raiders (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Tennessee Titans
18. (17) Chicago Bears (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Green Bay Packers
19. (11) New York Jets (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Miami Dolphins
20. (31) Dallas Cowboys (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Carolina Panthers
21. (25) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6) Week 12 opponent: San Diego Chargers
22. (20) Miami Dolphins (4-6) Week 12 opponent: New York Jets
23. (18) Washington Redskins (4-6) Week 12 opponent: New York Giants
24. (24) New Orleans Saints (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Houston Texans
25. (26) Baltimore Ravens (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Cleveland Browns
26. (29) Detroit Lions (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
27. (19) Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Detroit Lions
28. (23) St. Louis Rams (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
29. (28) San Francisco 49ers (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
30. (30) Tennessee Titans (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Oakland Raiders
31. (27) San Diego Chargers (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
32. (32) Cleveland Browns (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

Quick Movie Reviews: Spectre, Spotlight, The Night Before

Spectre: The James Bond film released immediately after series standout Skyfall was pretty much bound to be a letdown, but even with lowered expectations, Spectre still manages to underwhelm. Spectre has the look of a spectacle with elaborate setpieces and exotic backdrops galore, but no amount of big-budgeted action scenes and pretty scenery from various locations around the world can disguise how routine this film is. The story especially embodies the pedestrian spy film formula as Bond takes on a tech-savvy global terror group called "Spectre" led by the mysterious Ernst Stavro Blofeld (a criminally underutilized Christoph Waltz), who has been responsible for a majority of the deaths of Bond's loved ones in recent years. This really simple setup is somehow stretched into a nearly two-and-a-half hour film that's often dull, frequently underdeveloped and brings back the overwhelmingly hokey vibe that hasn't been present in the series since Pierce Brosnan played the British superspy. The only thing that saves Spectre from going completely off-the-rails is the work of Daniel Craig. Craig continues to portray Bond in a refreshingly gritty manner and his excellent performance makes even the most trite sequences in this film somewhat bearable. Spectre is a passable, but completely forgettable entry in the Bond series. It would be an absolute shame if this truly was Craig's swan song to Bond. He deserves a much better finale than this.
3/5 Stars

Spotlight: A few times a year, a film will come along and tell a under-the-radar true story that needs to be heard. For 2015, that film is Spotlight. Spotlight tells the story of a group of Boston Globe investigate reporters -known as the "Spotlight" team- who uncover the rampant child molestation among priests in the Boston archdiocese  and susbquent cover-ups by the higher-ups in the Catholic Church. While this story was published in 2002, the general public has somehow largely forgot about it and that makes this film an essential reminder of just how impactful the information the Spotlight team uncovered is. The dramatization of these true-life events does an excellent job of telling this story in a riveting, thoughtful manner by exposing just how widespread the corruption and cover-ups in the Catholic Church ran while also honoring the immense psychical and emotional pain the victims of these heinous cases of abuse endured. The only disappointing aspect of Spotlight is that no one out of the highly talented ensemble cast gives a true standout performance. Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber and Brian d'Arcy James all turn in good performances as the reporters and lawyers that helped bring this story to light, but none of them are memorable enough to draw serious contention for nominations once award season rolls around. Spotlight is one of the finest cinematic accomplishments of 2015 so far and I will not be the least bit surprised if it ends up emerging as the frontrunner for Best Picture.
4/5 Stars

The Night Before: The Night Before sees Seth Rogen and his cohorts finally trying their hand at a holiday film and it ends up being one of the finest projects the polarizing stoner comic icon has ever produced. The Night Before focuses on a group of friends (Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie) in their early 30's enjoying the final installment of their 12-year tradition of partying together on Christmas Eve before they finally accept their various adult responsibilities. The trio is excellent together as they fire off jokes and establishing a friendship that feels entirely believable. The star-studded supporting cast including Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex), Jillian Bell (Workaholics), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Mindy Kaling and a scene-stealing Michael Shannon only adds to the brilliance by manufacturing a ton of laughs in their limited time on screen. The parade of sex-and-drug fueled humor that drives Rogen's films is still very much present here, but what's surprising about The Night Before is just how heartfelt it is. The film's messages about friendship, first-time parenthood, growing up and relationships are intelligent and poignant. Contrary to popular belief Rogen's films aren't always simple stoner comedies with nothing meaningful to say, but even as a longtime fan of his work, I was surprised by how many deep and emotionally-resonant the messages in this film were. With it's non-stop laughs and season-appropriate warmth, The Night Before is an instant holiday classic.
4.5/5 Stars

The Best and Worst of Seth Rogen

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "The Night Before" star Seth Rogen.

Film starring Seth Rogen that I've seen:
Donnie Darko
The 40-Year Old Virgin
You, Me and Dupree 
Knocked Up
Superbad
Kung Fu Panda
Pineapple Express
Zach and Miri Make a Porno
Monsters Vs. Aliens
Observe and Report
Funny People
The Green Hornet
Paul
Kung Fu Panda 2
50/50
The Guilt Trip
This is the End
Neighbors
The Interview
Steve Jobs

Best Performance: This is the End (2013)
Seth Rogen is often accused of playing characters that are too autobiographical, so it's only fitting that his finest work as an actor to-date comes in a film where he actually plays himself. Rogen draws big laughs throughout as he brilliantly skewers his loveable stoner persona and manages to be one of the standout performers in a cast full of comedic heavyweights.

Worst Performance: The Guilt Trip (2012)
Rogen's performance in The Guilt Trip is a textbook example of an actor unsuccessfully leaving their comfort zone. The overly sentimental material paired with the straight-laced nature of the character he's playing results in an uncharacteristically awkward performance from Rogen.  

Best Film: Superbad (2007)
Every decade has a high school comedy that defines it. The 80's had Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The 90's had Dazed and Confused. For the 2000's, this title goes to Superbad. The film only improves upon repeat viewings and the ensemble cast featuring Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Rogen, Bill Hader, Emma Stone and Christopher Mintz-Plasse couldn't be more perfect. As far as I'm concerned, Superbad is the most relatable, hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt high school comedy ever made.

Worst Film: Observe and Report (2009)
Writer/director Jody Hill is responsible for one of the funniest shows to hit the airwaves in the past decade (Eastbound and Down), but his track record on the big screen is nowhere near as impressive. His second film, Observe and Report, covers similarly dark territory as Eastbound and Down with not even a quarter of the laughs. Just about everyone in the movie (namely Rogen and Anna Faris) are woefully miscast in their roles and the film is more often just plain morbid than morbidly funny.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Creed" star Sylvester Stallone.