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
Monday, November 30, 2015
Friday, November 27, 2015
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.
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.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
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
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
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
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
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
Monday, November 23, 2015
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
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
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
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.
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.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Kirk Cousins (Redskins)
Kirk Cousins became the latest quarterback to victimize the Saints abysmal defense (20-25/324 YDS/4 TD) without even breaking a sweat. Despite trending upwards with 8 TD's and 1 INT in his last 3 starts, Cousins 2015 season has been full of glorious highs and soul-crushing lows, and that type of erratic play makes him a risky play in weeks where he doesn't have a creampuff matchup.
Honorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Jay Cutler (Bears), Joe Flacco (Ravens)
LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Peyton Manning may have passed Brett Favre to become the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards during Sunday's game with the Chiefs, but I'm sure he'd like to forget about everything else that happened on the field on November 15th, 2015. Manning played arguably the sloppiest game of his career (5-20/35 YDS/4 INT) and ended up getting pulled for backup Brock Osweiler midway through the 3rd quarter. A slew of both recent and lingering injuries have brought Manning down to earth and forced the future Hall-Of-Famer to finally show his advanced age. Manning's has already been ruled out for Week 11 with a partially torn plantar fascia and unless he's able to make a miraculous turnaround, he won't be viable a fantasy starter whenever he returns.
Dishonorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Drew Brees (Saints), Marcus Mariota (Titans)
Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Langford (Bears)
Even the most optimistic Bears fan couldn't have predicted that Jeremy Langford would play this well in relief of injured superstar running back Matt Forte. Langford did his best Forte impression by crushing the Rams defense in both the rushing and passing game, finishing the afternoon with 182 total yards (73 rushing, 109 receiving) and 2 TD's on 27 touches. As long as Forte is sidelined, Langford's status as a true dual-threat back makes him an excellent RB2 play.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Matt Jones (Redskins)
LVP: Darren McFadden (Cowboys)
Darren McFadden has been impressive since he surpassed the recently-released Joseph Randle on the depth chart and became the Cowboys starting running back, picking up over 100 yards from scrimmage in all 3 of his starts coming into Week 10. That level of production was nowhere to be found this week as McFadden got stuffed all game long by the Buccaneers middling defense, finishing the day with just 58 total yards (32 rushing, 26 receiving) on 20 touches. Even with this weak performance, McFadden is the undisputed top back on a Cowboys team that is committed to running the football. McFadden should be a borderline RB1 in Week 11 against the Dolphins weak rush defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Antonio Andrews (Titans), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Antonio Brown followed up his record-setting day against the Raiders in week 9 with another masterful performance (10 REC, 139 YDS, 2 TD, 1 2-point conversion) against the Browns banged-up secondary in Week 10. Brown's post-bye week schedule is all over the map in terms of matchup difficulty, but he should be locked in as a top-flight WR1 for all of them.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Floyd (Cardinals), Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Brandin Cooks (Saints)
LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
Dez Bryant took a big step back this week after his impressive performance against the Eagles a week ago. Bryant grossly underperformed against a thoroughly terrible Buccaneers secondary, finishing the day with just 45 yards on 5 catches. Matt Cassel looked Bryant's way early and often-targeting him 12 times on his 29 pass attempts-but Bryant was uncharacteristically sloppy, committing 2 drops and running a ton of poor routes throughout the game. The Cowboys offensive woes should come to an end with Tony Romo returning to the lineup in week 11, but Bryant's lack of burst and inconsistency since returning from his foot injury in week 8 is a bit of a cause for concern. Bryant will be a mid-level WR2 until he returns to full health.
Dishonorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Randall Cobb (Packers), Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Shocker of the century: Rob Gronkowski finishes another week at the top of the fantasy tight end rankings. Gronkowski (5 REC/113 YDS/1 TD) was having a relatively quiet game until he snagged a career-long 76-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter that swung the game back into the Patriots direction. Gronkowski continues to play like a man possessed and with Julian Edelman out of the lineup indefinitely with a foot injury, he should be seeing even more targets in the Patriots high-powered offense.
Honorable Mentions: Gary Barnidge (Browns), Jordan Reed (Redskins), Richard Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert was one of the primary victims of the horribly inefficient play of Andy Dalton on Monday night, putting up just 26 yards on 3 receptions in the Bengals ugly loss against the Texans. Eifert probably isn't worth starting in Week 11 as he has a brutal matchup against a Cardinals defense that has surrendered the 4th-least fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Eric Ebron (Lions)
Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense took advantage of Peyton Manning's abundance of miscues to have their finest outing of 2015 so far. The Chiefs picked up 5 sacks and INT's and allowed just 13 points to the Broncos in their shocking victory over the current AFC West leaders. The Chiefs are in the midst of a 3-game winning streak and the play of their defense has been one of the catalysts for their recent success. They'll be a great play against the struggling Chargers offense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans
LVP: Denver Broncos
It's not completely fair to give the Broncos D this distinction because their poor performance is almost entirely attributed to Peyton Manning turning the ball over or failing to sustain a drive for any substantial length of time on every possession. Regardless of the cause, the Broncos defense fantasy performance (29 points allowed, 2 sacks, 0 takeaways, 0 TD) was still an undeniable disappointment, especially considering how dominant they've been this season. The Broncos defense has a good shot of returning to form in Week 11 against a Bears offense that is dealing with a ton of injuries on their offensive line.
Dishonorable Mentions: St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals
MVP: Kirk Cousins (Redskins)
Kirk Cousins became the latest quarterback to victimize the Saints abysmal defense (20-25/324 YDS/4 TD) without even breaking a sweat. Despite trending upwards with 8 TD's and 1 INT in his last 3 starts, Cousins 2015 season has been full of glorious highs and soul-crushing lows, and that type of erratic play makes him a risky play in weeks where he doesn't have a creampuff matchup.
Honorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Jay Cutler (Bears), Joe Flacco (Ravens)
LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Peyton Manning may have passed Brett Favre to become the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards during Sunday's game with the Chiefs, but I'm sure he'd like to forget about everything else that happened on the field on November 15th, 2015. Manning played arguably the sloppiest game of his career (5-20/35 YDS/4 INT) and ended up getting pulled for backup Brock Osweiler midway through the 3rd quarter. A slew of both recent and lingering injuries have brought Manning down to earth and forced the future Hall-Of-Famer to finally show his advanced age. Manning's has already been ruled out for Week 11 with a partially torn plantar fascia and unless he's able to make a miraculous turnaround, he won't be viable a fantasy starter whenever he returns.
Dishonorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Drew Brees (Saints), Marcus Mariota (Titans)
Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Langford (Bears)
Even the most optimistic Bears fan couldn't have predicted that Jeremy Langford would play this well in relief of injured superstar running back Matt Forte. Langford did his best Forte impression by crushing the Rams defense in both the rushing and passing game, finishing the afternoon with 182 total yards (73 rushing, 109 receiving) and 2 TD's on 27 touches. As long as Forte is sidelined, Langford's status as a true dual-threat back makes him an excellent RB2 play.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Matt Jones (Redskins)
LVP: Darren McFadden (Cowboys)
Darren McFadden has been impressive since he surpassed the recently-released Joseph Randle on the depth chart and became the Cowboys starting running back, picking up over 100 yards from scrimmage in all 3 of his starts coming into Week 10. That level of production was nowhere to be found this week as McFadden got stuffed all game long by the Buccaneers middling defense, finishing the day with just 58 total yards (32 rushing, 26 receiving) on 20 touches. Even with this weak performance, McFadden is the undisputed top back on a Cowboys team that is committed to running the football. McFadden should be a borderline RB1 in Week 11 against the Dolphins weak rush defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Antonio Andrews (Titans), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Antonio Brown followed up his record-setting day against the Raiders in week 9 with another masterful performance (10 REC, 139 YDS, 2 TD, 1 2-point conversion) against the Browns banged-up secondary in Week 10. Brown's post-bye week schedule is all over the map in terms of matchup difficulty, but he should be locked in as a top-flight WR1 for all of them.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Floyd (Cardinals), Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Brandin Cooks (Saints)
LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
Dez Bryant took a big step back this week after his impressive performance against the Eagles a week ago. Bryant grossly underperformed against a thoroughly terrible Buccaneers secondary, finishing the day with just 45 yards on 5 catches. Matt Cassel looked Bryant's way early and often-targeting him 12 times on his 29 pass attempts-but Bryant was uncharacteristically sloppy, committing 2 drops and running a ton of poor routes throughout the game. The Cowboys offensive woes should come to an end with Tony Romo returning to the lineup in week 11, but Bryant's lack of burst and inconsistency since returning from his foot injury in week 8 is a bit of a cause for concern. Bryant will be a mid-level WR2 until he returns to full health.
Dishonorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Randall Cobb (Packers), Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)
Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Shocker of the century: Rob Gronkowski finishes another week at the top of the fantasy tight end rankings. Gronkowski (5 REC/113 YDS/1 TD) was having a relatively quiet game until he snagged a career-long 76-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter that swung the game back into the Patriots direction. Gronkowski continues to play like a man possessed and with Julian Edelman out of the lineup indefinitely with a foot injury, he should be seeing even more targets in the Patriots high-powered offense.
Honorable Mentions: Gary Barnidge (Browns), Jordan Reed (Redskins), Richard Rodgers (Packers)
LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert was one of the primary victims of the horribly inefficient play of Andy Dalton on Monday night, putting up just 26 yards on 3 receptions in the Bengals ugly loss against the Texans. Eifert probably isn't worth starting in Week 11 as he has a brutal matchup against a Cardinals defense that has surrendered the 4th-least fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Eric Ebron (Lions)
Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense took advantage of Peyton Manning's abundance of miscues to have their finest outing of 2015 so far. The Chiefs picked up 5 sacks and INT's and allowed just 13 points to the Broncos in their shocking victory over the current AFC West leaders. The Chiefs are in the midst of a 3-game winning streak and the play of their defense has been one of the catalysts for their recent success. They'll be a great play against the struggling Chargers offense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans
LVP: Denver Broncos
It's not completely fair to give the Broncos D this distinction because their poor performance is almost entirely attributed to Peyton Manning turning the ball over or failing to sustain a drive for any substantial length of time on every possession. Regardless of the cause, the Broncos defense fantasy performance (29 points allowed, 2 sacks, 0 takeaways, 0 TD) was still an undeniable disappointment, especially considering how dominant they've been this season. The Broncos defense has a good shot of returning to form in Week 11 against a Bears offense that is dealing with a ton of injuries on their offensive line.
Dishonorable Mentions: St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals
Week 11 NFL Power Rankings
()= Last week's ranking
1. (3) Carolina Panthers (9-0) Week 11 opponent: Washington Redskins
2. (1) New England Patriots (9-0) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills
3. (5) Arizona Cardinals (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
4. (6) Minnesota Vikings (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers
5. (2) Cincinnati Bengals (8-1) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
6. (9) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
7. (4) Denver Broncos (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears
8. (10) New York Giants (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
9. (7) Green Bay Packers (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
10. (14) Buffalo Bills (5-4) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots
11. (8) New York Jets (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans
12. (19) Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) Week 11 opponent: San Diego Chargers
13. (12) Oakland Raiders (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions
14. (18) Atlanta Falcons (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
15. (15) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
16. (13) Seattle Seahawks (4-5) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
17. (20) Chicago Bears (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Denver Broncos
18. (21) Washington Redskins (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers
19. (16) Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. (23) Miami Dolphins (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
21. (24) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
22. (25) Houston Texans (4-5) Week 11 opponent: New York Jets
23. (11) St. Louis Rams (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
24. (17) New Orleans Saints (4-6) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
25. (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans
26. (22) Baltimore Ravens (2-7) Week 11 opponent: St. Louis Rams
27. (27) San Diego Chargers (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
28. (28) San Francisco 49ers (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
29. (32) Detroit Lions (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Oakland Raiders
30. (26) Tennessee Titans (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
31. (29) Dallas Cowboys (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins
32. (31) Cleveland Browns (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
1. (3) Carolina Panthers (9-0) Week 11 opponent: Washington Redskins
2. (1) New England Patriots (9-0) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills
3. (5) Arizona Cardinals (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
4. (6) Minnesota Vikings (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers
5. (2) Cincinnati Bengals (8-1) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
6. (9) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
7. (4) Denver Broncos (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears
8. (10) New York Giants (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
9. (7) Green Bay Packers (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
10. (14) Buffalo Bills (5-4) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots
11. (8) New York Jets (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans
12. (19) Kansas City Chiefs (4-5) Week 11 opponent: San Diego Chargers
13. (12) Oakland Raiders (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions
14. (18) Atlanta Falcons (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
15. (15) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
16. (13) Seattle Seahawks (4-5) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
17. (20) Chicago Bears (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Denver Broncos
18. (21) Washington Redskins (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers
19. (16) Philadelphia Eagles (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
20. (23) Miami Dolphins (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
21. (24) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
22. (25) Houston Texans (4-5) Week 11 opponent: New York Jets
23. (11) St. Louis Rams (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
24. (17) New Orleans Saints (4-6) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
25. (30) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Tennessee Titans
26. (22) Baltimore Ravens (2-7) Week 11 opponent: St. Louis Rams
27. (27) San Diego Chargers (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
28. (28) San Francisco 49ers (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
29. (32) Detroit Lions (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Oakland Raiders
30. (26) Tennessee Titans (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
31. (29) Dallas Cowboys (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins
32. (31) Cleveland Browns (2-8) Week 11 opponent: Bye Week
Monday, November 16, 2015
Concert Review: Parkway Drive-- Boston, MA-- November 15th, 2015
Australian metalcore act Parkway Drive have made their long-awaited return to the United States for their first American headlining tour since March/April 2013. The month-long trek- which features Miss May I and fellow Aussies Thy Art is Murder and In Hearts Wake in support-to promote their new album Ire stormed into the House of Blues in Boston, Massachusetts last night and proved once again with their fierce performance why they're one of the biggest powerhouses in modern metal.
In Hearts Wake: They had already finished up by the time I got to the venue. I'm not really familiar with their stuff and what little I had heard of their material didn't impress me, so missing their set didn't bother me in the slightest.
Thy Art is Murder: Anyone that's looking for a tutorial on how to do deathcore right needs to go to a Thy Art is Murder show. The breakdowns are colossal, their energy is off-the-charts, and C.J McMahon is an incredible vocalist whose vocals only become more powerful and sinister in a live setting. Aside from the head-scratching decision to open with the mid-paced "Absolute Genocide" from their new record Holy War, their setlist was pretty great. The material from Holy War sounded excellent live and the trio of cuts ("Shadow of Eternal Sin", "The Purest Strain of Hate", "Reign of Darkness") from their breakout album Hate hit as hard as ever. In a very hit-or-miss genre that's been rapidly losing steam over the past several years, Thy Art is Murder remains a reliably great act that's at their best in a live environment.
Miss May I: This marked the third time I've seen Miss May I this year and per usual, they were pretty solid. The biggest difference between this go-round and the previous two times I'd seen them in 2015 was the emphasis on material from their recently-released album Deathless and the improved clean vocals from Ryan Neff. Deathless is the best album they've put out since 2010's Monument and the more technical and catchy nature of the songs from that album made this performance more enjoyable than the other times I've seen them. As for Neff, he's shown a substantial amount of improvement as a vocalist since the first time I saw them back in 2012. He was the weakest aspect of the band's live shows for a long time, but this time around his strong, clear vocals made him their standout performer. Miss May I will never be a band that blows you away with their performance, but their consistency and high energy levels make them a more than respectable live act.
Parkway Drive: After seeing them at Warped Tour 2010 and 2014 and being a fan of theirs for seven years or so, last night marked the first time I got to see Parkway Drive headline. To be completely honest, I wasn't nearly excited as I should've been to see them because of how underwhelming their new record Ire is. Ire is the first of their records that I didn't enjoy and I was concerned that the wealth of material they were bound to play from it was going to ruin the show for me. Once again, my worries about were quickly put at ease once when they broke out a pair of Ire tracks in "Destroyer" and "Dying to Believe" to open up the set. The massive riffs, gang vocals and cheesy breakdowns made these tracks rousing and fun as hell live. "Destroyer", "Dying to Believe" and the rest of the material from Ire may be simplistic and disjointed, but it thrives in a live setting. While the Ire material was surprisingly impressive, the older material still made up a majority of the high points of the set. "Carrion", "Idols and Anchors" and "Romance is Dead" saw vocalist Winston McCall conjuring up his finest vocal performances of the night and garnered some of the strongest crowd reactions of the night. While Parkway Drive slays whatever songs they play, these tracks from their first two records (2005's Killing with a Smile and 2007's Horizons) stand a cut above everything else they've ever done. Hopefully the strong reactions to the aforementioned tracks inspire them to play more old material on their next headliner. Parkway Drive is one of the genre's truly elite live acts and I hope that they'll do another headlining tour in the States before too long.
Side Notes:
-Parkway Drive guitarist Jeff Ling tore his hamstring in a surfing accident a couple of weeks before this tour started and was forced to perform in a wheelchair. Ling didn't let the constraints of a wheelchair take him out as he was often smiling and exuding as much energy as he possibly could given his condition.
-To make Ling feel more involved in the show, bassist Jia O'Connor went over and spun him around the stage at numerous points throughout the set.
-A kid on the floor was having someone from the mezzanine section throw open beers down to him. Remarkably, he caught every single one without spilling a substantial amount on anyone else.
-A couple standing in front of me and my friends was practically having clothed sex during Thy Art is Murder and Miss May I. It was equal parts hilarious, confusing and disgusting.
Scores:
Thy Art is Murder 8/10
Miss May I 7.5/10
Parkway Drive 9/10
Setlists:
Thy Art is Murder:
Absolute Genocide
Coffin Dragger
The Purest Strain of Hate
Shadow of Eternal Sin
Reign of Darkness
Light Bearer
Holy War
Miss May I:
I.H.E.
Relentless Chaos
Bastards Left Behind
Our Kings
Deathless
Masses of A Dying Breed
Turn Back the Time
Hey Mister
Parkway Drive:
Destroyer
Dying to Believe
Carrion
Karma
Dark Days
Vice Grip
Idols and Anchors
Deliver Me
Wild Eyes
Bottom Feeder
Romance is Dead
Encore:
Crushed
Home is for the Heartless
In Hearts Wake: They had already finished up by the time I got to the venue. I'm not really familiar with their stuff and what little I had heard of their material didn't impress me, so missing their set didn't bother me in the slightest.
Thy Art is Murder: Anyone that's looking for a tutorial on how to do deathcore right needs to go to a Thy Art is Murder show. The breakdowns are colossal, their energy is off-the-charts, and C.J McMahon is an incredible vocalist whose vocals only become more powerful and sinister in a live setting. Aside from the head-scratching decision to open with the mid-paced "Absolute Genocide" from their new record Holy War, their setlist was pretty great. The material from Holy War sounded excellent live and the trio of cuts ("Shadow of Eternal Sin", "The Purest Strain of Hate", "Reign of Darkness") from their breakout album Hate hit as hard as ever. In a very hit-or-miss genre that's been rapidly losing steam over the past several years, Thy Art is Murder remains a reliably great act that's at their best in a live environment.
Miss May I: This marked the third time I've seen Miss May I this year and per usual, they were pretty solid. The biggest difference between this go-round and the previous two times I'd seen them in 2015 was the emphasis on material from their recently-released album Deathless and the improved clean vocals from Ryan Neff. Deathless is the best album they've put out since 2010's Monument and the more technical and catchy nature of the songs from that album made this performance more enjoyable than the other times I've seen them. As for Neff, he's shown a substantial amount of improvement as a vocalist since the first time I saw them back in 2012. He was the weakest aspect of the band's live shows for a long time, but this time around his strong, clear vocals made him their standout performer. Miss May I will never be a band that blows you away with their performance, but their consistency and high energy levels make them a more than respectable live act.
Parkway Drive: After seeing them at Warped Tour 2010 and 2014 and being a fan of theirs for seven years or so, last night marked the first time I got to see Parkway Drive headline. To be completely honest, I wasn't nearly excited as I should've been to see them because of how underwhelming their new record Ire is. Ire is the first of their records that I didn't enjoy and I was concerned that the wealth of material they were bound to play from it was going to ruin the show for me. Once again, my worries about were quickly put at ease once when they broke out a pair of Ire tracks in "Destroyer" and "Dying to Believe" to open up the set. The massive riffs, gang vocals and cheesy breakdowns made these tracks rousing and fun as hell live. "Destroyer", "Dying to Believe" and the rest of the material from Ire may be simplistic and disjointed, but it thrives in a live setting. While the Ire material was surprisingly impressive, the older material still made up a majority of the high points of the set. "Carrion", "Idols and Anchors" and "Romance is Dead" saw vocalist Winston McCall conjuring up his finest vocal performances of the night and garnered some of the strongest crowd reactions of the night. While Parkway Drive slays whatever songs they play, these tracks from their first two records (2005's Killing with a Smile and 2007's Horizons) stand a cut above everything else they've ever done. Hopefully the strong reactions to the aforementioned tracks inspire them to play more old material on their next headliner. Parkway Drive is one of the genre's truly elite live acts and I hope that they'll do another headlining tour in the States before too long.
Side Notes:
-Parkway Drive guitarist Jeff Ling tore his hamstring in a surfing accident a couple of weeks before this tour started and was forced to perform in a wheelchair. Ling didn't let the constraints of a wheelchair take him out as he was often smiling and exuding as much energy as he possibly could given his condition.
-To make Ling feel more involved in the show, bassist Jia O'Connor went over and spun him around the stage at numerous points throughout the set.
-A kid on the floor was having someone from the mezzanine section throw open beers down to him. Remarkably, he caught every single one without spilling a substantial amount on anyone else.
-A couple standing in front of me and my friends was practically having clothed sex during Thy Art is Murder and Miss May I. It was equal parts hilarious, confusing and disgusting.
Scores:
Thy Art is Murder 8/10
Miss May I 7.5/10
Parkway Drive 9/10
Setlists:
Thy Art is Murder:
Absolute Genocide
Coffin Dragger
The Purest Strain of Hate
Shadow of Eternal Sin
Reign of Darkness
Light Bearer
Holy War
Miss May I:
I.H.E.
Relentless Chaos
Bastards Left Behind
Our Kings
Deathless
Masses of A Dying Breed
Turn Back the Time
Hey Mister
Parkway Drive:
Destroyer
Dying to Believe
Carrion
Karma
Dark Days
Vice Grip
Idols and Anchors
Deliver Me
Wild Eyes
Bottom Feeder
Romance is Dead
Encore:
Crushed
Home is for the Heartless
Saturday, November 14, 2015
The Best and Worst of Brad Pitt
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 "By the Sea" star Brad Pitt.
Films starring Brad Pitt that I've seen:
True Romance
Seven
Fight Club
Snatch
Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Twelve
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Ocean's Thirteen
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Burn After Reading
Inglorious Basterds
The Tree of Life
Moneyball
Killing Them Softly
World War Z
12 Years a Slave
The Counselor
Fury
(Note: Due to time constraints and the lateness of this post, this installment will be abbreviated)
Best Performance: Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Pitt's charismatic and often hilarious performance makes Lt. Aldo Raine one of the most memorable characters to ever appear in a Quentin Tarantino film.
Worst Performance: The Tree of Life (2011)
This horrid performance (Pitt spends just about every moment he's on screen yelling at his kids) can entirely be blamed on the film's writer/director's Terrence Malick. Malick prefers employing painfully obvious symbolism and gratuitous nature shots to tell a story over actually writing a script with any substance or coherence, reducing Pitt to a thankless, woefully underwritten role in his hollow, pseudo-philosophical examination of the "true" meaning of life.
Best Film: Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club is one of those rare movies that renders you speechless after you've finished watching it. This film is an intelligent, flawlessly-acted, mind-bending, hilarious and brutal piece of satire that is easily in my top five favorite movies of all-time.
Worst Film: The Tree of Life (2011)
Pretentious, meandering and utterly pointless, The Tree of Life is all of the worst elements of independent cinema rolled into one insufferable snoozefest of a movie.
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 Night Before" star Seth Rogen .
Films starring Brad Pitt that I've seen:
True Romance
Seven
Fight Club
Snatch
Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Twelve
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Ocean's Thirteen
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Burn After Reading
Inglorious Basterds
The Tree of Life
Moneyball
Killing Them Softly
World War Z
12 Years a Slave
The Counselor
Fury
(Note: Due to time constraints and the lateness of this post, this installment will be abbreviated)
Best Performance: Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Pitt's charismatic and often hilarious performance makes Lt. Aldo Raine one of the most memorable characters to ever appear in a Quentin Tarantino film.
Worst Performance: The Tree of Life (2011)
This horrid performance (Pitt spends just about every moment he's on screen yelling at his kids) can entirely be blamed on the film's writer/director's Terrence Malick. Malick prefers employing painfully obvious symbolism and gratuitous nature shots to tell a story over actually writing a script with any substance or coherence, reducing Pitt to a thankless, woefully underwritten role in his hollow, pseudo-philosophical examination of the "true" meaning of life.
Best Film: Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club is one of those rare movies that renders you speechless after you've finished watching it. This film is an intelligent, flawlessly-acted, mind-bending, hilarious and brutal piece of satire that is easily in my top five favorite movies of all-time.
Worst Film: The Tree of Life (2011)
Pretentious, meandering and utterly pointless, The Tree of Life is all of the worst elements of independent cinema rolled into one insufferable snoozefest of a movie.
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 Night Before" star Seth Rogen .
Friday, November 13, 2015
Concert Review: The Weeknd-- Worcester, MA-- November 12th, 2015
No one in the music industry has had a bigger 2015 than Canadian R&B/pop act The Weeknd. He's had a trio of megahits in "Earned It", "Can't Feel My Face" and "The Hills", and his new album Beauty Behind the Madness, became his first ever number one debut on the Billboard 200 chart and picked up a gold certification (500,000 sales) from the RIAA less than two months after its initial release. The Weeknd is wrapping up his stellar 2015 in the most fitting way possible: hitting the road with longtime friends Travi$ Scott and Banks for a massive North American headlining tour. This star-studded tour package -appropriately dubbed "The Madness tour"- rolled into the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts last night and managed to be a night full of fantastic performances from three of the fastest rising artists on the planet right now.
Travi$ Scott got thing started promptly at the scheduled 7:30 start time. After experiencing the lip-synching trainwreck that is Rae Sremmurd live a couple of weeks ago, I was kind of paranoid that the AutoTune-loving Scott was going to pull off something similar. Thankfully Scott didn't share Rae Sremmurd's laziness and actually perfromed his material live. He certainly wasn't perfect (he stumbled on a dozen or so lines during his half-hour set), but at least he was putting in the effort to actually rap and not just jamming out to his backing tracks like a moron. What Scott lacks for in precision he makes up for with stage presence. Scott is a bona fide showman with a flare for getting a crowd from 0-to-100 in mere seconds and love of jumping off of anything that's surrounding him on stage. I'm willing to bet that his headlining shows in the far-less-restrictive setting of a club venue are completely fucking insane. Scott's show nicely set the tone for a really fun night and I would happily go see him again in the future.
Direct support act and The Weeknd's frequent touring partner, Banks, was up next. Like The Weeknd, Banks is a powerhouse vocalist who makes dark, atmospheric R&B that's packed with raw emotion and vulnerability. Despite some issues with the sound mix and the overwhelming production on a few of her songs ("Fuck Em Only We Know", "Drowning", "Beggin for Thread") muddling her vocals, Banks' live show was really impressive. The opening 1/2 punch of "Alibi" and "This is What It Feels Like" was a spectacular showcase for her immense vocal talent. The range and sheer power of her vocals on these tracks left me in chills. The rest of the set failed to match the heights of the opening tracks, but she still sounded great as she ripped through most of the choice cuts from her 2014 breakout debut album Goddess. While Banks left a positive impression on me, a majority of the crowd didn't share my enthusiasm. I don't know if it was because of her reserved stage presence or the melancholy nature of her music, but the room was basically dead the entire time she performed. Banks' stoic stage presence and lack of crowd interaction will surely turn some people off, but for fans of hers who don't demand a riveting stage show, the strength of her vocals make her live show well worth experiencing.
The Weeknd took his sweet-ass time getting to the stage, starting his set nearly 45 minutes after Banks finished her set. That being said, the long wait proved to be well worth it as The Weeknd came out and killed it for the duration of his nearly 2-hour set. With the exception of some pyro during "The Hills" and the "King of the Fall"/"Crew Love"/"Or Nah"/"Professional" medley, his setup was pretty low-key for an arena show. I've seen a lot of artists go overboard with stage production when they first blow up, so it was cool to see someone go relatively light on theatrics on their first-ever full North American tour in 10,000+ capacity venues. Instead, The Weeknd opted to let his voice serve as the centerpiece of his show and when you have as much as talent as he has, that's all you need. I had unfairly high expectations for The Weeknd's vocal performance coming into the show based on the quality of his albums and various live videos I've seen over the years and he still managed to blow them away. There wasn't even a single note where he fell flat and the vocals on an overwhelming majority of the songs managed to exceed the studio recordings. There is no doubt in my mind that The Weeknd's vocals performance is one of, if not the strongest live vocal performance I've ever seen. While his vocals impressed the hell of me, the most endearing aspect of The Weeknd's show was how willing he was to stray from the studio material. About 75% of the songs he played on the night featured some kind of prominent variation from the studio version. The decisions to perform nearly a capella versions of "Earned It" and "Wicked Games", a downtempo version of "In the Night" using the first verse of "D.D" as an intro and to sing the rapped verse on "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls" were particularly brilliant and led to some of the most special single-song performances I've ever seen live. My only serious complaint was the he didn't play any of his older songs (with the notable exception of "Wicked Games") all the way through. While he played enough of the songs for them to still be satisfying, it was kind of aggravating that he cut all of the material from House of Balloons-which I consider to be his best work to-date-and Thursday short by a full minute or so when he didn't do the same with any of the new material that didn't feature guest verses. The Weeknd's live show reaffirms why he is one of the most gifted musicians of his generation and the undisputed torchbearer for modern pop music. If you're even a casual fan of his work and this tour is coming to your city, you need to go out and buy tickets IMMEDIATELY.
Side Notes:
-The Weeknd played Beauty Behind the Madness in its entirety. A majority of it was great, but the trio of filler tracks ("Angel", "Dark Times", "As You Are") were still dull as hell live.
-The Weeknd cutting his performance of "The Morning" off right before the "Ain't the type a girl you'll be seeing in the morning" part after the second chorus made me really sad.
-The Weeknd gave multiple extended shoutouts to his band during his set (I'm well aware I'm lame as hell for thinking that's cool).
-After seeing it up close, I can now confirm that The Weeknd's hair is the eight wonder of the world.
-Banks is fucking gorgeous in person.
-Props to Travi$ Scott for being the only act on the bill to address the crowd as Worcester and not Boston.
Scores:
Travi$ Scott 7.5/10
Banks 8/10
The Weeknd 9/10
Setlists:
Travi$ Scott:
Pornography
Pray 4 Love
Mamacita
Don't Play
Upper Echelon
90210
Drugs You Should Try It
Oh My Dis Side
3500
Antidote
Banks:
Alibi
This is What It Feels Like
Brain
Goddess
Fuck Em Only We Know
Drowning
Waiting Game
Beggin for Thread
The Weeknd:
Real Life
Losers
Acquainted
Often
High for This
The Party & The After Party
King of the Fall/Crew Love(Drake cover)/Or Nah (Ty Dolla $ign cover)/Professional
The Morning
House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls
Tell Your Friends
The Birds Part 1
Shameless
Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)
Dark Times
As You Are
Angel
D.D./In the Night
Prisoner
The Hills
Encore:
Wicked Games
Travi$ Scott got thing started promptly at the scheduled 7:30 start time. After experiencing the lip-synching trainwreck that is Rae Sremmurd live a couple of weeks ago, I was kind of paranoid that the AutoTune-loving Scott was going to pull off something similar. Thankfully Scott didn't share Rae Sremmurd's laziness and actually perfromed his material live. He certainly wasn't perfect (he stumbled on a dozen or so lines during his half-hour set), but at least he was putting in the effort to actually rap and not just jamming out to his backing tracks like a moron. What Scott lacks for in precision he makes up for with stage presence. Scott is a bona fide showman with a flare for getting a crowd from 0-to-100 in mere seconds and love of jumping off of anything that's surrounding him on stage. I'm willing to bet that his headlining shows in the far-less-restrictive setting of a club venue are completely fucking insane. Scott's show nicely set the tone for a really fun night and I would happily go see him again in the future.
Direct support act and The Weeknd's frequent touring partner, Banks, was up next. Like The Weeknd, Banks is a powerhouse vocalist who makes dark, atmospheric R&B that's packed with raw emotion and vulnerability. Despite some issues with the sound mix and the overwhelming production on a few of her songs ("Fuck Em Only We Know", "Drowning", "Beggin for Thread") muddling her vocals, Banks' live show was really impressive. The opening 1/2 punch of "Alibi" and "This is What It Feels Like" was a spectacular showcase for her immense vocal talent. The range and sheer power of her vocals on these tracks left me in chills. The rest of the set failed to match the heights of the opening tracks, but she still sounded great as she ripped through most of the choice cuts from her 2014 breakout debut album Goddess. While Banks left a positive impression on me, a majority of the crowd didn't share my enthusiasm. I don't know if it was because of her reserved stage presence or the melancholy nature of her music, but the room was basically dead the entire time she performed. Banks' stoic stage presence and lack of crowd interaction will surely turn some people off, but for fans of hers who don't demand a riveting stage show, the strength of her vocals make her live show well worth experiencing.
The Weeknd took his sweet-ass time getting to the stage, starting his set nearly 45 minutes after Banks finished her set. That being said, the long wait proved to be well worth it as The Weeknd came out and killed it for the duration of his nearly 2-hour set. With the exception of some pyro during "The Hills" and the "King of the Fall"/"Crew Love"/"Or Nah"/"Professional" medley, his setup was pretty low-key for an arena show. I've seen a lot of artists go overboard with stage production when they first blow up, so it was cool to see someone go relatively light on theatrics on their first-ever full North American tour in 10,000+ capacity venues. Instead, The Weeknd opted to let his voice serve as the centerpiece of his show and when you have as much as talent as he has, that's all you need. I had unfairly high expectations for The Weeknd's vocal performance coming into the show based on the quality of his albums and various live videos I've seen over the years and he still managed to blow them away. There wasn't even a single note where he fell flat and the vocals on an overwhelming majority of the songs managed to exceed the studio recordings. There is no doubt in my mind that The Weeknd's vocals performance is one of, if not the strongest live vocal performance I've ever seen. While his vocals impressed the hell of me, the most endearing aspect of The Weeknd's show was how willing he was to stray from the studio material. About 75% of the songs he played on the night featured some kind of prominent variation from the studio version. The decisions to perform nearly a capella versions of "Earned It" and "Wicked Games", a downtempo version of "In the Night" using the first verse of "D.D" as an intro and to sing the rapped verse on "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls" were particularly brilliant and led to some of the most special single-song performances I've ever seen live. My only serious complaint was the he didn't play any of his older songs (with the notable exception of "Wicked Games") all the way through. While he played enough of the songs for them to still be satisfying, it was kind of aggravating that he cut all of the material from House of Balloons-which I consider to be his best work to-date-and Thursday short by a full minute or so when he didn't do the same with any of the new material that didn't feature guest verses. The Weeknd's live show reaffirms why he is one of the most gifted musicians of his generation and the undisputed torchbearer for modern pop music. If you're even a casual fan of his work and this tour is coming to your city, you need to go out and buy tickets IMMEDIATELY.
Side Notes:
-The Weeknd played Beauty Behind the Madness in its entirety. A majority of it was great, but the trio of filler tracks ("Angel", "Dark Times", "As You Are") were still dull as hell live.
-The Weeknd cutting his performance of "The Morning" off right before the "Ain't the type a girl you'll be seeing in the morning" part after the second chorus made me really sad.
-The Weeknd gave multiple extended shoutouts to his band during his set (I'm well aware I'm lame as hell for thinking that's cool).
-After seeing it up close, I can now confirm that The Weeknd's hair is the eight wonder of the world.
-Banks is fucking gorgeous in person.
-Props to Travi$ Scott for being the only act on the bill to address the crowd as Worcester and not Boston.
Scores:
Travi$ Scott 7.5/10
Banks 8/10
The Weeknd 9/10
Setlists:
Travi$ Scott:
Pornography
Pray 4 Love
Mamacita
Don't Play
Upper Echelon
90210
Drugs You Should Try It
Oh My Dis Side
3500
Antidote
Banks:
Alibi
This is What It Feels Like
Brain
Goddess
Fuck Em Only We Know
Drowning
Waiting Game
Beggin for Thread
The Weeknd:
Real Life
Losers
Acquainted
Often
High for This
The Party & The After Party
King of the Fall/Crew Love(Drake cover)/Or Nah (Ty Dolla $ign cover)/Professional
The Morning
House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls
Tell Your Friends
The Birds Part 1
Shameless
Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)
Dark Times
As You Are
Angel
D.D./In the Night
Prisoner
The Hills
Encore:
Wicked Games
Thursday, November 12, 2015
2015 NFL Mid-Season Awards
MVP: Tom Brady, quarterback (Patriots)
It's unclear whether or not Tom Brady's 2015 campaign is a vengeance-fueled quest against the NFL for the Deflategate investgation , but there's no denying that he's been playing at an absurdly high level all season long. Brady has strung together one of the best seasons of his storied career (22 TD's, 2 INT's, 68.6 CMP%, 113.5 QBR in 8 starts) at the ripe old age of 38 and appears to be poised to lead the Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl victory in the last 15 seasons.
Offensive Player of the Year: DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver (Texans)
No non-quarterback in the NFL has single-handedly accounted for more of their team's offense than Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Despite facing consistent double and triple coverage and having the tandem of Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett throwing him the ball, Hopkins has amassed 66 receptions (4th in the league), 870 yards (3rd in the league), and 6 TD's (tied for 6th in the league) in the first 8 games of the year.
Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Jordan, defensive end (Saints)
Largely under-the-radar because of how terrible the Saints defense is on the whole, Cameron Jordan has Jordan has been wreaking havoc on opposing backfields at an unprecedented rate all season long. The criminally underrated defensive end has picked up a league-high 47 QB pressures, 11 QB hits, 6 sacks and 4 passes defensed through 9 games.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Todd Gurley, running back (Rams)
Todd Gurley is the rare highly-touted college prospect to live up to the immense hype that surrounded him when he entered the NFL. Despite missing the first 2 games of the season recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last year as a Georgia Bulldog, Gurley is in the midst of one of the impressive rookie seasons in NFL history, rushing for a ridiculous 664 yards (including 4 100+ yard outings) and 4 TD's in his first 6 games as a pro.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ronald Darby, cornerback (Bills)
In a year where the Bills defense has largely underwhelmed, Ronald Darby has been a major bright spot. Darby-a Florida State product selected in the 2nd round- has made a seemingly effortless transition to the NFL at a position in which it's notoriously difficult to do so. Darby has held the likes of A.J. Green and Odell Beckham Jr. to under 40 yards receiving and is currently ranked as the 4th-best corner in the league on Pro Football Focus for 2015, posting a higher overall grade than the likes of Richard Sherman, Vontae Davis and Patrick Peterson.
Comeback Player of the Year: Danny Trevathan, inside linebacker (Broncos)
Danny Trevathan has returned to form in a big way after missing 13 games with a knee injury last season. Trevathan has been been a major cog in the Broncos top-ranked defense, picking up 60 tackles (2nd on the team behind Brandon Marshall and tied for 23rd in the league overall) and defending 3 passes.
Coach of the Year: Jack Del Rio (Raiders)
The Raiders have been the surprise team of the year so far and the work of head coach Jack Del Rio is largely responsible for that success. Del Rio has gotten the most out of his young players and veterans that were considered to be DOA and has a long-suffering franchise trending upward for the first time since their devastating Super Bowl loss in 2002.
Top 10 Best Players by Position
*Indicates player who missed time with injury and/or is now on injured reserve
Quarterback
10.Tyrod Taylor (Bills)*
9.Eli Manning (Giants)
8.Drew Brees (Saints)
7.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)*
6.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
5.Derek Carr (Raiders)
4.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
3.Andy Dalton (Bengals)
2.Carson Palmer (Cardinals)
1.Tom Brady (Patriots)
Running Back
10.Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)*
9.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
8.Latavius Murray (Raiders)
7.Mark Ingram (Saints)
6.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
5.Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
4.Matt Forte (Bears)*
3.Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)*
2.Todd Gurley (Rams)*
1.Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Wide Receiver
10.Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
9.Brandon Marshall (Jets)
8.Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
7.Steve Smith Sr. (Ravens)*
6.Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)*
5.Keenan Allen (Chargers)*
4.Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
3.Julio Jones (Falcons)
2.Antonio Brown (Steelers)
1.DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Tight End
10.Zach Ertz (Eagles)
9.Benjamin Watson (Saints)
8.Jordan Reed (Redskins)*
7.Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
6.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
5.Delanie Walker (Titans)*
4.Greg Olsen (Panthers)
3.Gary Barnidge (Browns)
2.Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
1.Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Tackle
10.Jared Veldheer (Cardinals)
9.Jake Matthews (Falcons)
8.Joe Staley (49ers)
7.Cordy Glenn (Bills)
6.Trent Williams (Redskins)*
5.Jason Peters (Eagles)*
4.Andrew Whitworth (Bengals)
3.Joe Thomas (Browns)
2.Terron Armstead (Saints)
1.Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
Guard
10.Kelechi Osemele (Ravens)
9.Josh Sitton (Packers)
8.Jack Mewhort (Colts)
7.Justin Pugh (Giants)
6.Trai Turner (Panthers)
5.Gabe Jackson (Raiders)
4.Evan Mathis (Broncos)
3.Richie Incognito (Bills)
2.Zach Martin (Cowboys)
1.Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
Center
10.Joe Berger (Vikings)
9.Mike Pouncey (Dolphins)
8.Stefen Wisnewski (Jaguars)
7.Alex Mack (Browns)
6.Weston Richburg (Giants)
5.Eric Wood (Bills)
4.Max Unger (Saints)
3.Rodney Hudson (Raiders)
2.Travis Fredrick (Cowboys)
1.Ryan Kalil (Panthers)
Defensive End
10.Fletcher Cox (Eagles)
9.Cameron Heyward (Steelers)
8.Greg Hardy (Cowboys)*
7.Chandler Jones (Patriots)
6.Cameron Wake (Dolphins)*
5.Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets)
4.Cliff Avril (Seahawks)
3.J.J. Watt (Texans)
2.Michael Bennett (Seahawks)
1.Cameron Jordan (Saints)
Defensive Tackle
10.Jonathan Hankins (Giants)*
9.Dan Williams (Raiders)
8.Jurrell Casey (Titans)
7.Ndamukong Suh (Dolphins)
6.Jordan Hill (Seahawks)
5.Brandon Williams (Ravens)
4.Linval Joseph (Vikings)
3.Geno Atkins (Bengals)
2.Kawann Short (Panthers)
1.Aaron Donald (Rams)
Outside Linebacker
10.Connor Barwin (Eagles)
9.Dont'a Hightower (Patriots)*
8.Anthony Barr (Vikings)
7.Elvis Dumervil (Ravens)
6.DeMarcus Ware (Broncos)*
5.Pernell McPhee (Bears)
4.K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
3.Von Miller (Broncos)
2.Justin Houston (Chiefs)
1.Khalil Mack (Raiders)
Inside Linebacker
10.Akeem Ayers (Rams)
9.Nathan Stupar (Falcons)
8.Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)*
7.Wesley Woodyard (Titans)
6.Jerrell Freeman (Colts)
5.Danny Trevathan (Broncos)
4.Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)
3.Brandon Marshall (Broncos)
2.Sean Lee (Cowboys)
1.Luke Kuechly (Panthers)
Cornerback
10.Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
9.Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants)
8.Captain Munnerlyn (Vikings)
7.Adam Jones (Bengals)
6.Desmond Trufant (Falcons)
5.Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
4.Ronald Darby (Bills)
3.Tyrian Mathieau (Cardinals)
2.Darrelle Revis (Jets)
1.Josh Norman (Panthers)
Safety
10.Darian Stewart (Broncos)
9.Patrick Chung (Patriots)
8.Reshad Jones (Dolphins)
7.Walter Thurmond (Eagles)
6.Will Hill (Ravens)
5.Earl Thomas (Seahawks)
4.Eric Berry (Chiefs)
3.Devin McCourty (Patriots)
2.Malcolm Jenkins (Eagles)
1.Harrison Smith (Vikings)
Kickers
10.Connor Barth (Buccaneers)
9.Dan Bailey (Cowboys)
8.Travis Coons (Browns)
7.Robbie Gould (Bears)
6.Blair Walsh (Vikings)
5.Justin Tucker (Ravens)
4.Steven Hauschka (Seahawks)
3.Josh Brown (Giants)
2.Brandon McManus (Broncos)
1.Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots)
Punter
10.Jon Ryan (Seahawks)
9.Chris Jones (Cowboys)
8.Donnie Jones (Eagles)
7.Dustin Colquitt (Chiefs)
6.Matt Darr (Dolphins)
5.Sam Koch (Ravens)
4.Andy Lee (Browns)
3.Johnny Hekker (Rams)
2.Matt Bosher (Falcons)
1.Pat McAfee (Colts)
Miscellaneous Awards
Top 10 Rookies
10.T.J. Yeldon, running back (Jaguars)
9.Damarious Randall, cornerback (Packers)
8.Adrian Amos, safety (Bears)
7.Jordan Hicks, inside linebacker (Eagles)*
6.Stefon Diggs, wide receiver(Vikings)*
5.Leonard Williams, defensive end (Jets)
4.Amari Cooper, wide receiver (Raiders)
3.Henry Anderson,defensive end (Colts)*
2.Ronald Darby, cornerback (Bills)
1.Todd Gurley, running back (Rams)*
Top 10 Rookie Letdowns
10.John Miller, guard (Bills)
9.Devin Smith, wide receiver (Jets)*
8.Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Patriots)
7.Devin Funchess, wide receiver (Panthers)
6.Melvin Gordon, running back (Chargers)
5.Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Browns)
4.DeVante Parker, wide reciever (Dolphins)*
3.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Lions)
2.Brandon Schreff, guard (Redskins)
1.Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (Eagles)*
Top 10 Breakout Players
10.Jake Matthews, tackle (Falcons)
9.Tyrod Taylor, quarterback (Bills)
8.Gabe Jackson, guard (Raiders)
7.Kawann Short, defensive tackle (Panthers)
6.Gary Barnidge, tight end (Browns)
5.Anthony Barr, outside linebacker (Vikings)
4.Tyler Eifert, tight end (Bengals)
3.Josh Norman, cornerback (Panthers)
2.Devonta Freeman, running back (Falcons)
1.Derek Carr, quarterback (Raiders)
Top 10 underperforming players
10.Nick Foles, quarterback (Rams)
9.Jimmy Smith, cornerback (Ravens)
8.Gerald McCoy, defensive tackle (Buccaneers)
7.Antonio Cromartie, cornerback (Jets)*
6.Lavonte David, outside linebacker (Buccaneers)
5.Byron Maxwell, cornerback (Eagles)
4.Sam Bradford, quarterback (Eagles)
3.Jeremy Hill, running back (Bengals)
2.Andrew Luck, quarterback (Colts)*
1.Eddie Lacy, running back (Packers)*
Top 10 Surprise Studs
10.Duron Harmon, safety (Patriots)
9.Rishard Matthews, wide receiver (Dolphins)
8.Michael Crabtree, wide receiver (Raiders)
7.Dion Lewis, running back (Patriots)*
6.Darian Stewart, safety (Broncos)
5.Justin Pugh, guard (Giants)
4.Adam Jones, cornerback (Bengals)
3.Gary Barnidge, tight end (Browns)
2.Walter Thurmond, safety (Eagles)
1.Richie Incognito, guard (Bills)
Top 3 Surprise Teams
3.Falcons
2.Jets
1.Raiders
Top 3 Disappointments
3.Dolphins
2.Colts
1.Ravens
Revised Playoff/Super Bowl Picks
AFC
1.Patriots
2.Bengals
3.Broncos
4.Colts
5.Raiders
6.Steelers
NFC
1.Panthers
2.Packers
3.Cardinals
4.Giants
5.Vikings
6.Seahawks
Wild Card:
Broncos over Steelers
Raiders over Colts
Cardinals overs Seahawks
Giants over Vikings
Divisional Round:
Patriots over Raiders
Broncos over Bengals
Giants over Panthers
Cardinals over Packers
Championship Round:
Patriots over Broncos
Cardinals over Giants
Super Bowl:
Patriots over Cardinals
It's unclear whether or not Tom Brady's 2015 campaign is a vengeance-fueled quest against the NFL for the Deflategate investgation , but there's no denying that he's been playing at an absurdly high level all season long. Brady has strung together one of the best seasons of his storied career (22 TD's, 2 INT's, 68.6 CMP%, 113.5 QBR in 8 starts) at the ripe old age of 38 and appears to be poised to lead the Patriots to their fifth Super Bowl victory in the last 15 seasons.
Offensive Player of the Year: DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver (Texans)
No non-quarterback in the NFL has single-handedly accounted for more of their team's offense than Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Despite facing consistent double and triple coverage and having the tandem of Brian Hoyer and Ryan Mallett throwing him the ball, Hopkins has amassed 66 receptions (4th in the league), 870 yards (3rd in the league), and 6 TD's (tied for 6th in the league) in the first 8 games of the year.
Defensive Player of the Year: Cameron Jordan, defensive end (Saints)
Largely under-the-radar because of how terrible the Saints defense is on the whole, Cameron Jordan has Jordan has been wreaking havoc on opposing backfields at an unprecedented rate all season long. The criminally underrated defensive end has picked up a league-high 47 QB pressures, 11 QB hits, 6 sacks and 4 passes defensed through 9 games.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Todd Gurley, running back (Rams)
Todd Gurley is the rare highly-touted college prospect to live up to the immense hype that surrounded him when he entered the NFL. Despite missing the first 2 games of the season recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last year as a Georgia Bulldog, Gurley is in the midst of one of the impressive rookie seasons in NFL history, rushing for a ridiculous 664 yards (including 4 100+ yard outings) and 4 TD's in his first 6 games as a pro.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Ronald Darby, cornerback (Bills)
In a year where the Bills defense has largely underwhelmed, Ronald Darby has been a major bright spot. Darby-a Florida State product selected in the 2nd round- has made a seemingly effortless transition to the NFL at a position in which it's notoriously difficult to do so. Darby has held the likes of A.J. Green and Odell Beckham Jr. to under 40 yards receiving and is currently ranked as the 4th-best corner in the league on Pro Football Focus for 2015, posting a higher overall grade than the likes of Richard Sherman, Vontae Davis and Patrick Peterson.
Comeback Player of the Year: Danny Trevathan, inside linebacker (Broncos)
Danny Trevathan has returned to form in a big way after missing 13 games with a knee injury last season. Trevathan has been been a major cog in the Broncos top-ranked defense, picking up 60 tackles (2nd on the team behind Brandon Marshall and tied for 23rd in the league overall) and defending 3 passes.
Coach of the Year: Jack Del Rio (Raiders)
The Raiders have been the surprise team of the year so far and the work of head coach Jack Del Rio is largely responsible for that success. Del Rio has gotten the most out of his young players and veterans that were considered to be DOA and has a long-suffering franchise trending upward for the first time since their devastating Super Bowl loss in 2002.
Top 10 Best Players by Position
*Indicates player who missed time with injury and/or is now on injured reserve
Quarterback
10.Tyrod Taylor (Bills)*
9.Eli Manning (Giants)
8.Drew Brees (Saints)
7.Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)*
6.Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
5.Derek Carr (Raiders)
4.Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
3.Andy Dalton (Bengals)
2.Carson Palmer (Cardinals)
1.Tom Brady (Patriots)
Running Back
10.Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)*
9.LeSean McCoy (Bills)
8.Latavius Murray (Raiders)
7.Mark Ingram (Saints)
6.Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
5.Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
4.Matt Forte (Bears)*
3.Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)*
2.Todd Gurley (Rams)*
1.Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Wide Receiver
10.Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
9.Brandon Marshall (Jets)
8.Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
7.Steve Smith Sr. (Ravens)*
6.Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)*
5.Keenan Allen (Chargers)*
4.Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
3.Julio Jones (Falcons)
2.Antonio Brown (Steelers)
1.DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Tight End
10.Zach Ertz (Eagles)
9.Benjamin Watson (Saints)
8.Jordan Reed (Redskins)*
7.Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
6.Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
5.Delanie Walker (Titans)*
4.Greg Olsen (Panthers)
3.Gary Barnidge (Browns)
2.Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
1.Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Tackle
10.Jared Veldheer (Cardinals)
9.Jake Matthews (Falcons)
8.Joe Staley (49ers)
7.Cordy Glenn (Bills)
6.Trent Williams (Redskins)*
5.Jason Peters (Eagles)*
4.Andrew Whitworth (Bengals)
3.Joe Thomas (Browns)
2.Terron Armstead (Saints)
1.Tyron Smith (Cowboys)
Guard
10.Kelechi Osemele (Ravens)
9.Josh Sitton (Packers)
8.Jack Mewhort (Colts)
7.Justin Pugh (Giants)
6.Trai Turner (Panthers)
5.Gabe Jackson (Raiders)
4.Evan Mathis (Broncos)
3.Richie Incognito (Bills)
2.Zach Martin (Cowboys)
1.Marshal Yanda (Ravens)
Center
10.Joe Berger (Vikings)
9.Mike Pouncey (Dolphins)
8.Stefen Wisnewski (Jaguars)
7.Alex Mack (Browns)
6.Weston Richburg (Giants)
5.Eric Wood (Bills)
4.Max Unger (Saints)
3.Rodney Hudson (Raiders)
2.Travis Fredrick (Cowboys)
1.Ryan Kalil (Panthers)
Defensive End
10.Fletcher Cox (Eagles)
9.Cameron Heyward (Steelers)
8.Greg Hardy (Cowboys)*
7.Chandler Jones (Patriots)
6.Cameron Wake (Dolphins)*
5.Muhammad Wilkerson (Jets)
4.Cliff Avril (Seahawks)
3.J.J. Watt (Texans)
2.Michael Bennett (Seahawks)
1.Cameron Jordan (Saints)
Defensive Tackle
10.Jonathan Hankins (Giants)*
9.Dan Williams (Raiders)
8.Jurrell Casey (Titans)
7.Ndamukong Suh (Dolphins)
6.Jordan Hill (Seahawks)
5.Brandon Williams (Ravens)
4.Linval Joseph (Vikings)
3.Geno Atkins (Bengals)
2.Kawann Short (Panthers)
1.Aaron Donald (Rams)
Outside Linebacker
10.Connor Barwin (Eagles)
9.Dont'a Hightower (Patriots)*
8.Anthony Barr (Vikings)
7.Elvis Dumervil (Ravens)
6.DeMarcus Ware (Broncos)*
5.Pernell McPhee (Bears)
4.K.J. Wright (Seahawks)
3.Von Miller (Broncos)
2.Justin Houston (Chiefs)
1.Khalil Mack (Raiders)
Inside Linebacker
10.Akeem Ayers (Rams)
9.Nathan Stupar (Falcons)
8.Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)*
7.Wesley Woodyard (Titans)
6.Jerrell Freeman (Colts)
5.Danny Trevathan (Broncos)
4.Derrick Johnson (Chiefs)
3.Brandon Marshall (Broncos)
2.Sean Lee (Cowboys)
1.Luke Kuechly (Panthers)
Cornerback
10.Patrick Peterson (Cardinals)
9.Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Giants)
8.Captain Munnerlyn (Vikings)
7.Adam Jones (Bengals)
6.Desmond Trufant (Falcons)
5.Chris Harris Jr. (Broncos)
4.Ronald Darby (Bills)
3.Tyrian Mathieau (Cardinals)
2.Darrelle Revis (Jets)
1.Josh Norman (Panthers)
Safety
10.Darian Stewart (Broncos)
9.Patrick Chung (Patriots)
8.Reshad Jones (Dolphins)
7.Walter Thurmond (Eagles)
6.Will Hill (Ravens)
5.Earl Thomas (Seahawks)
4.Eric Berry (Chiefs)
3.Devin McCourty (Patriots)
2.Malcolm Jenkins (Eagles)
1.Harrison Smith (Vikings)
Kickers
10.Connor Barth (Buccaneers)
9.Dan Bailey (Cowboys)
8.Travis Coons (Browns)
7.Robbie Gould (Bears)
6.Blair Walsh (Vikings)
5.Justin Tucker (Ravens)
4.Steven Hauschka (Seahawks)
3.Josh Brown (Giants)
2.Brandon McManus (Broncos)
1.Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots)
Punter
10.Jon Ryan (Seahawks)
9.Chris Jones (Cowboys)
8.Donnie Jones (Eagles)
7.Dustin Colquitt (Chiefs)
6.Matt Darr (Dolphins)
5.Sam Koch (Ravens)
4.Andy Lee (Browns)
3.Johnny Hekker (Rams)
2.Matt Bosher (Falcons)
1.Pat McAfee (Colts)
Miscellaneous Awards
Top 10 Rookies
10.T.J. Yeldon, running back (Jaguars)
9.Damarious Randall, cornerback (Packers)
8.Adrian Amos, safety (Bears)
7.Jordan Hicks, inside linebacker (Eagles)*
6.Stefon Diggs, wide receiver(Vikings)*
5.Leonard Williams, defensive end (Jets)
4.Amari Cooper, wide receiver (Raiders)
3.Henry Anderson,defensive end (Colts)*
2.Ronald Darby, cornerback (Bills)
1.Todd Gurley, running back (Rams)*
Top 10 Rookie Letdowns
10.John Miller, guard (Bills)
9.Devin Smith, wide receiver (Jets)*
8.Malcom Brown, defensive tackle (Patriots)
7.Devin Funchess, wide receiver (Panthers)
6.Melvin Gordon, running back (Chargers)
5.Danny Shelton, defensive tackle (Browns)
4.DeVante Parker, wide reciever (Dolphins)*
3.Ameer Abdullah, running back (Lions)
2.Brandon Schreff, guard (Redskins)
1.Nelson Agholor, wide receiver (Eagles)*
Top 10 Breakout Players
10.Jake Matthews, tackle (Falcons)
9.Tyrod Taylor, quarterback (Bills)
8.Gabe Jackson, guard (Raiders)
7.Kawann Short, defensive tackle (Panthers)
6.Gary Barnidge, tight end (Browns)
5.Anthony Barr, outside linebacker (Vikings)
4.Tyler Eifert, tight end (Bengals)
3.Josh Norman, cornerback (Panthers)
2.Devonta Freeman, running back (Falcons)
1.Derek Carr, quarterback (Raiders)
Top 10 underperforming players
10.Nick Foles, quarterback (Rams)
9.Jimmy Smith, cornerback (Ravens)
8.Gerald McCoy, defensive tackle (Buccaneers)
7.Antonio Cromartie, cornerback (Jets)*
6.Lavonte David, outside linebacker (Buccaneers)
5.Byron Maxwell, cornerback (Eagles)
4.Sam Bradford, quarterback (Eagles)
3.Jeremy Hill, running back (Bengals)
2.Andrew Luck, quarterback (Colts)*
1.Eddie Lacy, running back (Packers)*
Top 10 Surprise Studs
10.Duron Harmon, safety (Patriots)
9.Rishard Matthews, wide receiver (Dolphins)
8.Michael Crabtree, wide receiver (Raiders)
7.Dion Lewis, running back (Patriots)*
6.Darian Stewart, safety (Broncos)
5.Justin Pugh, guard (Giants)
4.Adam Jones, cornerback (Bengals)
3.Gary Barnidge, tight end (Browns)
2.Walter Thurmond, safety (Eagles)
1.Richie Incognito, guard (Bills)
Top 3 Surprise Teams
3.Falcons
2.Jets
1.Raiders
Top 3 Disappointments
3.Dolphins
2.Colts
1.Ravens
Revised Playoff/Super Bowl Picks
AFC
1.Patriots
2.Bengals
3.Broncos
4.Colts
5.Raiders
6.Steelers
NFC
1.Panthers
2.Packers
3.Cardinals
4.Giants
5.Vikings
6.Seahawks
Wild Card:
Broncos over Steelers
Raiders over Colts
Cardinals overs Seahawks
Giants over Vikings
Divisional Round:
Patriots over Raiders
Broncos over Bengals
Giants over Panthers
Cardinals over Packers
Championship Round:
Patriots over Broncos
Cardinals over Giants
Super Bowl:
Patriots over Cardinals
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton's unreal performance in Week 9 reaffirmed why he's one of the most lethal players in all of fantasy football. Newton's dual-threat abilities were on display all afternoon as he carved up the Packers for 297 YDS and 3 TD through the air and added another 57 YDS and 1 TD on the ground. With his large role in both aspects of the offense and largely favorable upcoming schedule, Newton should be a weekly top 5-10 QB for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Drew Brees (Saints)
LVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
In a pretty excellent week for QB's, Eli Manning's middling performance (213 YDS/2 TD/2 INT) against the Buccaneers ended up being the worst play of the week. It should be noted that it was dumping rain for the duration of the game, which made a plethora of turnovers inevitable for both sides (there was a combined total of 5 in the game). Manning's a mildly shaky play in Week 10 against a much-improved Patriots secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Returning to the starting lineup after star running back Le'Veon Bell suffered a torn MCL last week, DeAngelo Williams looked every bit as dominant as he did when he filled in for Bell earlier this year. The NFL 2nd oldest running back decimated the Raiders normally stout defensive front for a ridiculous 225 total YDS (170 rushing, 55 receiving), 2 TD and a 2-point conversion on 31 touches. Williams apparently suffered a foot injury during Sunday's game, but he didn't appear to be hampered it at any point. Williams should be in another for another huge day if he's active on Sunday with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of the lineup and a juicy matchup against the Browns bottom-ranked rush defense.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Karlos Williams (Bills), DeMarco Murray (Eagles)
LVP: Ronnie Hillman (Broncos)
No player filled his fantasy owners more rage in Week 9 than Ronnie Hillman. Hillman embarrassed himself in a prime matchup against the Colts, picking up just 1 yard on 7 carries. Hillman's grasp on the starting job appears to be slipping as C.J. Anderson outplayed him by a wide margin for a 2nd straight week. Even in the currently scarce RB market, Hillman isn't really worth keeping on your roster in a league that's smaller than 12 teams.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
After a quiet few weeks (by his standards), Antonio Brown returned with a career day in Week 9. Brown gassed the Raiders secondary all day long with every conceivable route in his repertoire, putting up 284 yards on 17 receptions-both of which are franchise records for the Steelers. The unprecedented flurry of targets Brown receives every week and his ability to consistently separate from defensive backs makes him an unbenchable WR1 for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Crabtree (Raiders), Sammy Watkins (Bills), Jordan Matthews (Eagles)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Last week, Emmanuel Sanders got ignored in Manning season-best game against the Packers. This week, it was Demaryius Thomas' turn to get the cold shoulder from Manning. Thomas picked up just 50 yards on 5 catches against a Colts secondary that has allowed the 8th most fantasy points to receivers this season. Thomas' inability to find the endzone in 2015 (he has just 1 TD on the year) is a bit disconcerting, but he's still been very productive with 3 100+ yard games and no less than 5 receptions in every game this season. Thomas has a prime chance to bounce back in Week 10 against a horrible Chiefs secondary that he torched for 116 YDS in their 1st meeting this year.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Stefon Diggs (Vikings), A.J. Green (Bengals)
Tight End
MVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert once again rewarded his fantasy owners by following up a clunker with a simply monstrous performance. The Bengals favorite redzone target made the most of his opportunities, picking up 53 YDS and 3 TD's on 5 receptions. Finally healthy for the 1st time in his NFL career, Eifert has become the player a lot of experts thought he would be when the Bengals drafted him in the 1st round in 2013. Eifert is currently on pace to be the 2015 winner of the prestigious "best tight end not named Rob Gronkowski" award and is a no-brainer weekly fantasy start for all of his owners.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Owen Daniels (Broncos), Richard Rogers (Packers)
LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Speaking of Gronkowski, the Patriots cyborg tight end actually looked like a mortal man on Sunday. Gronkowski reeled in just 4 catches for 47 YDS in what was a relatively quiet and surprisingly sloppy afternoon for the Patriots red-hot offense against a below-average Redskins defense. Gronkowski will more than likely return to destroying everything in sight when he goes up against the Giants god awful pass defense in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Charles Clay (Bills), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)
Defense
MVP: New York Jets
After a really awful performance against the Raiders in Week 8, the Jets defense got back on track against the lowly Jaguars in Week 9. The Jets may have surrendered 23 points, but they more than made up for that subpar point against total with 6 sacks, 2 INT's and 2 fumble recoveries against the Jaguars talented, but erratic young offense. The Jets inconsistent pass rush and currently dinged-up secondary make them far from a slam dunk, but they are a pretty good option for fantasy owners who like to stream defenses based on matchups.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots
LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense fall from fantasy grace continued in Week 9. The Packers D frequently looked lost and overmatched as they got 0 sacks and allowed 37 points to the Panthers mediocre offense. They did manage to pick off Cam Newton late in the 4th quarter, but the damage was already done at that point. The borderline dominant play this unit showed in the first 6 weeks of the season is now just a distant memory and their owners should search the waiver wire for a competent replacement (i.e. The Vikings, Steelers or Giants).
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Cam Newton's unreal performance in Week 9 reaffirmed why he's one of the most lethal players in all of fantasy football. Newton's dual-threat abilities were on display all afternoon as he carved up the Packers for 297 YDS and 3 TD through the air and added another 57 YDS and 1 TD on the ground. With his large role in both aspects of the offense and largely favorable upcoming schedule, Newton should be a weekly top 5-10 QB for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Drew Brees (Saints)
LVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
In a pretty excellent week for QB's, Eli Manning's middling performance (213 YDS/2 TD/2 INT) against the Buccaneers ended up being the worst play of the week. It should be noted that it was dumping rain for the duration of the game, which made a plethora of turnovers inevitable for both sides (there was a combined total of 5 in the game). Manning's a mildly shaky play in Week 10 against a much-improved Patriots secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)
Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Returning to the starting lineup after star running back Le'Veon Bell suffered a torn MCL last week, DeAngelo Williams looked every bit as dominant as he did when he filled in for Bell earlier this year. The NFL 2nd oldest running back decimated the Raiders normally stout defensive front for a ridiculous 225 total YDS (170 rushing, 55 receiving), 2 TD and a 2-point conversion on 31 touches. Williams apparently suffered a foot injury during Sunday's game, but he didn't appear to be hampered it at any point. Williams should be in another for another huge day if he's active on Sunday with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of the lineup and a juicy matchup against the Browns bottom-ranked rush defense.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Karlos Williams (Bills), DeMarco Murray (Eagles)
LVP: Ronnie Hillman (Broncos)
No player filled his fantasy owners more rage in Week 9 than Ronnie Hillman. Hillman embarrassed himself in a prime matchup against the Colts, picking up just 1 yard on 7 carries. Hillman's grasp on the starting job appears to be slipping as C.J. Anderson outplayed him by a wide margin for a 2nd straight week. Even in the currently scarce RB market, Hillman isn't really worth keeping on your roster in a league that's smaller than 12 teams.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
After a quiet few weeks (by his standards), Antonio Brown returned with a career day in Week 9. Brown gassed the Raiders secondary all day long with every conceivable route in his repertoire, putting up 284 yards on 17 receptions-both of which are franchise records for the Steelers. The unprecedented flurry of targets Brown receives every week and his ability to consistently separate from defensive backs makes him an unbenchable WR1 for fantasy purposes.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Crabtree (Raiders), Sammy Watkins (Bills), Jordan Matthews (Eagles)
LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Last week, Emmanuel Sanders got ignored in Manning season-best game against the Packers. This week, it was Demaryius Thomas' turn to get the cold shoulder from Manning. Thomas picked up just 50 yards on 5 catches against a Colts secondary that has allowed the 8th most fantasy points to receivers this season. Thomas' inability to find the endzone in 2015 (he has just 1 TD on the year) is a bit disconcerting, but he's still been very productive with 3 100+ yard games and no less than 5 receptions in every game this season. Thomas has a prime chance to bounce back in Week 10 against a horrible Chiefs secondary that he torched for 116 YDS in their 1st meeting this year.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Stefon Diggs (Vikings), A.J. Green (Bengals)
Tight End
MVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert once again rewarded his fantasy owners by following up a clunker with a simply monstrous performance. The Bengals favorite redzone target made the most of his opportunities, picking up 53 YDS and 3 TD's on 5 receptions. Finally healthy for the 1st time in his NFL career, Eifert has become the player a lot of experts thought he would be when the Bengals drafted him in the 1st round in 2013. Eifert is currently on pace to be the 2015 winner of the prestigious "best tight end not named Rob Gronkowski" award and is a no-brainer weekly fantasy start for all of his owners.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Owen Daniels (Broncos), Richard Rogers (Packers)
LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Speaking of Gronkowski, the Patriots cyborg tight end actually looked like a mortal man on Sunday. Gronkowski reeled in just 4 catches for 47 YDS in what was a relatively quiet and surprisingly sloppy afternoon for the Patriots red-hot offense against a below-average Redskins defense. Gronkowski will more than likely return to destroying everything in sight when he goes up against the Giants god awful pass defense in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Charles Clay (Bills), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)
Defense
MVP: New York Jets
After a really awful performance against the Raiders in Week 8, the Jets defense got back on track against the lowly Jaguars in Week 9. The Jets may have surrendered 23 points, but they more than made up for that subpar point against total with 6 sacks, 2 INT's and 2 fumble recoveries against the Jaguars talented, but erratic young offense. The Jets inconsistent pass rush and currently dinged-up secondary make them far from a slam dunk, but they are a pretty good option for fantasy owners who like to stream defenses based on matchups.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots
LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense fall from fantasy grace continued in Week 9. The Packers D frequently looked lost and overmatched as they got 0 sacks and allowed 37 points to the Panthers mediocre offense. They did manage to pick off Cam Newton late in the 4th quarter, but the damage was already done at that point. The borderline dominant play this unit showed in the first 6 weeks of the season is now just a distant memory and their owners should search the waiver wire for a competent replacement (i.e. The Vikings, Steelers or Giants).
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons
Week 10 NFL Power Rankings
()=Last Week's Ranking
1.(1) New England Patriots (8-0) Week 10 opponent: New York Giants
2. (3) Cincinnati Bengals (8-0) Week 10 opponent: Houston Texans
3. (4) Carolina Panthers (8-0) Week 10 opponent: Tennessee Titans
4. (2) Denver Broncos (7-1) Week 10 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
5. (6) Arizona Cardinals (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
6. (7) Minnesota Vikings (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Oakland Raiders
7. (5) Green Bay Packers (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Detroit Lions
8. (10) New York Jets (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Buffalo Bills
9. (15) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Cleveland Browns
10. (13) New York Giants (5-4) Week 10 opponent: New England Patriots
11. (8) St. Louis Rams (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Chicago Bears
12. (12) Oakland Raiders (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
13. (14) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
14. (16) Buffalo Bills (4-4) Week 10 opponent: New York Jets
15. (18) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
16. (17) Philadelphia Eagles (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins
17. (11) New Orleans Saints (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Washington Redskins
18. (9) Atlanta Falcons (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
19. (20) Kansas City Chiefs (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Denver Broncos
20. (23) Chicago Bears (3-5) Week 10 opponent: St. Louis Rams
21. (19) Washington Redskins (3-5) Week 10 opponent: New Orleans Saints
22. (24) Baltimore Ravens (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
23. (21) Miami Dolphins (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
24. (22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
25. (25) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
26. (32) Tennessee Titans (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Carolina Panthers
27. (26) San Diego Chargers (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
28. (30) San Fransisco 49ers (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
29. (29) Dallas Cowboys (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
30. (28) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
31. (27) Cleveland Browns (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
32. (31) Detroit Lions (1-7) Week 10 opponent: Green Bay Packers
1.(1) New England Patriots (8-0) Week 10 opponent: New York Giants
2. (3) Cincinnati Bengals (8-0) Week 10 opponent: Houston Texans
3. (4) Carolina Panthers (8-0) Week 10 opponent: Tennessee Titans
4. (2) Denver Broncos (7-1) Week 10 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
5. (6) Arizona Cardinals (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
6. (7) Minnesota Vikings (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Oakland Raiders
7. (5) Green Bay Packers (6-2) Week 10 opponent: Detroit Lions
8. (10) New York Jets (5-3) Week 10 opponent: Buffalo Bills
9. (15) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4) Week 10 opponent: Cleveland Browns
10. (13) New York Giants (5-4) Week 10 opponent: New England Patriots
11. (8) St. Louis Rams (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Chicago Bears
12. (12) Oakland Raiders (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
13. (14) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
14. (16) Buffalo Bills (4-4) Week 10 opponent: New York Jets
15. (18) Indianapolis Colts (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
16. (17) Philadelphia Eagles (4-4) Week 10 opponent: Miami Dolphins
17. (11) New Orleans Saints (4-5) Week 10 opponent: Washington Redskins
18. (9) Atlanta Falcons (6-3) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
19. (20) Kansas City Chiefs (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Denver Broncos
20. (23) Chicago Bears (3-5) Week 10 opponent: St. Louis Rams
21. (19) Washington Redskins (3-5) Week 10 opponent: New Orleans Saints
22. (24) Baltimore Ravens (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
23. (21) Miami Dolphins (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
24. (22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
25. (25) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 10 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
26. (32) Tennessee Titans (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Carolina Panthers
27. (26) San Diego Chargers (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
28. (30) San Fransisco 49ers (3-6) Week 10 opponent: Bye Week
29. (29) Dallas Cowboys (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
30. (28) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) Week 10 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
31. (27) Cleveland Browns (2-7) Week 10 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
32. (31) Detroit Lions (1-7) Week 10 opponent: Green Bay Packers
Friday, November 6, 2015
The Best and Worst of John Goodman
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 "Trumbo" star John Goodman.
Film starring John Goodman that I've seen:
Raising Arizona
The Flintstones
The Big Lebowski
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Emperor's New Groove
One Night at McCool's
Monsters Inc.
Death Sentence
Evan Almighty
Red State
The Artist
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Trouble with the Curve
Argo
Flight
The Hangover Part III
Monsters University
Inside Llewyn Davis
The Monuments Men
Transformers: Age of Extinction
The Gambler
Best Performance: The Big Lebowski (1998)
This choice was a no-brainier. While Goodman has brought a lot of memorable characters to the screen over his decorated career, none of them even come close to touching the brilliance of Walter Sobchak, a short-tempered Vietnam vet obsessed with Judaism and bowling. Jeff Bridges gets heaps of well-deserved praise for his portrayal of the lovable stoner hero "The Dude", but it's Goodman's insane, hilarious and subtly poignant performance that is the true heart and soul of The Big Lewbowksi.
Worst Performance: The Monuments Men (2014)
If there was a Guinness World Record for most actors phoning it in in the same movie, The Monuments Men would hold it. The likes of Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and Bob Balaban all left their A-games at home for this World War II docudrama about a group of civilian art experts dispatched to Europe to help the Allied forces recover valuable stolen paintings from the Nazis. The typically-lively Goodman follows the trend of his peers by looking bored every second he's on screen and seems to have only agreed to appear in the film as a favor to his friend George Clooney, who co-wrote, directed and starred in the film.
Best Film: Raising Arizona (1987)
Raising Arizona is essentially the redheaded stepchild of Coen Brothers films. It doesn't have the awards-pedigree of No Country for Old Men, the quirkiness of Fargo or the dieheard cult following of The Big Lebowski, which has subsequently caused it to get buried in the Coen Brothers deeply celebrated filmography. What Raising Arizona does have is a winning screwball sense of humor and a surprisingly upbeat atmosphere that makes it standout from the bleak films that have largely defined the Coen's career. It's also hard not to love a film where Nicolas Cage gives a multi-layered performance that relies just as much on subtlety as it does the unhinged insanity he's known (and frequently parodied) for. Raising Arizona may not be finest the film the Cohen Brothers have ever made, but it's certainly the most underrated.
Worst Film: Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
I was a longtime Transformers apologist who embraced the franchise's loud, effects-heavy formula and frequently found myself defending its merits whenever someone trashed one of the films in my presence. After seeing Age of Extinction, I'll never defend another Transformers film again. Transformers: Age of Extinction is such a colossal and universal failure that it's almost impressive. The dialogue is cringeworthy, the performances from Mark Wahlberg and Nicola Peltz are a new low for a series that has previously employed such lauded thespians as Megan Fox, Rose Huntington-Whitley and Josh Duhamel and worst of all, the action sequences are bland as hell. Age of Extinction is a moronic, overlong disaster that has tarnished this franchise's reputation as the benchmark for mindless blockbuster action films.
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 "By the Sea" star Brad Pitt .
Film starring John Goodman that I've seen:
Raising Arizona
The Flintstones
The Big Lebowski
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
The Emperor's New Groove
One Night at McCool's
Monsters Inc.
Death Sentence
Evan Almighty
Red State
The Artist
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Trouble with the Curve
Argo
Flight
The Hangover Part III
Monsters University
Inside Llewyn Davis
The Monuments Men
Transformers: Age of Extinction
The Gambler
Best Performance: The Big Lebowski (1998)
This choice was a no-brainier. While Goodman has brought a lot of memorable characters to the screen over his decorated career, none of them even come close to touching the brilliance of Walter Sobchak, a short-tempered Vietnam vet obsessed with Judaism and bowling. Jeff Bridges gets heaps of well-deserved praise for his portrayal of the lovable stoner hero "The Dude", but it's Goodman's insane, hilarious and subtly poignant performance that is the true heart and soul of The Big Lewbowksi.
Worst Performance: The Monuments Men (2014)
If there was a Guinness World Record for most actors phoning it in in the same movie, The Monuments Men would hold it. The likes of Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett and Bob Balaban all left their A-games at home for this World War II docudrama about a group of civilian art experts dispatched to Europe to help the Allied forces recover valuable stolen paintings from the Nazis. The typically-lively Goodman follows the trend of his peers by looking bored every second he's on screen and seems to have only agreed to appear in the film as a favor to his friend George Clooney, who co-wrote, directed and starred in the film.
Best Film: Raising Arizona (1987)
Raising Arizona is essentially the redheaded stepchild of Coen Brothers films. It doesn't have the awards-pedigree of No Country for Old Men, the quirkiness of Fargo or the dieheard cult following of The Big Lebowski, which has subsequently caused it to get buried in the Coen Brothers deeply celebrated filmography. What Raising Arizona does have is a winning screwball sense of humor and a surprisingly upbeat atmosphere that makes it standout from the bleak films that have largely defined the Coen's career. It's also hard not to love a film where Nicolas Cage gives a multi-layered performance that relies just as much on subtlety as it does the unhinged insanity he's known (and frequently parodied) for. Raising Arizona may not be finest the film the Cohen Brothers have ever made, but it's certainly the most underrated.
Worst Film: Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
I was a longtime Transformers apologist who embraced the franchise's loud, effects-heavy formula and frequently found myself defending its merits whenever someone trashed one of the films in my presence. After seeing Age of Extinction, I'll never defend another Transformers film again. Transformers: Age of Extinction is such a colossal and universal failure that it's almost impressive. The dialogue is cringeworthy, the performances from Mark Wahlberg and Nicola Peltz are a new low for a series that has previously employed such lauded thespians as Megan Fox, Rose Huntington-Whitley and Josh Duhamel and worst of all, the action sequences are bland as hell. Age of Extinction is a moronic, overlong disaster that has tarnished this franchise's reputation as the benchmark for mindless blockbuster action films.
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 "By the Sea" star Brad Pitt .
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Week 9 NFL Power Rankings
()=Previous week's ranking
1. (1) New England Patriots (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Washington Redskins
2. (5) Denver Broncos (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
3. (3) Cincinnati Bengals (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Cleveland Browns
4. (4) Carolina Panthers (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Green Bay Packers
5. (2) Green Bay Packers (6-1) Week 9 opponent: Carolina Panthers
6. (6) Arizona Cardinals (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
7. (9) Minnesota Vikings (5-2) Week 9 opponent: St. Louis Rams
8. (12) St. Louis Rams (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
9. (8) Atlanta Falcons (6-2) Week 9 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
10. (7) New York Jets (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
11. (15) New Orleans Saints (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Tennessee Titans
12. (14) Oakland Raiders (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
13. (11) New York Giants (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14. (13) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) Week 9 opponent:Bye Week
15. (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Oakland Raiders
16. (18) Buffalo Bills (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Miami Dolphins
17. (19) Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
18. (17) Indianapolis Colts (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Denver Broncos
19. (20) Washington Redskins (3-4) Week 9 opponent: New England Patriots
20. (23) Kansas City Chiefs (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
21. (16) Miami Dolphins (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Buffalo Bills
22. (26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) Week 9 opponent: New York Giants
23. (21) Chicago Bears (2-5) Week 9 opponent: San Diego Chargers
24. (29) Baltimore Ravens (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
25. (31) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
26. (24) San Diego Chargers (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Chicago Bears
27. (22) Cleveland Browns (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
28. (27) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) Week 9 opponent: New York Jets
29. (25) Dallas Cowboys (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
30. (28) San Francisco 49ers (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
31. (30) Detroit Lions (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
32. (32) Tennessee Titans (1-6) Week 9 opponent: New Orleans Saints
1. (1) New England Patriots (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Washington Redskins
2. (5) Denver Broncos (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
3. (3) Cincinnati Bengals (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Cleveland Browns
4. (4) Carolina Panthers (7-0) Week 9 opponent: Green Bay Packers
5. (2) Green Bay Packers (6-1) Week 9 opponent: Carolina Panthers
6. (6) Arizona Cardinals (6-2) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
7. (9) Minnesota Vikings (5-2) Week 9 opponent: St. Louis Rams
8. (12) St. Louis Rams (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
9. (8) Atlanta Falcons (6-2) Week 9 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
10. (7) New York Jets (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
11. (15) New Orleans Saints (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Tennessee Titans
12. (14) Oakland Raiders (4-3) Week 9 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
13. (11) New York Giants (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
14. (13) Seattle Seahawks (4-4) Week 9 opponent:Bye Week
15. (10) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4) Week 9 opponent: Oakland Raiders
16. (18) Buffalo Bills (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Miami Dolphins
17. (19) Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
18. (17) Indianapolis Colts (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Denver Broncos
19. (20) Washington Redskins (3-4) Week 9 opponent: New England Patriots
20. (23) Kansas City Chiefs (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
21. (16) Miami Dolphins (3-4) Week 9 opponent: Buffalo Bills
22. (26) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) Week 9 opponent: New York Giants
23. (21) Chicago Bears (2-5) Week 9 opponent: San Diego Chargers
24. (29) Baltimore Ravens (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
25. (31) Houston Texans (3-5) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
26. (24) San Diego Chargers (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Chicago Bears
27. (22) Cleveland Browns (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
28. (27) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) Week 9 opponent: New York Jets
29. (25) Dallas Cowboys (2-5) Week 9 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
30. (28) San Francisco 49ers (2-6) Week 9 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
31. (30) Detroit Lions (1-7) Week 9 opponent: Bye Week
32. (32) Tennessee Titans (1-6) Week 9 opponent: New Orleans Saints
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Album Review: Travi$ Scott-Rodeo
Rodeo may have the staples of a traditional trap rap record (lyrics primarily about sex and drugs, heavy use of 808 drum machines in the beats, guest spots from a number of heavyweights in the genre including Juicy J, Future and 2 Chainz), but its style is much more distinct. While the Atlanta-based trap rappers that make up a majority of the the scene use in-your-face beats and loud, repetitive hooks as the backbone of their music, Scott makes heavy use of AutoTune, industrial-influenced production and the chopped-and-screwed vocal effect that put his hometown of Houston's hip-hop scene on the map. This blending of different influences results in a sound that is borderline psychedelic and low-key without discarding the energy that trap is known for. Tracks such as lead single "Antidote", "Pornography", "Apple Pie" and "Nightcrawler"- which features top-notch guest verses from Rae Sremmurd's Swae Lee and the always-entertaining Chief Keef- are some of the boldest and most satisfying songs to come out of the trap scene in a while. Each one of these tracks combines gritty beats with ridiculously catchy hooks to make songs that are fun as hell and have a seemingly endless amount of replay value. The highlights of the album do a great job of showcasing Scott as a unique and interesting personality in a genre that's not exactly known for innovation and tease the possibility that Rodeo could be a landmark release in the increasingly crowded trap genre.
Unfortunately, Rodeo squanders its initial promise when Scott makes the puzzling decision to stray from his lo-fi trap wheelhouse and attempts to tackle more substantial topics. There's nothing wrong with a party rapper tackling serious topics, but when Scott does it, it's ill-conceived and completely disingenuous. When Scott starts crooning about his internal struggles and social issues regarding race on "90210", "Pray 4 Love", "Flying High" and "Impossible", it comes across as a cheap and swiftly calculated move to try and add depth to his music. Unlike the party-based material, Scott seems bored on the mic and each song sounds like it was haphazardly put together just for the sake of saying that he has more of a conscious than your average trap artist. Worst of all, these tracks bring Scott's deficiencies as a lyricist to the surface. The lyrics on Rodeo are never impressive, but when the interesting song structures and charm Scott displays on the album's lighter material disappears on the album's serious cuts, his shallow lyrics become distracting and make each song featured on this portion of the record a chore to sit through.
There is plenty of praise-worthy moments and ideas on Rodeo, but Scott's inability to decide on a musical identity ultimately sinks the record. He wants to be this multi-faceted, hip-hop Renaissance man who talks about everything from drugs to the pressures of fame to social issues, but is only convincing as the stripper and substance-obsessed party boy. Hip-hop is a genre where it's especially important to buy the shit your selling and until Scott decides to exclusively write material he truly believes in, the quality of his work will suffer immensely. Scott has no shortage of potential and ambition, he just needs to find a way to better channel his creativity if he wants to become a truly innovative artist.
2.5/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Nightcrawler (feat. Swae Lee and Chief Keef)
2.Antidote
3.Pornography
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
2015 Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers
Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees made up for his disappointing fantasy performances in the early stages of the season in a major way in Week 8 by putting an absurd 505 yard, 7 TD performance against the Giants. Not even a pair of ugly INT's including a freak pick 6 stemming from Willie Snead's inability to control a routine pass in the 4th quarter could put a damper on Brees' magical afternoon as he became the 8th quarterback in NFL history to throw 7 TD in a game. While Brees has had his share of struggles this season (this was only his 3rd multi-TD performance in his 7 starts this season) and he faces a surprisingly stout Titans secondary in Week 9, you'd be insane to bench him after a performance like this.
Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Patriots)
LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Even bonafide fantasy studs lay an egg every once in a while. Aaron Rodgers had the single worst fantasy performance of his entire career against the Broncos suffocating defense in Week 8, picking up just 77 yards through the air and failing to throw a single TD. Rodgers was able to soften the blow from his rough passing day a bit by adding 31 yards on 2 rushes, but that wasn't nearly enough salvage his horrid fantasy performance. Rodgers has another rough matchup in Week 9 as the Packers go up against a Panthers defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest fantasy points to QB's this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)
Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
The 49ers were the latest team to fall victim to the wrath of Todd Gurley (aka the St.Louis Rams offense) as the rookie phenom picked up 146 total yards (133 rushing, 13 receiving) and a TD on 23 touches. Gurley is in the midst of one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history and you should be absolutely giddy if you're lucky enough to have him on your roster.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Dion Lewis (Patriots)
LVP: Chris Johnson (Cardinals)
Chris Johnson's unexpected resurgence since joining the Arizona Cardinals has been one of the biggest surprises in all of fantasy football this season. However, Week 8 was not particular kind to the 30-year old running band. His 109 yards on the ground against the Browns league-worst rush defense was completely respectable, but a pair of lost fumbles tarnished his fantasy day. Johnson is entering a really rough patch in his schedule as the Cardinals have to face Seahawks and Bengals after their week 9 Bye, but he should remain a viable RB2 during the push for the fantasy playoffs.
Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Odell Beckham Jr. once again proved why he's the real deal with his week 8 performance. Beckham Jr. burned the Saints secondary for 130 YDS and 3 TD on 8 receptions in Sunday's absurd shootout at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Beckham Jr. hasn't been as consistently lights out as he was during his inhuman rookie campaign a year ago, but he's still a top-flight WR1 who has a very good chance of finishing the year as a top 5 fantasy WR.
Honorable Mentions: Tavon Austin (Rams), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Julio Jones (Falcons)
LVP: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
Peyton Manning played his sharpest game of the year so far in the Broncos beatdown victory over the Packers in Week 8, but Emmanuel Sanders didn't benefit much from Manning's strong outing. Manning frequently looked Demaryius Thomas' way (11 targets, 8 receptions, 168 YDS), which left Sanders to pick up a mere 22 yards on 2 receptions and 5 targets. Sanders has looked excellent in 2015 in spite of Manning's struggles and he should be able to get back on track against the Colts horrendous secondary in week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), James Jones (Packers)
Tight End
MVP: Benjamin Watson (Saints)
I doubt even the biggest Benjamin Watson supporters thought that he would become the primary cog in the Saints passing attack after Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills were traded this offseason. Watson was the primary beneficiary of Drew Brees' absurd performance in Week 8, leading the team in both receptions (9) and receiving yards (147) while also pulling in 1 of Brees' 7 TD's on the afternoon. Watson has seemingly emerged as the top target in the Saints spread-the wealth passing attack over the past few weeks and is a rock-solid TE1 option for those aren't fortunate enough to have Rob Gronkowski or Gary Barnidge on their roster.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Gary Barnidge (Browns)
LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert put the first real clunker of his breakout 2015 campaign, registering just 39 yards on 4 receptions against a Steelers defense that has gotten killed by TE's all season long. Eifert has a good shot of returning to the realm of fantasy glory in Week 9 against the Browns suddenly vulnerable defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)
Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense has arisen from their coma. This unit didn't show any of the problems that have plagued them through 2015 as they picked up 7 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery and allowed just 6 points against the Titans offense in Week 8. This dominant performance must be taken with a grain of salt as The Texans dominated a lowly Titans team that was without their starting quarterback and has next-to-no talent at the skill positions. Until they are able to string together a few impressive performances in a row, the Texans D can not be started with any sort of confidence.
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals
LVP: New York Jets
You wouldn't know that the Jets had one of the league's best defenses if you watched them played in Week 8. The Jets allowed 34 points and failed to register a takeaway or sack against the surging Raiders offense on Sunday. To be fair, the Raiders have quietly assembled one of the best offensive lines in the league and Derek Carr has done a tremendous job of limiting turnovers this season (3 INT's and 2 lost fumbles in 7 starts), but it's still odd to see a defense that has been so great all year long be so ineffective for an entire game. The Jets should be able to bounce back in Week 9 against a Jaguars squad that is averaging 2 turnovers and 3.7 sacks allowed over their past 3 games.
Dishonorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees made up for his disappointing fantasy performances in the early stages of the season in a major way in Week 8 by putting an absurd 505 yard, 7 TD performance against the Giants. Not even a pair of ugly INT's including a freak pick 6 stemming from Willie Snead's inability to control a routine pass in the 4th quarter could put a damper on Brees' magical afternoon as he became the 8th quarterback in NFL history to throw 7 TD in a game. While Brees has had his share of struggles this season (this was only his 3rd multi-TD performance in his 7 starts this season) and he faces a surprisingly stout Titans secondary in Week 9, you'd be insane to bench him after a performance like this.
Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Patriots)
LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
Even bonafide fantasy studs lay an egg every once in a while. Aaron Rodgers had the single worst fantasy performance of his entire career against the Broncos suffocating defense in Week 8, picking up just 77 yards through the air and failing to throw a single TD. Rodgers was able to soften the blow from his rough passing day a bit by adding 31 yards on 2 rushes, but that wasn't nearly enough salvage his horrid fantasy performance. Rodgers has another rough matchup in Week 9 as the Packers go up against a Panthers defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest fantasy points to QB's this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)
Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
The 49ers were the latest team to fall victim to the wrath of Todd Gurley (aka the St.Louis Rams offense) as the rookie phenom picked up 146 total yards (133 rushing, 13 receiving) and a TD on 23 touches. Gurley is in the midst of one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history and you should be absolutely giddy if you're lucky enough to have him on your roster.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Dion Lewis (Patriots)
LVP: Chris Johnson (Cardinals)
Chris Johnson's unexpected resurgence since joining the Arizona Cardinals has been one of the biggest surprises in all of fantasy football this season. However, Week 8 was not particular kind to the 30-year old running band. His 109 yards on the ground against the Browns league-worst rush defense was completely respectable, but a pair of lost fumbles tarnished his fantasy day. Johnson is entering a really rough patch in his schedule as the Cardinals have to face Seahawks and Bengals after their week 9 Bye, but he should remain a viable RB2 during the push for the fantasy playoffs.
Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Odell Beckham Jr. once again proved why he's the real deal with his week 8 performance. Beckham Jr. burned the Saints secondary for 130 YDS and 3 TD on 8 receptions in Sunday's absurd shootout at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Beckham Jr. hasn't been as consistently lights out as he was during his inhuman rookie campaign a year ago, but he's still a top-flight WR1 who has a very good chance of finishing the year as a top 5 fantasy WR.
Honorable Mentions: Tavon Austin (Rams), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Julio Jones (Falcons)
LVP: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
Peyton Manning played his sharpest game of the year so far in the Broncos beatdown victory over the Packers in Week 8, but Emmanuel Sanders didn't benefit much from Manning's strong outing. Manning frequently looked Demaryius Thomas' way (11 targets, 8 receptions, 168 YDS), which left Sanders to pick up a mere 22 yards on 2 receptions and 5 targets. Sanders has looked excellent in 2015 in spite of Manning's struggles and he should be able to get back on track against the Colts horrendous secondary in week 9.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), James Jones (Packers)
Tight End
MVP: Benjamin Watson (Saints)
I doubt even the biggest Benjamin Watson supporters thought that he would become the primary cog in the Saints passing attack after Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills were traded this offseason. Watson was the primary beneficiary of Drew Brees' absurd performance in Week 8, leading the team in both receptions (9) and receiving yards (147) while also pulling in 1 of Brees' 7 TD's on the afternoon. Watson has seemingly emerged as the top target in the Saints spread-the wealth passing attack over the past few weeks and is a rock-solid TE1 option for those aren't fortunate enough to have Rob Gronkowski or Gary Barnidge on their roster.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Gary Barnidge (Browns)
LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert put the first real clunker of his breakout 2015 campaign, registering just 39 yards on 4 receptions against a Steelers defense that has gotten killed by TE's all season long. Eifert has a good shot of returning to the realm of fantasy glory in Week 9 against the Browns suddenly vulnerable defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)
Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense has arisen from their coma. This unit didn't show any of the problems that have plagued them through 2015 as they picked up 7 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery and allowed just 6 points against the Titans offense in Week 8. This dominant performance must be taken with a grain of salt as The Texans dominated a lowly Titans team that was without their starting quarterback and has next-to-no talent at the skill positions. Until they are able to string together a few impressive performances in a row, the Texans D can not be started with any sort of confidence.
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals
LVP: New York Jets
You wouldn't know that the Jets had one of the league's best defenses if you watched them played in Week 8. The Jets allowed 34 points and failed to register a takeaway or sack against the surging Raiders offense on Sunday. To be fair, the Raiders have quietly assembled one of the best offensive lines in the league and Derek Carr has done a tremendous job of limiting turnovers this season (3 INT's and 2 lost fumbles in 7 starts), but it's still odd to see a defense that has been so great all year long be so ineffective for an entire game. The Jets should be able to bounce back in Week 9 against a Jaguars squad that is averaging 2 turnovers and 3.7 sacks allowed over their past 3 games.
Dishonorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers
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