2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 17

 ()=previous ranking

1.(1) Green Bay Packers (12-3) Week 17 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) Week 17 opponent: New York Jets

3.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

4.(4) Los Angeles Rams (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

5.(5) Dallas Cowboys (11-4) Week 17 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

6.(8) Indianapolis Colts (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

7.(10) Buffalo Bills (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

8.(7) Arizona Cardinals (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

9.(6) New England Patriots (9-6) Week 17 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

10.(12) Tennessee Titans (10-5) Week 17 opponent: Miami Dolphins

11.(14) Cincinnati Bengals (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

12.(11) San Francisco 49ers (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Houston Texans

13.(9) Los Angeles Chargers (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Denver Broncos

14.(17) Miami Dolphins (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Tennessee Titans

15.(18) Philadelphia Eagles (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Washington Football Team

16.(13) Baltimore Ravens (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

17.(22) Las Vegas Raiders (8-7) Week 17 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

18.(15) Cleveland Browns (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

19.(16) Minnesota Vikings (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Green Bay Packers

20.(20) New Orleans Saints (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Carolina Panthers

21.(19) Denver Broncos (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

22.(24) Atlanta Falcons (7-8) Week 17 opponent: Buffalo Bills

23.(21) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7-1) Week 17 opponent: Cleveland Browns

24.(23) Washington Football Team (6-9) Week 17 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

25.(27) Chicago Bears (5-10) Week 17 opponent: New York Giants

26.(25) Seattle Seahawks (5-10) Week 17 opponent: Detroit Lions

27.(26) Carolina Panthers (5-10) Week 17 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

28.(30) Houston Texans (4-11) Week 17 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

29.(29) New York Jets (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

30.(28) New York Giants (4-11) Week 17 opponent: Chicago Bears

31.(31) Detroit Lions (2-12-1) Week 17 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

32.(32) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-13) Week 17 opponent: New England Patriots

Week 16 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Joe Burrow (Bengals)

Considering that Burrow had his best game of the year against the Ravens back in Week 7 when their defense was considerably healthier, it was logical to believe that he'd fare even better against them in their current fully depleted state. What actually happened was something that only a bold few could've predicted: Burrow put up 525 YDS and 4 TD's in a 41-21 rout that put the Bengals in 1st place in the tight AFC North race. He'll face a much tougher test in the fantasy season finale against a Chiefs defense that has been really stingy of late.

Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Josh Allen (Bills), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

LVP: Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Stafford sincerely may have been the worst player on the field for the Rams on Sunday. The veteran QB did everything he could to keep the Vikings in the game, tossing 3 INT'S and throwing for just 197 YDS and 1 TD against a bottom tier defense. Although he's cooled off significantly after his MVP-caliber start and this huge dud in a really ideal spot is plenty of cause of concern, he has a good chance of being a high-end play against the aforementioned Ravens aloof mannequin defense in Week 17.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Justin Herbert (Chargers), Derek Carr (Raiders)

Running Back

MVP: Justin Jackson (Chargers)

The bright spots were few and far between for the Chargers in their brutal loss to the bottom feeder Texans, but Jackson was certainly one of them (even though he did lose a fumble) as he scored 2 TD's, caught 8 passes for 98 YDS and rushed 11 times for 64 YDS in his fill-in start for Austin Ekeler. Jackson will be on the RB1/2 radar again for this Sunday's contest with the Broncos if Ekeler doesn't clear COVID protocols in time.  

Honorable Mentions: Damien Harris (Patriots), Joe Mixon (Bengals), Nick Chubb (Browns)

LVP: Saquon Barkley (Giants)

To be fair to Barkley, Jake Fromm and the defense were playing so poorly that the Giants couldn't stick with the run against the Eagles. However, that doesn't fully excuse Barkley's lackluster effort when he did get the ball and the horrific statline (15 CAR, 32 YDS, 1 REC, -4 YDS) that resulted from it. Injury-prone and stuck on a poorly coached team with a limp offense, it's going to take several miracles for Barkley to return to the fantasy stud that he once was. His draft position for next season should take the nosedive (likely to the mid-to-late 3rd round) it's magically avoided for 2 straight years. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Myles Gaskin (Dolphins), Tony Pollard (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Tee Higgins (Bengals) 

After Ja'Marr Chase killed the Ravens in their 1st meeting, Burrow decided that it was only fair for Higgins to get in on the action this time around. The 2nd year wideout posted career highs in both receptions (12) and YDS (194) while also making a pair of endzone trips in the dominate showing for the Bengals. Higgins' owners will hope that he can end his very up-and-down 2021 campaign on a high note against the Chiefs on Sunday.

Honorable Mentions: Davante Adams (Packers), A.J. Brown (Titans), Deebo Samuel (49ers)

LVP: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs) 

Fantasy players got a huge boost in morale when Hill cleared COVID protocols last Saturday ahead of the Chiefs game against the Steelers. That juice didn't last long though as Hill only caught 2 passes for 19 YDS on a day where the Travis Kelce-less offense leaned on Byron Pringle and Mecole Hardman in the passing game before going into full clock-killing mode in the 2nd half of this wire-to-wire blowout. Regardless of Kelce's availability, Hill should return to his normal WR1 role against a very beatable Bengals secondary on Sunday. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Gage (Falcons), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), Van Jefferson (Rams)

Tight End

MVP: Mark Andrews (Ravens)

Emergency quarterback extraordinaire Josh Johnson only had eyes for Andrews during Sunday's loss against the Bengals. The star tight end reeled in 8 catches for 125 YDS and a TD in a game where the Ravens didn't have the luxury of staying committed to the run for long. Andrews wraps up his stellar 2021 with a date with the Rams on Sunday afternoon. 

Honorable Mentions: Dalton Schultz (Cowboys), Gerald Everett (Seahawks), Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

LVP: George Kittle (49ers)

What happened with Kittle last Thursday in Nashville was puzzling and infuriating. He caught 2 passes for 21 YDS in a single drive in the 1st quarter then only got 1 target FOR THE REST OF THE GAME. Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk were able to make several plays after that, so it's not like the Titans were really locking anybody down. The prospect of Trey Lance starting over the injured Jimmy Garoppolo when the team takes on the Texans on Sunday makes Kittle's Week 17 forecast a nightmarish headache, but let's face it, there's no scenario in which he's active where people are going to bench him.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Mike Gesicki (Dolphins), Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Dolphins

The expectation was that Brian Flores' ultra-aggressive defense would be able to overwhelm a rookie QB who had 1 day of practice with the 1st team ahead of the game and was playing behind a makeshift offensive line. That expectation proved to be completely correct as Flores threw the kitchen sink at Ian Book and he responded by taking 8 sacks, throwing 2 INT's (including a pick 6) and leading the Saints to just 3 points. The Dolphins will remain a viable starting option when they take on the Titans in Week 17.

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Buccaneers, Eagles

LVP: Chargers

Davis Mills and Rex Burkhead absolutely worked over the Chargers defense on Sunday, leading them to post a dismal 35 points allowed/1 sack/0 takeaway performance. Despite this awful showing and the already confirmed absences of Chris Harris Jr. and Nasir Adderly as well as the uncertain availability of Joey Bosa, they'll be a low-end streaming play against the Drew Lock-led Broncos this week.

Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Colts, Cardinals

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

 =previous ranking

1.(2) Green Bay Packers (11-3) Week 16 opponent: Cleveland Browns

2.(1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Carolina Panthers

3.(5) Kansas City Chiefs (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

4.(6) Los Angeles Rams (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

5.(7) Dallas Cowboys (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Washington Football Team

6.(4) New England Patriots (9-5) Week 16 opponent: Buffalo Bills

7.(3) Arizona Cardinals (10-4) Week 16 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

8.(12) Indianapolis Colts (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

9.(9) Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Houston Texans

10.(10) Buffalo Bills (8-6) Week 16 opponent: New England Patriots

11.(11) San Francisco 49ers (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Tennessee Titans

12.(8) Tennessee Titans (9-5) Week 16 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

13.(13) Baltimore Ravens (8-6) Week 16 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

14.(15) Cincinnati Bengals (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

15.(14) Cleveland Browns (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Green Bay Packers

16.(18) Minnesota Vikings (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

17.(19) Miami Dolphins (7-7) Week 16 opponent: New Orleans Saints

18.(20) Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) Week 16 opponent: New York Giants

19.(17) Denver Broncos (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

20.(24) New Orleans Saints (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Miami Dolphins

21.(21) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6-1) Week 16 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

22.(23) Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) Week 16 opponent: Denver Broncos

23.(16) Washington Football Team (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

24.(22) Atlanta Falcons (6-8) Week 16 opponent: Detroit Lions

25.(25) Seattle Seahawks (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Chicago Bears

26.(26) Carolina Panthers (5-9) Week 16 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

27.(27) Chicago Bears (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

28.(28) New York Giants (4-10) Week 16 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

29.(29) New York Jets (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

30.(30) Houston Texans (3-11) Week 16 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

31.(32) Detroit Lions (2-11-1) Week 16 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

32.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12) Week 16 opponent: New York Jets

Week 15 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

After an ugly start with 2 turnovers, Mahomes turned on the magic in a big way in the 2nd half /overtime and ended up with a monster statline (410 YDS/3 TD's/1 2-PT) that was reminiscent of his 2018 MVP season to sink the Chargers in a key AFC West contest last Thursday night. Barring some good news on the COVID front, Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will be severely shorthanded for their Week 16 game against the Steelers-making him a much shakier than usual play for a pivotal fantasy playoffs matchup.

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Jalen Hurts (Eagles), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

LVP: Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

Few things have made less sense in the NFL over the past 2 seasons than the Saints ability to completely shut down Brady in the regular season. Dennis Allen's group pulled off another masterclass in reducing Brady to a bumbling, expletive-hurling mess on Sunday night-holding him to 214 YDS and 0 TD's while forcing a pair of turnovers in an impressive 9-0 victory for New Orleans. On top of that poor performance, the Bucs also lost Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette and Mike Evans to injury during the game-which makes Brady's fantasy outlook for this Sunday's contest against the Panthers a bit murky. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Kirk Cousins (Vikings)

Running Back

MVP: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

Did Taylor do the bulk of his damage against the Patriots on a game-sealing 67-YD TD run? Yes. Does that minimize the joy felt by his fantasy owners as he put together another massive statline (170 YDS and the aforementioned score on 29 carries)? Not in the slightest. What Taylor has been able to do in a wonky year where excellence on both a team and individual level has been pretty hard to come by is simply astonishing. While his NFL MVP status is up for debate, that honor is his by a longshot in the fantasy realm. 

Honorable Mentions: Jeff Wilson Jr. (49ers), Nick Chubb (Browns), James Robinson (Jaguars)

LVP: Alvin Kamara (Saints)

The Saints best offensive player didn't really contribute to the outcome on Sunday. Tampa's stellar rush defense ensured that Kamara was a non-factor in the gameplan by stacking the hell out of the box and it led to Kamara only managing 13 touches for 31 YDS on the night. Things aren't going to get much easier in Week 16 as the Saints have to go up against a tough Dolphins front that has allowed the 6th least fantasy points to running backs.

Dishonorable Mentions: Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots), Darrell Henderson Jr. (Rams), Rashaad Penny (Seahawks)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Cooper Kupp (Rams)

Kupp continued his dominant 2021 campaign against the Seahawks last night, lighting up his team's archrival for 136 YDS and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. A wretched Vikings secondary that has allowed the most fantasy points to WR's this season should prove to be another easy smash spot for Kupp in a season where pretty much no one has had an answer for him.

Honorable Mentions: Brandin Cooks (Texans), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Christian Kirk (Cardinals)

LVP: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals) 

Chase's recent struggles reached a new apex on Sunday against the Broncos-as he hauled in just 1 pass for 3 YDS. To be fair to Chase, Joe Burrow attempted just 22 passes (his 2nd lowest total of the season) and Tyler Boyd (5 REC/96 YDS/1 TD) was the only Bengals receiver who could get anything going against one of the league's stoutest pass defenses. If Chase is going to destroy the rookie wall he hit in early November, it's going to be against a helpless Ravens secondary that is even more banged-up now than they were when he torched them for 201 YDS back in October.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Michael Pittman Jr. (Colts), Odell Beckham Jr. (Rams), Amari Cooper (Cowboys)

Tight End

MVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

When Patrick Mahomes needed somebody to help him break the game open late against the Chargers last Thursday, he turned to Kelce-who responded by turning his 10 catches into 191 YDS and 2 TD's including the walk-off game-winner in overtime. Kelce's owners got some bad news after this historic showing when he tested positive for COVID over the weekend. Fortunately, the star TE is vaccinated and will have a chance to clear protocols before Sunday's game with the Steelers.

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Hunter Henry (Patriots), Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

While the aforementioned injuries to Godwin, Evans and Fournette in the early stages of Sunday's game against the Saints paired with the continued absence of Antonio Brown gave Gronkowski a ridiculous target share (11), he only turned that into 2 catches for 29 YDS. Even with Brown set to return from injury/suspension for Sunday's showdown with the Panthers, Gronk should continue to get peppered with targets (and will likely do a lot more with them).  

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Conklin (Vikings), Jared Cook (Chargers), David Njoku (Browns)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Saints

Give the Saints defense their flowers for once again embarrassing Tom Brady on national television. The final body count for this GOAT castration was 4 sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery. A surging Dolphins team that has ripped off 6 straight wins are up next for the NFC's current top bubble team.   

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Steelers, Vikings

LVP: Packers

The Lamar Jackson-less Ravens seemed like it was going to be an easy assignment at for the Packers D. Spoiler alert: it wasn't. A sharp Tyler Huntley led the Ravens to score 30 points while only getting sacked once and committing zero turnovers as the Pack were fortunate enough to skate away with a 1-point win after nearly blowing a 14-point lead in the 4th quarter. This marks 2 straight slip-ups for a Packers that has been pretty great in 2021 and these letdowns should give people some pause before they fire them up for their Christmas Day showdown with the Browns. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Patriots, Cardinals, Eagles

Keanu Reeves Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography and hand out some related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Keanu Reeves-whose latest project "The Matrix Resurrections" releases in theaters and on HBO Max this Wednesday. 

Keanu Reeves' Filmography Ranked:

27.47 Ronin (D)

26.Little Buddha (D)

25.River's Edge (D)

24.Knock Knock (D)

23.The Day the Earth Stood Still (D+)

22.The Matrix Revolutions (C-)

21.The Replacements (C-)

20.The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (C+)

19.To the Bone (C+)

18.Man of Tai Chi (B-)

17.Point Break (B-)

16.Hardball (B)

15.Constantine (B)

14.Always Be My Maybe (B)

13.Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (B)

12.Bill & Ted Face the Music (B)

11.The Gift (B)

10.Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (B)

9.Street Kings (B+)

8.Speed (B+)

7.The Matrix Reloaded (B+)

6.Destination Wedding (B+)

5.Toy Story 4 (A-)

4.John Wick (A-)

3.John Wick: Chapter 2 (A-)

2.The Matrix (A)

1.John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum (A)

Top Dog: John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum (2019)

Stepping up the narrative stakes and an increased budget that allowed the franchise's signature exquisitely choreographed/edited fight scenes to become even more creative and elaborate in scope makes John Wick: Chapter 3 the clear best entry in the hit action franchise to date.   

Lowlight: 47 Ronin (2013)

Prior to John Wick being released in October 2014, Reeves was in the midst of a significant professional rough patch. Whatever shine remained from his success in The Matrix trilogy had faded by 2007 and seemingly the only scripts that were coming his way were for stuff that was DOA with every relevant cinematic audience (Generation Um.., Henry's Crime, The Day the Earth Stood Still). Just 10 months before John Wick started his career resurrection, Reeves toplined a particularly dreadful film called 47 Ronin that remarkably didn't permanently banish him to the cheap VOD wasteland that a good number of his former A-list peers currently dominate. Despite being written by Fast & Furious architect Chris Morgan and having some really cool special effects, 47 Ronin is a dreary, dull slog that fails to make its fantasy meets Samurai action mash-up fun for even a split second.  

Most Underrated: Destination Wedding (2018)

Smug, miserable assholes can find love too and Destination Wedding finally gave the world a romantic comedy that normalized that concept. Reeves and Winona Ryder are able to seamlessly pull off the delicate sparring partner/love interest balance that the story called for by delivering Victor Levin's sharp dialogue with the right amount of spite, bitterness and thinly veiled flirtation. Plus, there's just something really lovely about seeing a genre that's traditionally correlated with warmth be tonally flipped on its head while still eventually weaving its way to an earned "happy" ending without compromising its cynical ideals.  

Most Overrated: Point Break (1991)

While Point Break is a decent enough movie as is, I really wish that a movie about a hotshot college football player turned rookie FBI agent (Reeves) infiltrating a group of surfers that moonlight as bank robbers was more willing to lean into the abundant ridiculousness of its premise.

Most In Need of a Reevaluation: The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The most striking revelation that came from revisiting the original The Matrix trilogy in preparation for Resurrections is discovering that I was lying to myself as a teenager and Reloaded is actually great.  After a reasonably rough start with the exposition-heavy scenes set in the final human city of Zion, Reloaded settles into a really nice groove once it re-enters the world of the Matrix by delivering massive action sequences that are even more jaw-dropping than those in the original, cool expansions of the mythology (Smith becoming a rogue program after his fight with Neo in the finale of the prior film, Neo's conversation with The Architect) and a much more convincing romantic arc for Neo and Trinity.   

Top Really Bad Movie with a Great Ending: Knock Knock (2015)

Eli Roth muddied up his underrated filmography with the grating, idiotic home invasion thriller Knock Knock. The only moment where Roth's depraved wit really came through was during the "IT WAS FREE PIZZA" scene that concludes the film. It was such a perfect, deeply hilarious note to end what ultimately proves to be a sleazy morality tale that I was left to wonder why Roth sidelined his most valuable asset until the final moments of a film that could've really benefited from more of it. 

Bradley Cooper Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted relevant accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Bradley Cooper-whose latest project "Nightmare Alley" hits theaters tonight.

Bradley Cooper's Filmography Ranked:

25.American Sniper (D-)

24.Aloha (D-)

23.Hit and Run (C+)

22.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (C+)

21.Burnt (B-)

20.The Rocker (B-)

19.The Hangover Part III (B-)

18.The Words (B)

17.The Hangover Part II (B)

16.The Place Beyond the Pines (B)

15.War Dogs (B)

14.The Mule (B)

13.Limitless (B)

12.Joy (B+)

11.Yes Man (B+)

10.The A-Team (B+)

9.Wedding Crashers (B+)

8.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

7.Guardians of the Galaxy (A)

6.Avengers: Infinity War (A)

5.American Hustle (A)

4.The Hangover (A)

3.A Star is Born (A)

2.Silver Linings Playbook (A)

1.Wet Hot American Summer (A)

Top Dog: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Time usually isn't kind to comedy as social mores or general changes to what an individual finds funny can cause the humor in something to erode. The polar opposite has happened with Wet Hot American Humor. Each rewatch unlocks some new beautiful layer of absurdity that makes the whole experience even more joyous and staggeringly funny than it was before, which is why it's recently earned a place among my 10 all-time favorite comedies.    

Lowlight: American Sniper (2014)

American Sniper is the only film that wasn't from a time well before I was born that deeply offended me. Not only is Chris Kyle a vile man who doesn't deserve to be celebrated, but this film's portrayal of PTSD and glorification of warfare is irresponsible and downright appalling.

Most Underrated: The A-Team (2010)

This fun, cheesy movie that's based on a fun, cheesy TV show is a lowkey perfect adaptation. The titular team of good guy rogue operatives/ex-Special Forces (Liam Neeson, Cooper, Quentin "Rampage" Jackson, Sharlto Copley) have a great rapport, the action sequences are big, cartoonish slices of manic joy and perhaps most importantly, it embraces its ridiculousness without being overly meta or self-congratulatory. 

Most Overrated: American Sniper (2014)

The moral issues I have with American Sniper were addressed above, so I'll use this space to get into its cinematic failures. Clint Eastwood and screenwriter Jason Dean Hall framed American Sniper as a character study, yet the film really only gives shit about Kyle's prowess with a gun. Sure there are little snippets of Kyle's relationship with his wife (played by Sienna Miller) and dealing with PTSD after a friend of his was killed in combat, but they don't really bother to expand upon it because that would take time away from the good ol' killing of terrorists and that headshot highlight reel is needed in order for people to really get misty eyed when a title card prior to the end credits reveals Kyle was murdered by a mentally ill veteran that he gave a firearm to at a shooting range. Character studies are supposed to be a window into the subject's being and American Sniper refuses to unlock that shit in order to serve its real agenda of being jingoistic propaganda for the United States military.

Most Overhated Awards Movie: American Hustle (2013)

The talky, style over substance delivery of the loosely fact-based American Hustle has earned it an increasingly large number of detractors since its release at the peak of the 2013 awards season.  Funnily enough, those critiques are a big part of why I love American Hustle so much. The breezy, often comedic atmosphere and snappy dialogue fosters an environment where the ensemble can give playful, deceptive performances (Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Cooper, Jeremy Renner) that create a sense of constant distrust that every story centered around con artists should have. 

Minor Miracle of a Directorial Debut: A Star is Born (2018)

A Star is Born has been remade so many times that effectively every couple of generations has gotten their own version. This also means that the plot details (especially the ending) are so well-known that getting people to really connect with the story gets harder with each subsequent retelling. Cooper's remake-which is the 4th movie version overall-did such a great job of subtly retooling its classic story that it just may become the definitive version of the film. By delivering the melodramatic plot beats in a more grounded fashion and having the film be anchored by two actors (Lady Gaga, himself) who are able to effortlessly sell the highs and lows of a complicated relationship, Cooper was able to turn this tragic showbiz romance into something that's genuinely fresh, emotional and devastating. 

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 15

()=previous ranking

1.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-3) Week 15 opponent: New Orleans Saints

2.(3) Green Bay Packers (10-3) Week 15 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

3.(1) Arizona Cardinals (10-3) Week 15 opponent: Detroit Lions

4.(4) New England Patriots (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

5.(6) Kansas City Chiefs (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

6.(7) Los Angeles Rams (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

7.(5) Dallas Cowboys (9-4) Week 15 opponent: New York Giants 

8.(8) Tennessee Titans (9-4) Week 15 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

9.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

10.(9) Buffalo Bills (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Carolina Panthers

11.(13) San Francisco 49ers (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

12.(12) Indianapolis Colts (7-6) Week 15 opponent: New England Patriots 

13.(10) Baltimore Ravens (8-5) Week 15 opponent: Green Bay Packers

14.(19) Cleveland Browns (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

15.(14) Cincinnati Bengals (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Denver Broncos

16.(15) Washington Football Team (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

17.(18) Denver Broncos (7-6) Week 15 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

18.(22) Minnesota Vikings (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Chicago Bears

19.(20) Miami Dolphins (6-7) Week 15 opponent: New York Jets

20.(21) Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Washington Football Team

21.(16) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1) Week 15 opponent: Tennessee Titans

22.(23) Atlanta Falcons (6-7) Week 15 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

23.(17) Las Vegas Raiders (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Cleveland Browns

24.(25) New Orleans Saints (6-7) Week 15 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

25.(26) Seattle Seahawks (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

26.(24) Carolina Panthers (5-8) Week 15 opponent: Buffalo Bills

27.(27) Chicago Bears (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

28.(28) New York Giants (4-9) Week 15 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

29.(29) New York Jets (3-10) Week 15 opponent: Miami Dolphins

30.(30) Houston Texans (2-11) Week 15 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

31.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) Week 15 opponent: Houston Texans

32.(32) Detroit Lions (1-11-1) Week 15 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Josh Allen (Bills)

With the Bills being down 24-3 late in the third quarter against the Buccaneers, they turned to Allen's arm and legs in order to will a comeback attempt out of thin. While they ended up falling short in overtime, his absurd final 18 minutes of play in regulation that got them within striking distance of pulling off a miracle rally netted him an insane statline (308 YDS/2 TD's, 109 Rushing YDS/1 TD) that made his fantasy owners very happy. The rapidly collapsing Panthers await Allen next. 

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Tom Brady (Buccaneers), Justin Herbert (Chargers)

LVP: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

Just when Prescott looked like he was returning to his early season form with back-to-back strong showings, he puts together a below average dud (211 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT, 15 rushing YDS) against a usually very generous Football Team pass defense. Dak will have a chance to redeem himself in Week 15 against a similarly poor Giants group.

Dishonorable Mentions: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Derek Carr (Raiders), Taylor Heinicke (Football Team)

Running Back

MVP: Dalvin Cook (Vikings)

Are we really sure Cook suffered a pretty significant shoulder injury 2 weeks ago? The star Vikings running back looked more explosive and patient than he had all season long during his surprise return against the Steelers last Thursday-rushing for a career-high 205 YDS and 2 TD's on 27 carries in another heart attack-inducing contest for the (remarkably) 6-7 Vikings. Barring an unspoken setback, Cook should be in overall RB1 contention again when the Norsemen travel to Chicago to take on the Bears on Monday night.

Honorable Mentions: James Conner (Cardinals), Melvin Gordon (Broncos), Najee Harris (Steelers)

LVP: Antonio Gibson (Football Team)

As hard as it is to fathom considering how bad he's played at points this year, Gibson just may have played his worst game of the season on Sunday against the Cowboys. An early Cowboys scoring explosion limited Gibson 12 touches which he turned into 41 YDS. He also added a lost fumble to sweeten the pot. Fantasy owners will hope this was just a blip on the radar and he can get back to being the solid workhorse option he had been the prior few weeks when the Football Team play the Eagles in Week 15. 

Dishonorable Mentions: James Robinson (Jaguars), Jeff Wilson Jr. (49ers), Josh Jacobs (Raiders)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Davante Adams (Packers)

It took Adams almost 2 full quarters to really get involved in the action on Sunday night against the Bears, but once he did, it was another thorough annihilation (10 REC/121 YDS/2 ankle-breaking TD's) of the Packers' eternally inept rivals. If not for Cooper Kupp and missing a game because of COVID, Adams would likely be leading all of the fantasy WR leaderboards for a 2nd straight season. 

Honorable Mentions: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

LVP: Darnell Mooney (Bears) 

Justin Fields actually threw a pair of 40+ YD TD's against the Packers, the problem is that they went to Jakeem Grant and Damiere Bryd. His usual favorite target, on the other hand, pretty much completely starved as he only caught 1 of 5 targets for 19 YDS. Mooney should have a much easier time getting consistently open against a porous Vikings secondary on Monday night.

Dishonorable Mentions: Courtland Sutton (Broncos) Kenny Golladay (Giants), Marquez Valdez-Scantling (Packers)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Deebo Samuel's return to action didn't slow down Kittle in the slightest. The stud tight once again dominated the passing game action-hauling in 13 passes for 151 YDS and a TD, which helped fuel a wild OT victory on the road against a feisty Bengals team. Kittle has looked like his 2019 self in 4 of the last 5 games, so pray for any defense that's tasked with defending him at the moment.

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Dawson Knox (Bills), Austin Hooper (Browns)

LVP: Dalton Schultz (Cowboys)

Prescott's average outing in Washington was bound to hurt somebody in the Cowboys passing attack and Schultz was that unlucky soul as he finished with just 1 catch for 4 YDS on 3 targets. Schultz should return to his steady 40-60 YD floor against the lowly Giants on Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Conklin (Vikings), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Evan Engram (Giants)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Chiefs

As impressive as the Chiefs defensive turnaround has been to watch, they hadn't put together a signature performance where they overwhelmed their opponent. That changed on Sunday afternoon when the stumbling Raiders came into Arrowhead. They held their most hated division rival to 9 points while forcing 5 turnovers (including a pick 6 on the opening play of the game) and sacking Derek Carr 4 times. A Chargers offensive line that will be without left tackle Rashawn Slater could present another opportunity for this group to assert their dominance on Thursday night. 

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Titans, Browns

LVP: Cardinals

Save for a few sacks, the Cardinals defense had a pretty rough showing as they struggled to contain Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Van Jefferson and Sony Michel in a 30-23 loss last night. The rare LVP to MVP flip could be play in for the Cardinals in Week 15 as they're set to take on the Lions.

Dishonorable Mentions: Panthers, Bills, Steelers 

Programming Notice

It's mid-December, which means it's the magical time of year where I scale back my writing a bit in order to prepare for year-end list season. From now through the beginning of January, posts will be limited to the recurring weekly columns and the Most Anticipated Movies/Albums of January-April lists at the start of the new year. Thank you for reading and hope you all have a delightful holiday season.

Chris Maitland   

J.K. Simmons Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted relevant accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of J.K Simmons-whose latest projects "Being the Ricardos" and "National Champions" both arrive in theaters tomorrow.  

J.K. Simmons' Filmography Ranked:

32.Juno (D)

31.The Meddler (C)

30.21 Bridges (C)

29.Zootopia (C)

28.Harsh Times (C)

27.Young Adult (C)

26.The Tomorrow War (C+)

25.Burn After Reading (C+)

24.Father Figures (B-)

23.Hidalgo (B-)

22.Spider-Man 3 (B-)

21.Ride the Eagle (B-)

20.The Accountant (B-)

19.La La Land (B-)

18.Terminator Genysis (B-)

17.The Words (B)

16.Kung Fu Panda 3 (B)

15.Thank You for Smoking (B)

14.Justice League (B)

13.Patriots Day (B)

12.Zack Snyder's Justice League (B)

11.The Ladykillers (B)

10.Up in the Air (B)

9.The Gift (B)

8.Contraband (B+)

7.Extract (B+)

6.Palm Springs (B+)

5.Klaus (B+)

4.Spider-Man (B+)

3.I Love You, Man (A-)

2.Spider-Man 2 (A)

1.Whiplash (A)

Top Dog: Whiplash (2014)

Whiplash isn't just an excellent film, it's a cinematic miracle. Exceptional acting, commanding storytelling and a sense of lingering pressure/anxiety/uneasiness come together to make a dynamic masterpiece that takes the viewer on a grueling yet immensely rewarding psychological journey with a perfect cathartic ending. A long overdue rewatch will be one of the first entertainment-related boxes I check in 2022. 

Lowlight: Juno (2007)

Juno is a plague that the indie filmmaking community still can't quite shake nearly 15 years later. Any time an indie comedy where every teenage character is a smug hipster with an endless collection of quirky quips and the soundtrack solely consists of flavor of the week indie artists sees the light of day, all of the finger waving, facepalming and sighing can be directed towards Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody's unholy creation. 

Most Underrated: Extract (2009)

Between King of the Hill, Office Space, Beavis & Butthead, Silicon Valley and Idiocracy, Mike Judge is essentially a cult comedy factory. Extract-which was his direct follow up to Idiocracy-may be the only one of his projects in the last 25 years that doesn't have a rabid following. The lack of cult status is especially baffling since it's a movie that brings his signature absurd, situational humor to an unlikely workplace environment (an extract factory) and has a bunch of great actors (Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck, Clifton Collins Jr., Simmons) having a blast playing colorful/psychotic characters.

Most Overrated: Juno (2007)

I disagree with the Academy all the time, but 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture (when there were still only 5 nominees no less!) and a Best Original Screenplay win for Juno has to be close to the top of the list of our differing takes. If I were in charge of the Oscars, there would've been no amount of bribe money or blackmail threats in the world that could've made me nominate Juno for anything besides the unofficial "Best Cast in an Insufferable Movie" honor.

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 14

 ()=previous ranking

1.(1) Arizona Cardinals (10-2) Week 14 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-3) Week 14 opponent: Buffalo Bills

3.(3) Green Bay Packers (9-3) Week 14 opponent: Chicago Bears 

4.(4) New England Patriots (9-4) Week 14 opponent: Bye

5.(5) Dallas Cowboys (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Washington Football Team

6.(6) Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

7.(10) Los Angeles Rams (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

8.(8) Tennessee Titans (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

9.(9) Buffalo Bills (7-5) Week 14 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10.(7) Baltimore Ravens (8-4) Week 14 opponent: Cleveland Browns

11.(14) Los Angeles Chargers (7-5) Week 14 opponent: New York Giants

12.(13) Indianapolis Colts (7-6) Week 14 opponent: Bye

13.(12) San Francisco 49ers (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

14.(11) Cincinnati Bengals (6-6) Week 14 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

15.(20) Washington Football Team (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

16.(18) Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5-1) Week 14 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

17.(17) Las Vegas Raiders (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

18.(16) Denver Broncos (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Detroit Lions

19.(19) Cleveland Browns (6-6) Week 14 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

20.(21) Miami Dolphins (6-7) Week 14 opponent: Bye

21.(22) Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Week 14 opponent: Bye

22.(15) Minnesota Vikings (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

23.(24) Atlanta Falcons (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Carolina Panthers

24.(25) Carolina Panthers (5-7) Week 14 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

25.(23) New Orleans Saints (5-7) Week 14 opponent: New York Jets

26.(28) Seattle Seahawks (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Houston Texans

27.(26) Chicago Bears (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Green Bay Packers 

28.(27) New York Giants (4-8) Week 14 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

29.(29) New York Jets (3-9) Week 14 opponent: New Orleans Saints

30.(30) Houston Texans (2-10) Week 14 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

31.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) Week 14 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

32.(32) Detroit Lions (1-10-1) Week 14 opponent: Denver Broncos

Week 13 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Tom Brady (Buccaneers)

Save for getting embarrassed on a late 2nd quarter pick by defensive tackle Marlon Davidson, Brady predictably annihilated (368 YDS, 4 TD's) the Falcons yet again on Sunday afternoon. In a down year for both himself and quarterbacks overall, Brady has remained at the top of the pecking order and appears set to finish as a top 3 fantasy QB for the 2nd straight season.  

Honorable Mentions: Justin Herbert (Chargers), Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

LVP: Derek Carr (Raiders)

While Carr played fine (273 scrimmage YDS, 0 giveaways) in a rough loss for the Raiders against the surging Football Team, his failure to find the endzone disappointed his fantasy managers almost as much as it did the fans of his team. Quite fittingly given what his team has gone through on-and-off the field, Carr's 2021 season has been plagued by erraticism and unpredictability-making him a boom-or-bust play for this Sunday's contest against the Chiefs.   

Honorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Josh Allen (Bills)

Running Back

MVP: Javonte Williams (Broncos)

The rookie power back took full control of the backfield for the 1st time this year with Melvin Gordon out of the lineup and was the Broncos lone offensive star on Sunday night against the Chiefs-turning his 29 touches (23 carries, 6 receptions) into 178 YDS and a TD. Depending on Gordon's availability, Williams could be anywhere from a high-end RB1 to a mid-range RB2 for Sunday's game versus the Lions.

Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), David Montgomery (Bears), Sony Michel (Rams)

LVP: James Robinson (Jaguars)

A clearly hobbled Robinson probably shouldn't have been out there at all against the Rams on Sunday, but alas he was, and the results were predictably ugly as the 2nd year back registered just 35 total YDS and a lost fumble on 9 touches. Given the Jaguars status as a 2-10 team with a brutally inept offense and coaching staff along with his injury status, Robinson should probably ride the bench the rest of the way in fantasy. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Ingram (Saints), Myles Gaskin (Dolphins), Ezekiel Elliot (Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

Adam Thielen's early exit with an ankle sprain paved the way for Jefferson to do a whole lot of damage against the Lions porous secondary and he delivered in a big way by hauling in 11 catches for 182 YDS and a TD in what ended up being a heartbreaking day for the Vikings as they became the 1st team to lose to Dan Campbell's squad in 2021. With Thielen listed as doubtful for Thursday's game versus the Steelers, Jefferson-whose put up over 140 YDS in 3 of the last 4 games-will have a legit chance to repeat as the top overall fantasy wideout. 

Honorable Mentions: Diontae Johnson (Steelers), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Tee Higgins (Bengals)

LVP: Jakobi Meyers (Patriots)

None of the 3 passes Mac Jones threw in the Buffalo wind turbine last night found their way into the hands of the Pats de facto top receiver and unlike his running mates Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, he didn't get involved in that sweet reverse action. A Week 14 showdown with the Colts in the domed Lucas Oil Stadium should see Meyers and the rest of the receiving corps return to being something other than small offensive lineman.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Terry McLaurin (Football Team), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

Tight End

MVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Kittle sure did put his Week 12 dud behind him quickly... The star tight end was effectively the sole focus of the 49ers passing attack on Sunday against the Seahawks and he took full advantage of that starring role by putting together what just might have been the best game of his career (9 REC/181 YDS/2 TD's). If Deebo Samuel sits once again when the 49ers travel to Cincy to take on the trick or treat Bengals, Kittle should have another really busy day at the office.

Honorable Mentions: Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers), T.J. Hockenson (Lions)

LVP: Zach Ertz (Cardinals)

Rainy conditions at Soldier Field and Andy Dalton throwing 4 INT's that led to short fields ensured that the Cardinals didn't have to throw too much to win against the Bears (Kyler Murray attempted a season-low 15 passes), which subsequently made their #2-3 pass catcher Ertz (1 REC/10 YDS) a non-factor in the game. A date with the shaky Rams pass D next Monday presents Ertz and his fantasy owners with a pretty great bounceback opportunity. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Dawson Knox (Bills), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Colts

The Colts defense got to show they were more just an opportunistic, takeaway-dependent bunch this week against the Texans. Matt Eberflus' troops completely disrupted and destroyed Houston's lowly group-hanging 4 sacks, an INT and a fumble recovery on them in a 31-0 victory. Their status as a strong fantasy defense will probably be temporarily removed when they take on the turnover-resistant Patriots in 2 weeks. 

Honorable Mentions: Cowboys, Chiefs, Buccaneers

LVP: Ravens

Just when it looked like the Ravens defense had returned to elite status for good this season, they massively flop against their archrivals in Pittsburgh (20 points allowed, 1 sack, 0 takeaways)-who aren't exactly known for having a deadly offense. Despite literally just dominating them in Week 11, they'll be a risky start against the Browns this Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions: Bills, Eagles, Broncos

Movie Review: C'mon C'mon

 

There's a notion that's often floated out there by some purist cinephiles that cinema should always be seeking to explore or expose some kind of truth in the world. As great as that sounds in theory, that's a tricky ask for a couple reasons. 1. Not every film is playing by the rules of reality. 2.Truth doesn't have a universal definition when it's applied to someone's individual experiences. While I can't speak to the degree of "truth" present in C'mon C'mon for a litany of reasons, writer/director Mike Mills has at the very least made a family drama that handles its relationships and the problems that come with them in a much more real way than we're used to seeing portrayed on screen. 

The root of C'mon C'mon's drama stems from a phone call made by New York-based radio journalist Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix, in a reserved role that marks complete 180 from his five-alarm fire overacting in Joker) to his Los Angeles-based sister Viv (Gabby Hoffmann)-who he had not spoken to since their mother died of dementia a year earlier. During their conversation, Viv reveals that her estranged husband Paul (Scoot McNairy) is displaying erratic behavior caused by his mental illness and that she has to go up to his apartment in Oakland and convince him to get treatment. Wanting to help, Johnny volunteers to fly out and take care of Viv's son Jesse (Woody Norman) while she's in Oakland. After some initial awkwardness, Jesse and Johnny develop a bond that only strengthens when Johnny gets the opportunity to take Jesse back to New York and show him around a city that he's never been before. The jolly, fun time uncle/nephew arrangement begins to fall apart when Jesse starts to lash out and ask questions about what's really going on with Paul and why his mom left him behind while she went on this trip, which causes Johnny to become the stand-in parent he never wanted to be. Will their newly formed bond be able to weather the storm of reality setting in or will they return to their previous arrangement of being borderline strangers who barely speak or each other once Viv returns?    

C'mon C'mon has a really substantial understanding of the messy complexities of family dynamics and human emotions without ever veering into melodrama or vilifying its characters. Viv and Johnny's estrangement wasn't driven by some kind of bombshell soap opera involving greed, betrayal or backstabbing, it was just the product of a brother and sister not being on the same page on how to care for their dying mother. When Viv expresses to the single and childless Johnny that parenthood is an unrelentingly challenging journey that she sometimes wishes she never embarked on, she's treated as a person freely expressing the largely unspoken difficulties of parenthood and not some deadbeat mother who hates her son. At 9 years old, Jesse is at the weird stage of childhood where he's old enough to begin to understand what the adults in his life are really up to yet still young enough to regularly do irrational things like throwing temper tantrums when something doesn't go the way he wants it to. 

These conversations, scenarios and behaviors represent just a small sampling of the achingly real shit that take place in C'mon C'mon. The beauty of making a film that relies on heavy, reflective conversations to tell its story is that it becomes a vessel for unflinchingly honest expression. Not everything here is eloquently or even fully expressed because Mills and the trio of actors (Phoenix, Norman, Hoffmann) who get the bulk of the screentime understand the difficulty of being honest with yourself or others and assigning words to describe internal feelings. Acknowledging the difficulties of bringing true thoughts and feelings from the safety of one's own mind into a cruel outside world where they can be misinterpreted or harshly judged and preaching the importance of listening to other people when they have the courage to share these things out loud is a really delightful message for a film to have-especially in the current times where the desire for real human experiences seems to be more of a trendy suggestion than a realized action.          

C'mon C'mon is a welcome break from the corny, heavy-handed dramas that have populated the last few months of the calendar. While indie film veteran Mills' affinity for public radio interviews and voiceover montages occasionally obscures the multi-faceted power of the drama, a little bit of clumsy indulgence is no match for a moving, beautifully acted film that features so many impactful observations about being a human being and treats its characters and their respective issues with so much respect. Releasing something so understated and unglamorous at the height of awards season was a bit of a puzzling move by A24 since it's likely going to get overshadowed by the abundance of flashier, buzzier titles on the marketplace, but I'm ultimately glad that they did because there probably won't be another film released this month that shares C'mon C'mon's intimate, vulnerable DNA.  

Grade: B+

Angelina Jolie Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out various related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Angelina Jolie. 

Angelina Jolie's Filmography Ranked:

19.Shark Tale (F)

18.Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (D-)

17.A Mighty Heart (D+)

16.Beowulf (D+)

15.Salt (C-)

14.Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (C-)

13.Mr. and Mrs. Smith (C)

12.Girl, Interrupted (C) 

11.The Bone Collector (C+)

10.Kung Fu Panda 3 (B)

9.Kung Fu Panda 2 (B)

8.Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (B)

7.Maleficent (B)

6.Kung Fu Panda (B)

5.Changeling (B)

4.Those Who Wish Me Dead (B+)

3.Gone in 60 Seconds (B+)

2.Eternals (B+)

1.Wanted (A-)

Top Dog: Wanted (2008)

Wanted was released when I was 16 and after seeing it in theaters opening weekend, I was convinced it was the greatest movie ever made. Its combination of stylized bloody violence, wild car chases and characters yelling F-bombs every 10-15 seconds was pretty like catnip for my undeveloped, trash-loving brain, and I spent most of that summer enraging my friends by saying it was a better film than The Dark Knight. While I'm not quite as fond of it now as I was back then when I was its literal biggest fan, Wanted is still an exhilaratingly over-the-top spectacle that I admire due to its unflinching embrace of all things scuzzy, cartoonish and idiotic.  

Lowlight: Shark Tale (2004)

Nothing says family fun like a cartoon mobster saga starring a bunch of fished voiced by superstar actors (Will Smith, Jack Black, Renee Zellweger, Jolie, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese). Bonkers plot aside, Shark Tale is that special kind of atrocity that fails so spectacularly to entertain or amuse that it's sincerely embarrassing. There isn't even a single moment in this piece of trash that's even a little bit redeemable, it's just pure, repugnant garbage throughout. If Dreamworks (or any other legitimate studio) ever puts something this staggeringly awful again, the animated film world would likely collapse in short order. 

Most Underrated: Gone in 60 Seconds (2000)

Nicolas Cage ended his blockbuster action star era with a big, electrifying bang courtesy of this 'roided up remake of the 1974 cult classic about a former prolific car thief (Cage) who's forced back into the game after his brother (Giovani Ribisi) botches a big job for a notorious gangster (Christopher Eccleston). The beauty of this film is that it's a fun popcorn movie where a bunch of really great veteran actors (Cage, Jolie, Ribisi, Delroy Lindo, Robert Duvall, Will Patton, Chi McBride, Timothy Olyphant, Vinnie Jones) let their hair down and roll with the abundance of silly punches this action heist saga throws out.    

Most Overrated: Girl, Interrupted (1999)

James Mangold's 60's-set coming-of-age drama is a clumsy, intermittently boring character study about a group of young women who are patients at a psychiatric hospital that is only a few solid performances (Winona Ryder, Jolie, the late Brittany Murphy) away from being considerably below average.    

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 13

 =previous ranking

1.(1) Arizona Cardinals (9-2) Week 13 opponent: Chicago Bears

2.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Atlanta Falcons 

3.(5) Green Bay Packers (9-3) Week 13 opponent: Bye 

4.(6) New England Patriots (8-4) Week 13 opponent: Buffalo Bills

5.(3) Dallas Cowboys (7-4) Week 13 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

6.(7) Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Denver Broncos

7.(8) Baltimore Ravens (8-3) Week 13 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

8.(4) Tennessee Titans (8-4) Week 13 opponent: Bye

9.(10) Buffalo Bills (7-4) Week 13 opponent: New England Patriots 

10.(9) Los Angeles Rams (7-4) Week 13 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

11.(15) Cincinnati Bengals (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers

12.(16) San Francisco 49ers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

13.(12) Indianapolis Colts (6-6) Week 13 opponent: Houston Texans

14.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

15.(14) Minnesota Vikings (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Detroit Lions

16.(18) Denver Broncos (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs

17.(20) Las Vegas Raiders (6-5) Week 13 opponent: Washington Football Team

18.(13) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5-1) Week 13 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

19.(17) Cleveland Browns (6-6) Week 13 opponent: Bye

20.(23) Washington Football Team (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders 

21.(24) Miami Dolphins (5-6) Week 13 opponent: New York Giants

22.(21) Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) Week 13 opponent: New York Jets

23.(19) New Orleans Saints (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Dallas Cowboys

24.(25) Atlanta Falcons (5-6) Week 13 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

25.(22) Carolina Panthers (5-7) Week 13 opponent: Bye

26.(27) Chicago Bears (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Arizona Cardinals

27.(28) New York Giants (4-7) Week 13 opponent: Miami Dolphins

28.(26) Seattle Seahawks (3-8) Week 13 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

29.(31) New York Jets (3-8) Week 13 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

30.(29) Houston Texans (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

31.(30) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9) Week 13 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

32.(32) Detroit Lions (0-10-1) Week 13 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

Week 12 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Josh Allen (Bills)

Outside of a couple picks, Allen put together a pretty impressive performance (260 YDS, 4 TD, 43 Rushing YDS) against the reeling, injury-depleted Saints on Thanksgiving. All eyes will be on Allen- whose had a very up and down season to date-on Monday night when the scorching hot Patriots and their top ranked scoring defense come into Buffalo for a pivotal AFC East clash. 

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

LVP: Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

The unsung hero QB of the 2021 Fantasy Football Season posted a rare, thoroughly unexpected dud (129 YDS/0 TD/3 INT/77 Rushing YDS) against a bad Giants team on Sunday that put his owners that have relied on his 25+ points per game average in a really rough spot. Making matters worse, Hurts hurt his ankle at the end of the game and might be out of action for this week's prime matchup with the Jets. The Eagles do have a bye in Week 14 and Gardner Minshew is one of the more reliable backups in the league, so it wouldn't be shocking if they decided to Hurts a couple weeks off to heal up and help the team make a charge for the NFC's hotly contested final Wild Card spot.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Cam Newton (Panthers), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Ryan Tannehill (Titans)

Running Back

MVP: Leonard Fournette (Buccaneers)

With Tom Brady and the receivers struggling all game long, the Bucs turned to Leonard Fournette to help them fight off a feisty Colts squad and he delivered in a big way. Lombardi Lenny turned his 24 touches (17 carries, 7 receptions) into 131 scrimmage YDS and 4 TD's in what ended up being a 38-31 victory for the defending champs. This explosion truly came out of nowhere as Fournette hadn't found the endzone since Week 7 or handled over 20 touches since Week 6. Fournette is a famously streaky player and it's very possible this gem could snowball into a huge stretch run for the Bucs top back.

Honorable Mentions: Joe Mixon (Bengals), Cordarrelle Patterson (Falcons), Elijah Mitchell (49ers)

LVP: Najee Harris (Steelers)

Another miserable outing from Ben Roethlisberger and their defense made the Steelers turn away from Harris very early in Sunday's contest with a resurgent Bengals team, leaving the rookie running back with a light workload and statline (11 touches for 37 YDS). A stout Ravens front that just completely shut down the Browns dynamic duo of backs could lead to another quiet day at the office for Harris. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Aaron Jones (Packers), Nick Chubb (Browns), Kareem Hunt (Browns)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Jaylen Waddle (Dolphins)

The Panthers dynamic secondary quite simply had no answers for Waddle on Sunday. The rookie wideout was making plays all over the field all game long-securing 9 catches for 137 YDS and a TD in another huge W for the Dolphins. Waddle has really come on strong over the past month-finishing with 60+ YDS in 6 of the last 7 games and if the Dolphins are going to fight their way back into the AFC Wild Card race, he's going to have to keep playing at this level.

Honorable Mentions: Deebo Samuel (49ers), Adam Thielen (Vikings), Tee Higgins (Bengals)

LVP: Chris Godwin (Buccaneers) 

While Godwin managed to outgain (27 YDS to 16) and outtouch (4 to 3) his running mate Mike Evans, he had the misfortune of losing a fumble in the 1st quarter that led to him leapfrogging Evans on the fantasy WR shitlist. With Evans likely to draw most of the coverage from the Falcons sleeper stud corner A.J. Terrell on Sunday, Godwin should be able to soak up the bulk of the WR targets and have a nice bounce back game.

Dishonorable Mentions: D.K. Metcalf (Seahawks), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), DeVonta Smith (Eagles)

Tight End

MVP: Dawson Knox (Bills)

The master of the TD-vulture TE statline put together another finesser gem in Week 12 against the Saints, finding the endzone twice despite only registering 3 catches for 32 YDS on the night. Knox will be in his usual boom-or-bust TE1 spot for Monday's matchup with the Patriots.

Honorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Dalton Schultz (Cowboys), Rob Gronkowski (Buccaneers)

LVP: George Kittle (49ers)

Kittle was completely sidelined from the 49ers passing attack in Week 12, only securing 1 of his 2 targets for 13 YDS in the 49ers victory over the Vikings. This snapped a 4-game TD streak for Kittle and was his first real dud since returning from injury in Week 9, so expect him to be more heavily involved against the DOA Seahawks in Week 13-especially with Deebo Samuel already being ruled out with a groin injury.

Dishonorable Mentions: Noah Fant (Broncos), Kyle Pitts (Falcons), Hunter Henry (Patriots)

Defense/Special Teams:

MVP: Dolphins

The Dolphins defense and special teams were relentlessly disruptive in Sunday's 33-10 decimation of the Panthers- registering 5 sacks, 3 INT's and a blocked punt that was returned for a TD. They'll be on the fantasy radar again in Week 13 when they square off against a poor, mistake-prone Giants offense.

Honorable Mentions: Patriots, Broncos, Buccaneers

LVP: Steelers

While Ben Roethlisberger's poor decisionmaking and inability to sustain drives certainly contributed to their poor performance against the Bengals, that doesn't excuse what proved to be another unacceptable outing for a defense (35 points and 198 rushing YDS allowed, 2 sacks, INT) that looked borderline dominant only a few weeks ago. A Week 13 showdown with the struggling Ravens offense would feel like a great get right spot under normal circumstances, but there's no reason to believe that this group is capable of producing against anyone right now. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Rams, Colts, Panthers

Quick Movie Reviews: Belfast, King Richard, Bruised, House of Gucci

Belfast: Belfast's current status as the Best Picture frontrunner makes almost too much sense. It's an easily digestible, tear-jerking crowd-pleaser that uses the backdrop of a horrific historical event (the beginning of the Troubles conflict in Northen Ireland in 1969/70) to tell a story about the love between a family and how even in humanity's darkest moments, there's no place like home. Kenneth Branagh's largely autobiographical film is also one of the most underwhelming dramas released all year long. By choosing to tell its story through the eyes of a 9-year-old boy (Jude Hill), Branagh makes an aloof film with an emotional core that solely consists of sentimentality, inspirational platitudes and weepy monologues about love that are tailor made for an Oscar clip. The whole thing is so predictably sappy that it isn't until the closing title card paying tribute to those who died and/or stayed in Northern Ireland throughout the conflict that Belfast bothers to acknowledge the true horrors of the Troubles. While it's understandable that Branagh chose to focus on his fond memories of the period and the bittersweet feelings his family had towards leaving the home they've always known, his schmaltzy approach turns a potent hook into a hollow, insincere film that has little on its mind other than how many gold statues it can collect in January-March of next year. 

Grade: C

King Richard: With an ongoing pandemic and political unrest dominating the current landscape, rousing crowd pleasers seem to be positioning themselves as the bulk of the favorites in this year's awards field. If one of these sunny films does end up taking home the biggest prize in cinema, I hope it's King Richard. 

This story of the role Richard Williams (played beautifully by Will Smith) played in planting the seeds for his daughters Venus and Serena's incredible tennis careers is the rare sports biopic that puts nuanced character portrayals alongside the obligatory feel-good underdog elements. Over the course of the film which covers everything from the family's early years training on the public courts near their Compton, California home up to the start of Venus' pro career in 1994, Williams is shown to be a loving father who instills his daughters with confidence, a sense of self-worth and an unrelenting work ethic, a shameless self-promoter who used his daughter's gifts to build his own brand and a man who used his limitless bravado to shield his fears of failure and past sins. These are just a few of the many sides of Richard that Smith's layered performance and the thoughtful script from Zach Baylin allow to shine through without undercutting the prominent role their mother Brandy Price (Anujanue Ellis) or the generational athletic gifts Venus and Serena had played in their journey. King Richard is the first truly great sports film of this decade and will likely end up remaining among the top of the heap when the 2020's are in the rearview.     

Grade: A-

Bruised: Halle Berry the director fails Halle Berry the actor, who impressively commits to the role of Jackie Jackie-a disgraced MMA fighter trying to mount a comeback-in this middling sports drama that coldly and clumsily trots out melodramatic cliches at an incredible rate in an attempt to sell the viewer on just how much adversity Justice is facing. The reliance on such a cheap tactic is especially depressing since Bruised shows glimpses of real redemptive grace as Justice attempts to win back the trust of her estranged son (Danny Boyd Jr.) and strikes up a close relationship with her new trainer (Sheila Atim), but these moments are ultimately fleeting as Berry and the shaky script from Michelle Rosenfrab return to the familiar misery well (Justice's complicated relationships with her abusive alcoholic boyfriend and cruel addict mother, revelations of childhood trauma that come completely out of left field) seemingly every time the story starts to show off the true humanity of Justice. Most MMA fans will probably enjoy the impressively staged final fight scene between Justice and Lucy "Lady Killer" Chavez (real life UFC champion Valentina Shevchenko), but everything leading up to this big title bout is so frustratingly average and forced that really caring about the outcome becomes kind of impossible. 

Grade: C

House of Gucci: Anyone that was worried about Ridley Scott causing some kind of catastrophic unbalance in the universe by releasing 2 great films in just over a month's time can sleep easy knowing that House of Gucci represents the nearly 84-year-old cinema icon at his most unwieldy. Where The Last Duel was a polished, laser-focused medieval drama that effectively uses its gaudy 150+ minute runtime to tell the same story from 3 different perspectives, House of Gucci is a breezy mess that details how constant backstabbing, shameless greed and the introduction of an ambitious, manipulative woman (Lady Gaga) into their ranks put an end to the Gucci's involvement in the global fashion empire that bears their name with no consistency or efficiency whatsoever. Nobody from Scott all the way down to his starry ensemble of actors (Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto, Al Pacino, Jack Huston, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek) can decide if they're making a prestige biopic or a trashy soap opera (it's far better at being the latter-especially when seasoned overactors Leto and Pacino are sharing the screen) and it pulls off the always impressive feat of being too long yet not developed enough to feel like a complete story. If it had went into a full camp direction, this easily could've morphed into a wildly entertaining romp instead of just the decent film with a huge identity crisis that it ended up being but committing to a tone on back-to-back films is clearly just too much to ask of Scott.  

Grade: B-

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

 ()= previous ranking

1.(3) Arizona Cardinals (9-2) Week 12 opponent: Bye

2.(4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Indianapolis Colts

3.(2) Dallas Cowboys (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

4.(1) Tennessee Titans (8-3) Week 12 opponent: New England Patriots 

5.(5) Green Bay Packers (8-3) Week 12 opponent: Los Angeles Rams

6.(9) New England Patriots (7-4) Week 12 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

7.(10) Kansas City Chiefs (7-4) Week 12 opponent: Bye

8.(7) Baltimore Ravens (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Cleveland Browns

9.(8) Los Angeles Rams (7-3) Week 12 opponent: Green Bay Packers 

10.(6) Buffalo Bills (6-4) Week 12 opponent: New Orleans Saints 

11.(13) Los Angeles Chargers (6-4) Week 12 opponent: Denver Broncos 

12.(14) Indianapolis Colts (6-5) Week 12 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

13.(11) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-4-1) Week 12 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

14.(19) Minnesota Vikings (5-5) Week 12 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

15.(18) Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) Week 12 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

16.(20) San Francisco 49ers (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

17.(16) Cleveland Browns (6-5) Week 12 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

18.(17) Denver Broncos (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

19.(12) New Orleans Saints (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Buffalo Bills

20.(15) Las Vegas Raiders (5-5) Week 12 opponent: Dallas Cowboys 

21.(23) Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) Week 12 opponent: New York Giants

22.(21) Carolina Panthers (5-6) Week 12 opponent: Miami Dolphins

23.(25) Washington Football Team (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

24.(28) Miami Dolphins (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Carolina Panthers

25.(22) Atlanta Falcons (4-6) Week 12 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars

26.(24) Seattle Seahawks (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Washington Football Team

27.(26) Chicago Bears (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Detroit Lions 

28.(27) New York Giants (3-7) Week 12 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles 

29.(31) Houston Texans (2-8) Week 12 opponent: New York Jets

30.(29) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

31.(30) New York Jets (2-8) Week 12 opponent: Houston Texans

32.(32) Detroit Lions (0-9-1) Week 12 opponent: Chicago Bears  

Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Justin Herbert (Chargers)

Not only did Herbert put together a monster fantasy performance (382 YDS, 3 TD's, 90 Rushing YDS) on Sunday night against the Steelers, he made NFL history by becoming the 1st ever quarterback to throw for 350 YDS and rush for 90 in a game. This was a much-needed explosion for Herbert-who outside of a strong showing against the Eagles in Week 9 had been really struggling since Week 6. Despite this incredible outing, fantasy owners should lower their expectations for this week as Herbert will have the difficult task of going into Denver and squaring off against the Broncos tough secondary-who has surrendered the 4th fewest fantasy points to QB's this season. 

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Kirk Cousins (Vikings), Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

LVP: Dak Prescott (Cowboys)

The promise of an epic shootout between 2 of the league's best QB's in Kansas City on Sunday really flopped as the game turned into a battle of the defenses and kickers after the 1st quarter. While Patrick Mahomes wasn't particularly sharp either (260 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, FUM Lost), Prescott looked much worse-turning the ball over 3 times (2 INT's and a fumble) and throwing for 216 scoreless YDS as the 'Boys suffered their 2nd deflating loss in the last 3 weeks. The absence of both CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper for Thursday's showdown with a tough Raiders secondary makes a bounceback seem very unlikely.

Dishonorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Ryan Tannehill (Titans), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

Running Back

MVP: Jonathan Taylor (Colts)

What Taylor did to the Bills on Sunday afternoon was borderline cruel. The Colts back took advantage of a soft, overrated Bills front and their willingness to turn the ball over (3 INT's, 1 lost fumble) by amassing a preposterous 214 total YDS (185 rushing, 19 receiving) and 5 TD"s (4 rushing, 1 receiving) on 35 touches. Taylor has been on a superhuman tear after a reasonably quiet September-registering over 100+ scrimmage YDS and at least 1 TD in 8 straight games. A matchup with a stingy Bucs run D seems like the logical ending point for such a streak, but Taylor is playing at such a high level right now that it feels like an injury could be the only thing that's capable of slowing him down.  

Honorable Mentions: Austin Ekeler (Chargers), Joe Mixon (Bengals), Nick Chubb (Browns)

LVP: Alex Collins (Seahawks)

Performances like this are just a reminder of how much the Seahawks miss Chris Carson. Collins failed to provide the offense with any sort of spark, managing just 36 YDS on 10 carries against a banged-up Cardinals defense. With Russell Wilson struggling mightily in both games since returning from IR and opponents making a concerted effort to stop the run to prevent the offense from getting back on track, things aren't looking great for Collins or any of the other Seahawks backs.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Davis (Falcons), D'onta Forman (Titans), Saquon Barkley (Giants)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Justin Jefferson (Vikings)

The entire Vikings offense played lights out against the Packers on Sunday, but Jefferson ended being the MVP as he went off for a season-high 169 YDS and 2 TD's on 8 catches. This unpredictable Vikings team will need him to step up again when they take on the 49ers on Sunday afternoon in a game that could prove to have massive implications in the crowded NFC Wild Card race.

Honorable Mentions: Davante Adams (Packers), Elijah Moore (Jets), Darnell Mooney (Bears)

LVP: Tee Higgins (Bengals)

Joe Mixon was the lone standout on the Bengals offense on Sunday against the Raiders as Joe Burrow only threw for 149 YDS on 20 completions. Naturally, this meant Higgins didn't have much of a role in the gameplan-as he caught 2 of the 3 targets that came his way for a paltry 15 YDS. Failing to reach the endzone since Week 2 and seeing Ja'Marr Chase siphon nearly all of Burrow's downfield targets, Higgins has been a huge letdown for the people who spent a top 50-60 pick on him.

Dishonorable Mentions: Brandin Cooks (Texans), Kenny Golladay (Giants), Emmanuel Sanders (Bills)

Tight End

MVP: Zach Ertz (Cardinals)

The continued absence of DeAndre Hopkins and Chase Edmonds paved the way for Ertz to put up the type of commanding performance we haven't seen from him since at least 2018 (8 REC/88 YDS/2 TD's) in Sunday's win over the Seahawks. The move to Arizona seems to have rejuvenated Ertz and while the likely return of Hopkins after their bye this week will undoubtedly reduce his target share, having an established redzone role in a high-volume passing offense should help him remain a weekly factor in fantasy.

Honorable Mentions: Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Darren Waller (Raiders), George Kittle (49ers)

LVP: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Breaking News: Bill Belichick successfully took away his opponent's top offensive weapon for the 9,000,000th time. With Cordarrelle Patterson out of the lineup, Belichick didn't even have try too hard to eliminate Pitts (he finished the night with 3 catches for 29 YDS) from the equation and make life very miserable for Matt Ryan and the one-dimensional Falcons offense last Thursday night. Even if Patterson sits again this week, there's almost no chance that Pitts isn't more of a factor against a porous Jaguars passing defense. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Jared Cook (Chargers), Cole Kmet (Bears)

Defense/Special Team

MVP: Patriots

The aforementioned reign of terror committed on the Falcons offense also resulted in a monster fantasy performance for Belichick's defense. Aided by some horrible offensive line play, a couple of hilarious garbage time picks from both of the Falcons hopeless backup QB's (Josh Rosen, Felipe Franks) and an inexplicable illegal formation penalty that took a field goal off the board, the Pats went off for 4 sacks and 4 INT's (including a pick 6 by Kyle Van Noy on Rosen's INT) in an easy 25-0 victory. A really beat up Titans offense that just committed 5 turnovers against the lowly Texans awaits the suddenly dominant Pats defense next.      

Honorable Mentions: Buccaneers, 49ers, Colts

LVP: Bills

So much for the #1 scoring and fantasy defense... Jonathan Taylor and a few timely plays from Carson Wentz ensured that the Bills had a miserable day at the office-surrendering 41 points without getting a single sack or takeaway. A Week 11 showdown with the Trevor Siemian-led Saints is exactly the kind of soft landing spot this group needs to get their confidence back before they head into a brutal December stretch that includes the Bucs and 2 meetings with the surging Patriots.

Dishonorable Mentions: Steelers, Chargers, Titans

Salma Hayek Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography and hand out assorted related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Salma Hayek-whose latest project "House of Gucci" hits theaters on Wednesday.

Salma Hayek's Filmography Ranked:

22.After the Sunset (D+)

21.Like a Boss (C-)

20.Four Rooms (C-)

19.Beatriz at Dinner (C-)

18.Grown Ups 2 (C)

17.The Hummingbird Project (C)

16.Wild Wild West (C)

15.Grown Ups (C+)

14.Everly (C+)

13.Frida (B-)

12.Puss in Boots (B)

11.Here Comes the Boom (B)

10.Once Upon a Time in Mexico (B)

9.Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (B)

8.Savages (B)

7.Traffic (B)

6.The Hitman's Bodyguard (B)

5.Eternals (B+)

4.Desperado (B+)

3.From Dusk till Dawn (B+)

2.Sausage Party (A-)

1.Dogma (A-)

Top Dog: Dogma (1999)

Kevin Smith's incredible 90's run ended with a frequently hilarious film that cleverly satirizes the fundamental stories and beliefs of Christianity without discarding Smith's signature dumb humor. 

Lowlight: After the Sunset (2004)

Making a dull heist film that completely drains a magnetic ensemble cast (Pierce Brosnan, Hayek, Woody Harrelson, Naomie Harris, Don Cheadle) of their abundant charisma and wastes a gorgeous Bahamian island backdrop is a hell of a magic trick that After the Sunset manages to pull off. All the credit goes to a dreadful script that has no good jokes or clever twists and stunningly flat direction from Brett Ratner for making this seemingly impossible feat look really easy.

Most Underrated: From Dusk till Dawn (1996)

From Dusk till Dawn is a sneakily powerful testament to the importance of having the right people bring a project to life. Something that starts off as a darkly comedic crime/road movie about a pair of bank robbers (George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino) on the lam after a job gone wrong before suddenly morphing into a full-on grindhouse vampire action flick in the final act almost certainly wouldn't have worked so well if it weren't in the hands of a pair of B-movie aficionados in Robert Rodriguez and Tarantino, and a group of actors (Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Cheech Marin, Juliette Lewis, Hayek, Fred Williamson) that believed in their twisted, tongue-in-cheek vision.

Most Overrated: Frida (2002)

As well-intentioned and generally serviceable as Julie Taymor's biopic is, Frida Kahlo lived too far too interesting of a life to have it dramatized so plainly. This is a woman who not only painted some of the most strikingly unique art in the history of the world, but was nearly paralyzed after a bus accident at age 18, got involved with the Mexican Communist Party in her 20's and had an on-and-off relationship with fellow painter Diego Rivera that was exactly as wild and dysfunctional as you'd expect the union between two freewheeling artists to be. Reducing Kahlo's life of adventure, reflection and pain to something so surface level is a great disservice to who she was and hopefully somebody will step up and make the introspective, vibrant portrait of her life that she deserves at some point in the future.  

Most Overhated: Wild Wild West (1999)

The sheer, unrelenting madness of Wild Wild West isn't discussed nearly enough. Kenneth Branaugh plays a wheelchair-bound Confederate general who is hellbent on disbanding the newly formed United States and has spent years kidnapping scientists and engineers to help build a giant mechanical spider that will allow him to do so. Said giant mechanical spider was put into the movie at the insistence of producer Jon Peters-who had been trying to insert a giant mechanical spider into a movie for several years prior to Wild Wild West. After the finale in which the protagonists (Will Smith, Kevin Kline) save President Ulysses S. Grant (also Kline) from being crushed by the giant mechanical spider, Grant decides to form the Secret Service. Is the movie a god damn absurd mess that's pretty staggeringly incompetent for a huge Hollywood production? Absolutely, and that's exactly what makes it an oddly fun viewing experience.

Paul Rudd Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related accolades. This week, I'm profiling the work of Paul Rudd-whose latest project "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" hits theaters tonight.

Paul Rudd's Filmography Ranked:

28.Year One (D)

27.Monsters vs. Aliens (C-)

26.They Came Together (C)

25.Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie (B-)

24.Night at the Museum (B-)

23.Ant-Man and the Wasp (B)

22.Ant-Man (B)

21.Captain America: Civil War (B)

20.Our Idiot Brother (B)

19.Wanderlust (B)

18.Reno 911!: Miami (B)

17.The Fundamentals of Caring (B)

16.Clueless (B)

15.Dinner for Schmucks (B+)

14.The Perks of Being a Wallflower (B+)

13.This is 40 (B+)

12.Role Models (B+)

11.Sausage Party (A-)

10.Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (A-)

9.Avengers: Endgame (A-)

8.Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (A-)

7.Forgetting Sarah Marshall (A-) 

6.I Love You, Man (A-)

5.Knocked Up (A)

4.This is the End (A)

3.Wet Hot American Summer (A)

2.Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (A+)

1.The 40 Year-Old Virgin (A+) 

Top Dog: The 40-Year Old Virgin (2005)

The movie that started Judd Apatow's lengthy run as Hollywood's most influential comedic figure remains his finest piece of work as a filmmaker and maybe even the finest project he's ever been involved with period (Superbad, which he produced, is the other top contender). Apatow's script seamlessly blends laugh-out-loud raunchy humor with a really pure, potent heart and the cast from Steve Carrell as the shy, nerdy protagonist all the way down to the then-largely unknown supporting cast (Rudd, Seth Rogen, Romany Malco, Jane Lynch, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Jonah Hill, Mindy Kaling) hit every note their character was intended to. 

Lowlight: Year One (2009)

Even without having the chance to see it yet, it's evident that honoring the memory of the late Harold Ramis-who passed away back in 2014-is a massive part of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. When reflecting on Ramis' career like Rudd and the surviving members of the original Ghostbusters team (Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson) did during their late night show appearances earlier this week, you  eventually arrive at the sad realization that his final directorial effort was Year One. While it's hardly uncommon for industry icons to end their careers with a whimper, Year One is that special kind of inexplicable bad movie that acts as an eternal stain on someone's resume. Seriously, how did the guy who made Caddyshack and National Lampoon's Vacation get an ensemble cast headlined by Jack Black and Michael Cera to make a Biblical spoof and churn out something so thoroughly unfunny? It makes even less sense in practice then it does on paper and it's really a shame that Ramis never got the opportunity to go out on a note that was more fitting of his legendary stature.    

Most Underrated: Sausage Party (2016)

Sausage Party might be the only mainstream R-rated comedy of the past 15 years that got good critical reviews and was absolutely loathed by audiences. While I get why people hated it so much, I really admired that it was a really smart and brutal takedown of organized religion that just happened to be packaged into a silly, gleefully envelope-pushing animated comedy that ends with a bunch of food items having a massive orgy in a grocery store.  

Most Overrated: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

While Marvel has made plenty of films that are much worse than Captain America: Civil War, it's undoubtedly their most frustrating. Civil War actually displays the courage to dip its toes into the muddy waters of bleak storytelling and moral ambiguity with pretty interesting results, only to abruptly pull them out at the start of the final act and get its divided house back in order before the credits roll. Given the strength of the action sequences, new character introductions (Black Panther, Tom Holland's Spider-Man) and dramatic moments prior to the "let's hug it out" climax, this could've really been something special if its flirtation with emotionally tricky material proved to be something other than an inconsequential tease.

Top Cult Classic: Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

What do you get when you cross a cast that boasts a mix of future superstars (Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bradley Cooper) and 90's favorites (David Hyde Pierce, Janeane Garofolo, Molly Shannon) with a niche spoof premise (80's teen sex comedies)? An absurdist comedy masterpiece that has held up better than 99% of the other comedies from its era. 

2021 NFL Power Rankings: Week 11

 ()=previous ranking

1,(3) Tennessee Titans (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Houston Texans

2.(7) Dallas Cowboys (7-2) Week 11 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

3.(1) Arizona Cardinals (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

4.(2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3) Week 11 opponent: New York Giants 

5.(6) Green Bay Packers (8-2) Week 11 opponent: Minnesota Vikings

6.(8) Buffalo Bills (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

7.(5) Baltimore Ravens (6-3) Week 11 opponent: Chicago Bears

8.(4) Los Angeles Rams (7-3) Week 11 opponent: Bye

9.(14) New England Patriots (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Atlanta Falcons

10.(15) Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) Week 11 opponent: Dallas Cowboys 

11.(9) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3-1) Week 11 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

12.(10) New Orleans Saints (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles

13.(11) Los Angeles Chargers (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

14.(18) Indianapolis Colts (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Buffalo Bills

15.(12) Las Vegas Raiders (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals

16.(13) Cleveland Browns (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Detroit Lions

17.(16) Denver Broncos (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Bye

18.(17) Cincinnati Bengals (5-4) Week 11 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders

19.(21) Minnesota Vikings (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Green Bay Packers

20.(23) San Francisco 49ers (4-5) Week 11 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

21.(22) Carolina Panthers (5-5) Week 11 opponent: Washington Football Team

22.(19) Atlanta Falcons (4-5) Week 11 opponent: New England Patriots 

23.(26) Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) Week 11 opponent: New Orleans Saints

24.(20) Seattle Seahawks (3-5) Week 11 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

25.(27) Washington Football Team (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Carolina Panthers

26.(24) Chicago Bears (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Baltimore Ravens

27.(25) New York Giants (3-6) Week 11 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

28.(28) Miami Dolphins (3-6) Week 11 opponent: New York Jets

29.(29) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7) Week 11 opponent: San Francisco 49ers 

30.(30) New York Jets (2-7) Week 11 opponent: Miami Dolphins

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

32.(32) Detroit Lions (0-8-1) Week 11 opponent: Cleveland Browns 

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2021 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

Mahomes picked a great time to shake off a month's worth of rust. The Chiefs star embarrassed the suddenly stumbling Raiders in their own building by ripping off 406 YDS and 5 TD's in a much-needed blowout 41-14 victory for the 2x defending AFC champs. While his recent struggles will understandably raise questions about whether this was a one-off or a true comeback outing, this was still a very reassuring performance from Mahomes with the pivotal stretch run rapidly approaching.    

Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Josh Allen (Bills), Jalen Hurts (Eagles)

LVP: Matt Ryan (Falcons)

The roller coaster otherwise known as Matt Ryan's 2021 season officially bottomed out on Sunday against the Cowboys as he posted a brutal statline (117 TD's, 0 TD's/2 INT's) and eventually got benched for Josh Rosen in the 4th quarter. Facing the Patriots on a short week is likely the last thing Ryan wants to do right now, but alas that's exactly what's on the dance card for Week 11.

Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Matthew Stafford (Rams)

Running Back

MVP: Darrel Williams (Chiefs)

Williams reeled in 9 passes for 101 YDS and a TD while also adding 43 YDS on the ground on 11 carries in the Chiefs obliteration of the Raiders on Sunday night. Williams has been at least as good as Clyde Edwards-Helaire was during his time as the starting back this season and could realistically be entering a timeshare with CEH if he returns to the field this week against the Cowboys.

Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Taylor (Colts), Antonio Gibson (Football Team), A.J. Dillon (Packers)

LVP: Darrell Henderson Jr. (Rams)

Sean McVay's refusal to run the ball in the early stages of the game paired with the eventual big deficit the Rams faced made Henderson a complete non-factor in last night's stunning loss to the 49ers. The University of Memphis product saw just 9 touches on the evening, which he turned into 41 YDS. Given the Rams rough showings in back-to-back losses, it wouldn't be shocking if Henderson's workload increased when they return to action against the Packers in Week 12.

Dishonorable Mentions: Myles Gaskin (Dolphins), Josh Jacobs (Raiders), Javonte Williams (Broncos)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Deebo Samuel (49ers)

Samuel punched the Rams defense in the mouth last night, turning 10 touches (5 catches and a season-high 5 carries) into 133 scrimmage YDS (97 receiving, 36 rushing) and 2 TD's. Able to avoid the injury bug for the 1st time in his professional career to date, Samuel has been able to cement himself as the focal point of the 49ers offense and a consistent WR1 for fantasy purposes.

Honorable Mentions: CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys), Stefon Diggs (Bills), Tyreek Hill (Chiefs)

LVP: DK Metcalf (Seahawks)

Russell Wilson's return had to make an immediate impact on Seahawks offense right? Not quite... The Seahawks got shutout by the Packers on Sunday afternoon and Metcalf managed just 3 catches for 26 YDS before he got ejected in the 4th quarter following an altercation with Packers defensive backs Quincy Black and Eric Stokes. If Russ can quickly get back on track, a matchup with a beatable Cardinals secondary should provide both Metcalf and Lockett with a great bounceback opportunity.

Dishonorable Mentions: Tyler Lockett (Seahawks), A.J. Brown (Titans), Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

Tight End

MVP: Hunter Henry (Patriots)

Hunter Henry is this year's answer to Robert Tonyan. The yardage or receptions isn't there, but the man scores TD's. That was once again the case this week against the Browns as Henry propped up a 4 REC/37 YD line with 2 trips to the endzone. As the clear top redzone target for Mac Jones, Henry will be an undisputed TE1 the rest of the way. 

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

LVP: T.J. Hockenson (Lions)

In what has to be the most disheartening statline of the season for fantasy players, Lions top receiving option Hockenson was targeted 1 time and recorded 0 catches in a tie game against the Steelers on Sunday. Again,  in 70 minutes of gametime, Hockenson failed to catch a pass and saw only 1 look. This anemic pass offense has pretty much killed Hockenson's fantasy appeal, but he'll remain rosterable simply because he's easily the most talented pass-catcher in an awful, awful group. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Gesicki (Dolphins), Jared Cook (Chargers), Darren Waller (Raiders) 

Defense/Special Teams:

MVP: Cowboys 

Dan Quinn emphatically stuck to it to his former team on Sunday as his group (as well as the special teams unit) combined for 3 INT's, 2 sacks and a blocked punt that resulted in a TD in a massive 43-3 victory over the Falcons. Things likely won't be this easy again this week when they take on a Chiefs team that just might be back to their dominant ways. 

Honorable Mentions: Packers, 49ers, Colts

LVP: Rams

Does the Rams defense actually kind of stink now? That's up for debate, but they certainly looked pretty damn bad as they allowed 25 points while netting 0 takeaways and only 1 sack in last night's crushing loss to the 49ers. Owners of last year's top defense might want to consider another option as they face a brutal stretch of opponents (save for the Jaguars in Week 13) in the final 6 weeks of the fantasy season.

Dishonorable Mentions: Browns, Broncos, Cardinals