2016 NFL Free Agency: Top 10 Best Players Available

The official start of free agency may be approximately 72 hours away, but the 2016 free agency class is already guaranteed to generate as much buzz as the 2015 class that saw nearly a dozen elite players including Ndamukong Suh, DeMarco Murray and Randall Cobb hit the open market. Almost all of the biggest names set to hit free agency (Von Miller, Alshon Jeffrey, Eric Berry, Josh Norman, Kirk Cousins, Muhammad Wilkerson) have been given the franchise tag that prevents them from leaving their current team. That being said, there are still a number of impact players that will be free to sign with any team when the new league starts on Wednesday March 9th at 4:00 P.M. EST. Here are my picks for the 10 best available players in the 2016 free agent class.

10.Bruce Irvin, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)
While his brash personality and reputation as a dirty player have made one of the most polarizing players in the NFL, there's no denying that Irvin has been one of the best situational pass-rushing specialists in the NFL over the past few seasons. With his steady year-to-year improvement since entering the league in 2012 and lack of wear and tear given his age (28), he could end up being a steal for a team that needs edge-rushing help.
Possible Destinations: Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Carolina Panthers

9.Marvin Jones, wide receiver (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
With Alshon Jeffrey being locked up by the Bears, Jones is now by far the best wide receiver available in free agency. His youth (he turns 26 next week), consistency and ability to play both inside and outside makes him an excellent option for teams that are looking for a high-end number two receiver.
Possible Destinations: Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, San Diego Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, New York Giants

8.Richie Incognito, guard (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Incognito had one of the most surprising comebacks in recent NFL history with a career-best season at age 32 in 2015. His age is definitely a bit of a concern moving forward, but if his dominant play last season is any indicator, he should continue to be productive throughout his (likely) final contract as an NFL player.
Possible Destinations: Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Jets, San Fransisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints

7.Lamar Miller, running back (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)
Miller is one of only a handful of running backs currently in the league that's good to enough shoulder the brunt of the carries himself. Miller's three-down capabilities paired with his pass-catching and elusiveness makes him one of the rare running backs that's worth giving a sizable contract to in the current pass-first climate of the NFL.
Possible Destinations: Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans

6.Sean Smith, cornerback (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Smith has quietly been one of the most productive corners in the league since he signed with the Chiefs in 2013, grading out as one of Pro Football Focus' top 15 corners in coverage each of the past two seasons. Smith's shutdown ability makes him the clear standout in this relatively weak group of free agent cornerback and that should allow him to secure one of the heftiest contracts of anyone on the market in 2016.
Possible Destinations: Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants

5.Danny Trevathan, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
He may not get the fanfare of his teammate Brandon Marshall, but Trevathan is a versatile, imposing force in the middle of the defense who's equally adept at stopping the run and dropping back in coverage. Given the small amount of top-tier inside linebackers currently in the league, it would be a shock if a linebacker-needy team with deep pockets didn't give Trevathan an outrageous amount of money.
Possible Destinations: Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers

4.Malik Jackson, defensive end/tackle (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
Jackson got hot at just the right time to get paid, putting together a phenomenal playoff run to cap off his excellent 2015 season with the Broncos. While it's unclear if being a part of the Broncos talented-loaded defense or his own natural talent was responsible for his tremendous production over the past two seasons, his ability to play anywhere on the defensive line and consistent efficiency as both a pass-rusher and run-stopper makes him too intriguing of a player to not take a chance on. 
Possible Destinations: Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers

3.Damon Harrison, defensive tackle (Most recent team: New York Jets)
He may not be a household name, but there is arguably no better run-stuffing interior defensive lineman in football right now than Harrison. Harrison is the type of player that can come in and significantly alter the identity of a defense right away. If the Jets aren't able to re-sign him (which is the current rumor), any team that runs a 3-4 defense that has trouble stopping the run needs to make an aggressive push to land him.
Possible Destinations: New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, San Fransisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins

2.Doug Martin, running back (Most recent team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Doug Martin's unexpected return to form in 2015 has elevated him back to the premiere running back status he held after his stellar rookie campaign in 2012. The injuries and inconsistent play that derailed his 2013 and 2014 seasons make him a less-than-ideal candidate for a long-term deal, but the complete utter and dominance he showed in 2015 and status as one of the few running backs that can run, catch and pass-protect with equal proficiency makes him a gamble worth taking for any run-first team that's in the market for a true workhorse back.
Possible Destinations: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, San Fransisco 49ers, New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions

1.Kelechi Osemele, guard (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Osemele has been a force of nature over the past four seasons with the Ravens and is without question the best offensive lineman to hit the open market since Jason Peters in 2009. Osemele's current standing as one of the most well-rounded and ferocious guards in the league makes him a top priority for any team that's looking to fortify the interior of their offensive line for the 2016 season.  
Possible Destinations: Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Fransisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers

Other Notable Free Agents:
Dwayne Allen, tight end (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)
Prince Amukamara, cornerback (Most recent team: New York Giants)
Robert Ayers, defensive end (Most recent team: New York Giants)
Joe Barksdale, tackle (Most recent team: San Diego Chargers)
Mark Barron, safety (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Zane Beadles, guard (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)
Kelvin Beachum, tackle (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Travis Benjamin, wide receiver (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns)
LeGarrette Blount, running back (Most recent team: New England Patriots)
Anquan Boldin, wide receiver (Most recent team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Alex Boone, guard (Most recent team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Nigel Bradham, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Brandon Brooks, guard (Most recent team: Houston Texans)
David Bruton, safety (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
Donald Butler, inside linebacker (Most recent team: San Diego Chargers)
Marques Colston, wide receiver (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)
Jared Cook, tight end (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Antonio Cromartie, cornerback (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Chase Daniel, quarterback (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Jahri Evans, guard (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)
Nick Fairley, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Ryan Fitzpatrick, quarterback (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Coby Fleener, tight end (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)
Matt Forte, running back (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)
Arian Foster, running back (Most recent team: Houston Texans)
Ramon Foster, guard (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Jerrell Freeman, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Indianapolis Colts)
Dwight Freeney, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Junior Gallette, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
Antonio Gates, tight end (Most recent team: San Diego Chargers)
William Gay, cornerback (Most recent team: Pittsburgh Steelers)
Tashaun Gibson, safety (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns)
Ladarius Green, tight end (Most recent team: San Diego Chargers)
Michael Griffin, safety (Most recent team: Tennessee Titans)
Robert Griffin III, quarterback (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
Tamba Hali, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Leon Hall, cornerback (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Greg Hardy, defensive end (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys)
Percy Harvin, wide receiver (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
William Hayes, defensive end (Most recent: Los Angeles Rams)
Casey Hayward, cornerback (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Jaye Howard, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)
George Iloka, safety (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Chris Ivory, running back (Most recent team: New York Jets) 
Janoris Jenkins, cornerback (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Charles Johnson, defensive end (Most recent team: Carolina Panthers)
Chris Johnson, running back (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Derrick Johnson, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Kansas City Chiefs)
Rashad Johnson, safety (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Adam Jones, cornerback (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Jermaine Kearse, wide receiver (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)
Terrence Knighton, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
James Laurinaitis, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Ricardo Lockette, wide receiver (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)
Chris Long, defensive end (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Alex Mack, center (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns)
Evan Mathis, guard (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
Rishard Matthews, wide receiver (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)
Rolando McClain, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Dallas Cowboys) 
Rodney McLeod, safety (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Leodis McKelvin, cornerback (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Brandon Mebane, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)
Zach Miller, tight end (Most recent team: Chicago Bears)
Alfred Morris, running back (Most recent team: Washington Redskins)
Mike Neal, defensive end/tackle (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Reggie Nelson, safety (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)
Russell Okung, tackle (Most recent team: Seattle Seahawks)
Brock Osweiler, quarterback (Most recent team: Denver Broncos)
Donald Penn, tackle (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)
Jason Pierre-Paul, defensive end (Most recent team: New York Giants)
Bilal Powell, running back (Most recent team: New York Jets)
Jerraud Powers, cornerback (Most recent team: Arizona Cardinals)
Brian Quick, wide receiver (Most recent team: Los Angeles Rams)
Manny Ramirez, center/guard (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)
Ruben Randle, wide receiver (Most recent team: New York Giants)
B.J. Raji, defensive tackle (Most recent team: Green Bay Packers)
Mohamed Sanu, wide receiver (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Mitchell Schwartz, tackle (Most recent team: Cleveland Browns)
Derrick Shelby, defensive end (Most recent team: Miami Dolphins)
Aldon Smith, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Oakland Raiders)
Andre Smith, tackle (Most recent team: Cincinnati Bengals)
Daryl Smith, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Walter Thurmond, safety (Most recent team: Philadelphia Eagles)
Stephen Tulloch, inside linebacker (Most recent team: Detroit Lions)
Courtney Upshaw, outside linebacker (Most recent team: Baltimore Ravens)
Benjamin Watson, tight end (Most recent team: New Orleans Saints)
Eric Weddle, safety (Most recent team: San Diego Chargers)
Roddy White, wide receiver (Most recent team: Atlanta Falcons)
Ian Williams, defensive tackle (Most recent team: San Fransisco 49ers)
Mario Williams, defensive end (Most recent team: Buffalo Bills)
Stefen Wisnewski, center (Most recent team: Jacksonville Jaguars)

The Best and Worst of Morgan Freeman

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

Films starring Morgan Freeman that I've seen:
Unforgiven
Outbreak 
Seven
Deep Impact
Dreamcatcher 
Bruce Almighty
Million Dollar Baby
Batman Begins
War of the Worlds
Lucky Number Slevin
Evan Almighty
Gone Baby Gone
Wanted
The Dark Knight
Red
Conan the Barbarian
Dolphin Tale
The Dark Knight Rises
Olympus Has Fallen
Oblivion
Now You See Me
Last Vegas
The Lego Movie
Transcendence
Lucy
Ted 2

Best Performance: Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Freeman won his only Oscar to-date for this performance and for my money, is one of the most deserving winners of the past decade or so. As Eddie "Scrap-Iron" Dupris -a retired boxer and co-trainer of up-and-coming fighter Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), Freeman serves as the emotional core of Clint Eastwood's devastating boxing drama.

Worst Performance: Lucy (2014)
Freeman had successfully avoided suffering the same fate of other aging highly-respected actors (Robert De Niro, Al Pacino) who were turning in phoned-in performances in garbage movies for most of the 2000's. Then Lucy happened. From the first time he appears in Luc Besson's sci-fi action film, Freeman looks perplexed as to why he accepted a role in such a preposterous and flat-out moronic movie (I'd like to think that he was deeply pondering what he was going to with his paycheck from starring in this garbage). 

Best Film: Unforgiven (1992)
Clint Eastwood's swan song to the western genre that made him a Hollywood A-lister is the single greatest achievement of his decorated five-decade career. The density of the narrative, unforgettable performances from Eastwood, Freeman and Gene Hackman in the lead roles and its refreshing take on the emotional toll a life of crime and murder has on the human psyche makes Unforgiven my all-time favorite western. 

Worst Film: Transcendence (2014)
Christopher Nolan's longtime cinematographer Wally Pfitser could've really used some guidance from his mentor on his disastrous directorial debut Transcendence. Pfister and screenwriter Jack Paglen waste a fascinating premise and stellar cast led by Johnny Depp, Freeman and Rebecca Hall on a film that is convoluted and dull as all hell.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "Eye in the Sky" star Alan Rickman. 

Quick Concert Review: Migos-- Cambridge, MA-- March 2nd, 2016

Show: The Dab Tour featuring Migos, Skippa Da Flippa and Domingo Mango and Mango Foo
Venue: The Middle East Downstairs, Cambridge, MA
Date: March 2nd, 2016

Domingo Mango and Mango Foo: At least one of these Mango clowns is related to Offset from Migos and it couldn't be more obvious when listening to them that they're trying to trying to cash-in on that goodwill.  Domingo Mango and Mango Foo are basically Migos if you took away the energy, charisma and technical abilities (aka what makes them good) that drives their music. The only saving grace of their set was that they played for just 10 minutes and promptly left the stage with little-to-no fanfare.

Skippa Da Flippa: Another one of Migos proteges that I'd never really listened to before this show. He was far from perfect, but he had a decent flow, some fun hooks and knew how to work a crowd, which is exactly what you want in an opener for these type of shows.

Migos: This was easily the most nervous I've ever been to see an artist live in my life. I'd heard so many horror stories about the poor quality of Migos live shows that I was incredibly reluctant to shell out $36 for the ticket to this show, but ultimately my devout fandom was enough for me to roll the dice and pray that they've tightened up their live act since their last major tour early last year. My gamble paid off big time as Migos put on a phenomenal show that will more than likely go down as one of the most fun shows I attend in 2016. Their high-energy, incredibly tight performance was the exact opposite of the sloppy, stagnant group I'd read about in other reviews. With the exception of two chorus-only medleys, they played every song from start to finish and all three members of the group were putting forth maximum effort on the mic for the duration of the set. There was a couple of issues with the sound mix at times and the almost complete lack of material from their breakout mixtape Y.R.N. was a bit disappointing, but for the most part their 75-minute set served as a forceful reminder of why they're the eccentric, unheralded kings of the trap rap scene. I urge everyone that's a fan of theirs to get tickets to see them on this tour or the next time they're in your area.

Scores:
Domingo Mango and Mango Foo: 3/10
Skippa Da Flippa 7/10
Migos 8.5/10

Setlist:
Migos (order may be off in the middle):
Hoe on a Mission
Plan B
Chances
WOA
You Wanna See
Fall Back
Hannah Montana
No Label II medley (Antidope/Ounces/Emmit Smith) (choruses only)
Bricks (Carnage cover)
Freak No More
Wishy Washy
One Time
Pipe it Up
Look at My Dab
Fight Night
Handsome and Wealthy
First 48
Medley (Birds/Hit Em/two other songs that I didn't recognize) (choruses only)

2016 NFL Draft Quarterback Prospects: Studs, Duds, Steals and Question Marks

by Liam Madigan-Fried
 
Imagine if you will, that you are grocery shopping one day, and you decide to try your luck at finding a few big, juicy red apples. When you get to the apple cart, you see at once that there are no perfectly round and succulent specimens. But rather there are a few…good options. Sure, there might be a bruise here or there, and they might be a bit undersized, but with the right cook and the right recipe, you could still make one hell of an apple pie! That’s exactly where we find ourselves with this year’s batch of incoming rookie quarterbacks. The 2016 quarterback may be devoid of any shiny red Blake Bortles or Jameis Winston's on the tree, but with undeniably raw yet talented prospects such as North Dakota State's Carson Wentz and Cal’s Jared Goff topping off this year’s talent pool, teams looking to add a quarterback this year should get exactly what they paid for.

Stud: Jared Goff (Junior-Cal) 
This one was a hard decision with Carson Wentz having a great workout at the Scouting Combine last weekend. However, I’ve got to give the edge to the Cal guy. Despite some questions about his overall physique (most notably his nine-inch hand size), Goff showed on day two of the combine that he has the talent to be a potential top-five pick. Goff's Combine workout showcased the excellent arm strength and unrivaled accuracy that garnered him national attention while he was at Cal and further solidified why he should be the first quarterback taken in April's draft. Although Combine and Pro Day results are hardly telling factors of future success (ex: Teddy Bridgewater’s less than stellar showing two years ago), Goff has an established body of work in his three years starting at Cal to back him up on his path to the draft. In those three seasons, Goff threw for an impressive 12,200 yards (96 TD’s, 30 INT’s) to go along with a completion rate of 62.3% on a team that lacked top-end offensive talent. Though he might be the most talented passer in this year’s bunch, one question remains: Is Goff, the kid who grew up and played in sunny California, the right fit for the harsh climate of Cleveland, the likely first team to select a quarterback with the number two overall pick? Or will the Browns chose to go with Wentz, who has plenty of bad weather experience after playing in the frozen tundra otherwise known as North Dakota for the past three years? Only time or the monkey with the cymbals that the Browns so obviously use to make their draft day choices will tell.

Bust: Christian Hackenberg (Junior-Penn State) 
It disappoints me to have to include Hackenberg in such a category considering I’ve been a fan of him since his magical freshman year under the tutelage of former Penn State (and current Houston Texans) head coach Bill O’Brien. However, his status as a bust is largely going to depend on what team he ends up with. With his combination of impressive size (6’4, 228lbs), athleticism  (4.78 40, 7.04 3-cone drill) and elite arm strength, I’m worried that a weak, quarterback-needy team will force him into a starting situation that he's just not ready for at this point in time. If any team expects this kid to be their franchise savior within his first couple of years in the league, they’re bound to end up with the next Brandon Weeden or Josh Freeman. Hackenberg is an incredibly raw prospect with a slew of problems with accuracy, reading defenses and decisionmaking that need to be fixed before he becomes a starting quarterback in the NFL. If any team expects too much from him at once, Hackenberg is destined to fall flat in the pros. 

Steal: Kevin Hogan (Senior-Stanford) 
This is one quarterback I believe is destined to be a draft day steal. In his four years playing at Stanford (three starting), Hogan has thrown for a combined 9,385 yards 75 TD’s and 29 INT’s and completed a commendable 66.6% of his passes. He closed out the 2015 season with a four-game winning streak that culminated in a blowout 45-16 win over Iowa in the Rose Bowl. The  aforementioned winning streak would've been at 11 games had it not been for a narrow 38-36 loss to Oregon in Week 10. His numbers might not as dazzling as this year's top-rated QB prospects, but Hogan has proven time and again that he's an exceptional game manager who has the ability and intelligence to make clutch plays when his team needs them. He might not possess the ideal arm strength and athleticism of his Stanford predecessor Andrew Luck, but Hogan can give a team who has the time to develop a young prospect the chance to gain a future efficiency machine (Cowboys anyone?)

Unknown:Brandon Doughty (Senior-Western Kentucky) 
Doughty turned in a decent days work at the combine despite running the slowest 40 time for quarterbacks (5.22). Doughty had a stellar career at Western Kentucky, throwing for a combined 12,855 yards,111 TD’s and 34 INT’s and an overall completion rate of 59.6% (his completion rate would be higher had he not been lost to injury in 2011 and 2012.) Many skeptics will rightly point to the fact that Doughty wasn’t exactly facing top notch competition while at Western Kentucky, which is why it is difficult to tell whether his collegiate success will translate into the NFL. 

Connor Cook (Senior-Michigan State) 
Although though he's bit a behind Goff and Wentz, Cook possesses one of the more impressive resumes of any quarterback in this draft class. During his four years as a starter for Michigan State, he thrown for a combined 9,194 yards (71 TD’s, 22 INT’s) and led the Spartans to a pair of Big Ten Championships in 2013 and 2015 and a Rose Bowl victory in 2013. However with his rather unimpressive completion rate (56.5%) and well-documented character problems, Cook is going to have be damn near perfect throughout the rest of the pre-draft workouts and interviews to sneak back into early-round consideration.

Update

Hello all,
I'd like to apologize for my lack of posting this week. My computer crapped out Monday morning and I'm currently looking for a replacement. I'll hopefully be back to regular posting by the end of the week once I obtain a new computer. Thank you very much for reading and I hope you'll check back soon for new content!


Chris Maitland

88th Annual Academy Award Predictions

There's an unusual amount of suspense surrounding this year's Academy Awards. Unlike most year's where the winners are basically set in stone months before the ceremony, just about every major award this year is completely up in the air. Here are my predictions for who will be walking away with Oscar gold on Sunday night.

Best Picture:
Nominees: The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, Spotlight
And the Winner is....: Spotlight
I can't recall another year in recent memory where the Best Picture race has been so wide open. With an almost complete lack of repeat winners at the major award shows leading up to the Oscars, it appears to be a dead heat between The Big Short, The Revenant and Spotlight for the crown. Ultimately, I think that its timely, awards-friendly subject matter and the old-school feel will give Spotlight the edge in this closely-contested pack.

Best Actor
Nominees: Bryan Cranston (Trumbo), Matt Damon (The Martian), Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant), Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs), Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) 
And the Winner Is....: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
This is easily the least suspenseful award of the entire night. The immense physical, psychological and emotional pain DiCaprio put himself through to portray fur trapper Hugh Glass paired with the Academy's tendency to reward celebrated actors they've snubbed in the past makes him a lock to take home his first Academy Award on Sunday night.

Best Actress
Nominees: Cate Blanchett (Carol), Jennifer Lawrence (Joy), Brie Larson (Room), Charlotte Rampling (45 Years), Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
And the Winner Is.....: Brie Larson (Room)
Aside from DiCaprio, this is the safest bet of the entire night. With wins at the Golden Globes, SAG and BAFTA's, Larson has every ounce of momentum heading into the Oscars and I don't see how anyone else in this relatively weak field could possibly beat her at this point in time. 

Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Christian Bale (The Big Short), Tom Hardy (The Revenant), Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight), Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies), Sylvester Stallone (Creed) 
And the Winner Is....: Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
This is a true toss-up between Stallone and Mark Rylance, but I think the career coming full-circle storyline (he won an Oscar for the first Rocky film in 1976) and the lengths he went to reimagine the character of Rocky Balboa in this film will allow Sly to come out on top.

Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Rooney Mara (Carol), Rachel McAdams (Spotlight), Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl), Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs) 
And the Winner Is: Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)
This is easily the most wide open of all the acting categories. Kate Winslet is the current favorite because of her win at the BAFTA's, but I still think this is Vikander's award to lose. The combination of her more Academy-friendly role and the fact that the Academy often likes to award buzzed-about newcomers over established stars gives her a slight advantage over Winslet.

Best Director
Nominees: Lenny Abrahamson (Room), Alejandro G. Inarritu (The Revenant), Tom McCarthy (Spotlight), Adam McKay (The Big Short), George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
And the Winner Is...: Alejandro G. Inarritu (The Revenant)
There's been rumblings that George Miller or Adam McKay could surprise and win this, but I'd be completely shocked if either of them were able to pull off the upset. The amount of obstacles Inarritu had to overcome to get the The Revenant made and the technical wizardry he displays throughout the film should be more than enough to catapult him to a second straight Best Director Oscar.

Predictions for the other awards:
Best Original Screenplay: Spotlight
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Big Short
Best Animated Feature Film: Inside Out
Best Foreign Language Film: Son of Saul
Best Documentary Feature: Amy    
Best Documentary-Short Subject: Body Team 12
Best Live Action Short Film: Day One
Best Animated Short Film: We Can't Live Without Cosmos
Best Score: The Hateful Eight
Best Original Song: "Writing's on the Wall" (Spectre)
Best Sound Editing: Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Sound Mixing: Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Production Design: The Revenant
Best Cinematography: The Revenant
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Costume Design: Cinderella
Best Film Editing: The Revenant
Best Visual Effects: Mad Max: Fury Road    

2015 NFL Recap: NFC East

My Preseason Predictions:

1.Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
2.Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
3.New York Giants (7-9)
4.Washington Redskins (5-11)

Actual Standings:

1.Washington Redskins (9-7)

2.Philadelphia Eagles (7-9)

3.New York Giants (6-10)

4.Dallas Cowboys (4-12) 

Dallas Cowboys:

Team MVP's: T Tyron Smith, G Zach Martin, C Travis Fredrick, ILB Sean Lee, RB Darren McFadden

-The demise of the 2015 Cowboys completely stemmed from the injuries to quarterback Tony Romo and to a lesser extent, wide receiver Dez Bryant. The Cowboys simply didn't have the depth or overall talent to make up for the loss of their two most productive offensive players and the entire team crumbled because of it. 2015 might've been a thoroughly disappointing season for a Cowboys team that was looking to build upon their improbable playoff run in 2014, but they can at least be thankful that they have a good shot at being competitive again if Romo and Bryant can return at full health in 2016.

-On the topic of Romo and Bryant, neither of them should've rushed backed from their injuries. The season was pretty much lost the minute the Romo went down with a broken clavicle in Week 2 and it was 100% lost by the time Bryant returned to the field in Week 8. Bryant was clearly still hampered by the major foot injury he suffered in Week 1 once he returned to the lineup and it made him a non-factor for a majority of the season while Romo was similarly restrained by his clearly unhealed injury as evidenced by his wild inaccuracy and re-breaking of the clavicle in just his second game back. That type of complete and utter disregard for your health is dangerous and the Cowboys better hope that the recklessness Romo and Bryant showed this season doesn't hurt them in the long run.

-On top of being a despicable human being, Greg Hardy also proved in 2015 that he's a gigantic moron. After the Cowboys handed him an opportunity at a comeback after a domestic violence incident nearly derailed his career, Hardy spat in their faces with his awful attitude and lack of dedication to the team. Hardy was repeatedly late to meetings, frequently disrespected his teammates and further confirmed that he's a classless hothead with his violent shoving of special team coach Rich Bisaccia on the sidelines in their Week 8 game against the Giants. Even with his undeniable talent as a player, I don't think another team will be willing to give Hardy a chance after the shit he pulled in Dallas this season.

-The lone bright spot for the Cowboys offense this season was veteran running back Darren McFadden. After Joseph Randle was released following a well-publicized meltdown at the team facility in early November, McFadden took over as the starter and shocked the football world with by being incredibly productive right out of the gate. McFadden was able to stay healthy for the whole year for the first time in forever and showed a level of burst and elusiveness that's been missing from his game since at least 2010 and it allowed him to finish fourth in the league in rushing with 1,089 yards. The pairing of his age (he'll be 29 in August) and lengthy injury history makes you leery of whether or not he'll be able to repeat this success in the future, but at the very least, McFadden deserves a lot of credit for the highly improbable comeback he made this season.

-Defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli continues to be the most underrated coordinator in the league. What he's been able to in his two years as the Cowboys defensive coordinator with no true blue-chip talents at his disposal is pretty damn remarkable. The play of the Cowboys defense this season kept them competitive while the offense struggled to points up on the board (only four of their 11 losses without Romo starting were by more than 10 points) and they managed to finish fifth in the league in pass defense, 16th in points per game allowed and 17th in total defense. The unit still has its struggles with getting to the quarterback and stopping the run on a consistent basis, but this overachieving unit is headed in the right direction under Marinelli's guidance.   

New York Giants:

Team MVP's: WR Odell Beckham Jr., QB Eli Manning, C Weston Richburg, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, G Justin Pugh

 -Lady luck was not on the Giants side in 2015. Five of their 10 losses came in games in which they had the lead with less than 2 minutes to go and three of their other five losses were by five points or less. The strangest thing about they're late-game misfortunes is that just about every one of their losses can be chalked up to something different. Everything from defensive lapses to bad clock management/playcalling to boneheaded penalties to just general tough breaks caused the Giants to suffer last-minute, gut-wrenching losses in 2015. It's kind of crazy to think that this 6-10 team could've easily been a 10-12 win team if they had just been able to hold on late in games.

-Odell Beckham Jr. followed up his unreal rookie season with an equally-impressive sophomore season. Beckham Jr. once again served as the primary playmaker for the Giants offense, picking up 1,450 yards (fifth in the league) and 13 TD's (tied for fourth in the league) in 15 games this season. 2015 provided proof that Beckham Jr's record-breaking rookie season wasn't a fluke and that he is currently in line to be one of the NFL's most lethal receivers for the foreseeable future.

-Despite being held back by a below-average receiving corps (aside from Beckham Jr.) and a crowded running back committee that failed to produce most weeks, Eli Manning still managed to put together a very impressive season in 2015. A greatly improved offensive line prompted by 2013 1st-rounder Justin Pugh being moved from left tackle to left guard and a breakout campaign from second-year center Weston Richburg gave Manning the time to sit back in the pocket and go through his progressions and not rush his throws, which is a luxury he hasn't had since 2011. The solid protection Manning received in 2015 paid off handsomely as he finished the year with career-highs in TD (35) and QBR (93.6). A lot of things prevented the Giants from being a winning football team this season, but the play of Manning sure as hell wasn't one of them.

-Bringing back Steve Spagnuolo- the architect of their menacing 2007 Super Bowl champion defense- as defensive coordinator did not reverse any of the Giants recent defensive misfortunes. To be completely honest, they might've actually been worse than they were in 2014 under Perry Fewell. Their pass-rush was practically non-existent, their rushing defense fell apart once defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins was placed on injured reserve after suffering a torn pectoral muscle against the Buccaneers and their entire secondary (aside from top corner Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was once again exceptional) was so consistently terrible that it was hard to believe how any of them were able to make an NFL roster. Based on their collective ineptness, it's hardly surprising that they finished near the bottom of the league in almost every defensive category. With the exception of rush defense and takeaways where they ranked 24th and 7th (tied with the Broncos) respectively, they were in the bottom three in the NFL in every single major category (sacks, passing defense, yards allowed per game and points allowed per game). If the Giants want to avoid falling short of the playoffs for a fifth straight season, they're going to need have to an outstanding draft and free agency period to rebuild this defense.      

Philadelphia Eagles:

Team MVP's: DE Fletcher Cox, S Malcolm Jenkins, ILB Jordan Hicks, T Jason Peters, S Walter Thurmond

-The Chip Kelly GM experiment was a spectacular failure. Just about every one of Kelly's drastic personnel moves backfired and caused this team to become substantially worse than they were in his first two years as head coach. His big-ticket free-agent signings (running back DeMarco Murray and cornerback Byron Maxwell) were amongst the worst players in the league at their respective positions this season, just about all of his draft picks failed to make impact, the quarterback he traded for (Sam Bradford) was every bit as pedestrian as Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez were in 2014 and the guys he entrusted to takeover for departed veterans Jeremy Maclin and Evan Mathis (Jordan Matthews and Allen Barbre) weren't even half as productive as the guys they were replacing. While the friction between him and his players and the string of blowout losses in the middle of the season certainly didn't help, Kelly's failure as a general manager is the primary reason why the Eagles let him go.

-The Eagles were arguably the most erratic team in the NFL this season. Every impressive win (their 39-17 victory over the Saints in Week 5 and their improbable 35-28 upset over the Patriots in Week 13) they picked up where their defense was aggressive and their offense was efficient was balanced out by a lopsided loss (their back-to-back losses 45-17 and 45-14 losses to the Buccaneers and Lions in Week 11 and 12) where they looked helpless and undisciplined on both sides of the ball. Their inability to consistently perform ruined any chance they had at winning the tightly-contested NFC East this season.

-For the first time in a long time, The Eagles look like they're in big trouble at the wide receiver position. Jordan Matthews was well below average in his first season as the top wideout, fellow second-year player Josh Huff continues to show little value outside of the occasional random touchdown or splash play, Riley Cooper was basically invisible yet again and 2015 first-round pick Nelson Agholor's rookie campaign was nothing short of a disaster with his terrible route-running and inability to adjust to the speed of the game at the pro level. There's precisely a zero percent chance that they don't regret letting Jeremy Maclin leave in free agency after watching their current group of WR's stink up the joint in 2015.

-While their defense was wildly inconsistent as a whole in 2015, the Eagles had a number of players that were outstanding the entire season. Defensive end/tackle Fletcher Cox further solidified his standing as one of the most disruptive and well-rounded defensive players in the league, safety Malcolm Jenkins was a force in the middle of the secondary and rookie inside linebacker Jordan Hicks (aka the only good decision Kelly made as GM) proved to be a certified two-way playmaker from the jump. There's still huge gaps at cornerback and some depth problems at linebacker, but the Eagles nucleus of dynamic young players makes them one of the most exciting defensive groups in the league moving forward.   

Washington Redskins:

Team MVP's: T Trent Williams, TE Jordan Reed, CB Bashaud Breeland, QB Kirk Cousins, DT Chris Baker

-The Redskins were clearly the best team in the NFC East, but their winning record and division title has to be taken with a grain of salt. They did not beat a single opponent with a winning record this season (the best team they beat was the 8-8 Bills) and the three times this season where they faced an opponent with an above .500 record (the Patriots, Jets and Panthers), they got outscored 105-46. If this Redskins team wants to be taken seriously in the future, they're going to need to fare much better against quality opponents. 

-The biggest storyline that came out of Washington this season was the sudden emergence of fourth-year quarterback Kirk Cousins. The decision to finally bench to bench Robert Griffin III for Cousins was initially met with a lot of scrutiny, but it proved to be the most intelligent decision Jay Gruden has made in his brief tenure as the Redskins head coach so far. With Cousins under center, the Redskins offense found the spark it had lacked since Griffin III's terrific rookie year in 2012. After a bit of a rough start with four multi-INT games in his first six starts, Cousins found his way and became one of the league's most dependable and productive quarterbacks for the rest of the year, posting 23 TD, a 73.4 CMP%, just 3 INT and a 7-3 record in the last 10 games of the regular season. Personally, I was stunned by Cousins' sudden transformation from raw young backup to viable starting quarterback in less than a year's time. Cousins' hadn't shown much potential in his previous nine career starts and after his terrible display in 2014, I was ready to write him off as another bust for the Redskins. The accuracy, poise and genuine playmaking ability Cousins displayed in 2015 proved me wrong and I now believe he has what it takes to be a successful long-term starter in the league.

-2015 was a reminder of just how good tight end Jordan Reed can be when he's healthy. When he returned to the field in Week 7 after being forced to miss two games with a concussion and minor knee injury, Reed went on an unreal tear for the rest of the season, gathering 63 receptions for 674 yards and 10 TD's over the final 10 games. Reed is the most exciting young tight end in the NFL right now and if he can manage to stay healthy in the future, he could turn into a truly elite player.

-The generally poor play of the defense played a pivotal role in the Redskins' struggles against quality teams this season. As a collective unit, they just weren't very good as they ranked 26th overall in yards allowed (25th against the pass, 26th against the run) and 17th in points per game allowed. Free-agent pickups Terrence Knighton and Stephen Paea underperformed and failed to bring stability to the defensive line, their secondary led by the aging DeAngelo Hall and colossal free agent busts Chris Culliver and Dashon Goldson was once again ranked in the bottom half of the league and the typically-excellent outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan and defensive tackle Jason Hatcher surprisingly failed to play up to their potential. The play of their young guys (cornerback Bashaud Breeland, outside linebackers Preston Smith, safety Kyshoen Jarrett) inspires some hope for the future, but until they reach their full potential, the defense will continue to be the Redskins Achilles heel.