NFL Divisional Round Predictions

Wild Card Record: 1-3 (Correct: Seahawks Incorrect: Bills, Patriots, Saints)
Overall: 1-3

Minnesota Vikings over San Francisco 49ers: Congrats to the Vikings for proving just about every NFL pundit and fan wrong with a ballsy road win against the Saints last weekend. As reluctant as I am to put my faith into Kirk Cousins after one pretty good performance, I think the Vikings are a tough matchup for the 49ers and have a solid chance of knocking them off on their home turf. Dalvin Cook should be able to feast against the 49ers average rush defense (17th in the league), the Vikings have enough receiving talent to expose the vulnerabilities they have at corner next to the resurgent Richard Sherman and their physical defense could cause problems for a 49ers offense that drastically fluctuates in effectiveness on a week-to-week basis.

Baltimore Ravens over Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry almost solely dragged the Titans to an ugly Wild Card upset over the Patriots. Unless Ryan Tannehill is able to get the passing attack going against a tough Ravens secondary that is pretty similar to the group he struggled mightily against last week, the Titans are highly unlikely to make it back-to-back road victories. Even without the question marks surrounding Mark Ingram's health, the Titans don't seem equipped to stop the Ravens dynamic rushing attack and unlike the Patriots, the Ravens have a front that isn't likely to be completely overpowered by Henry.

Kansas City Chiefs over Houston Texans: On an exhilarating and exhausting Wild Card Weekend, the Texans and Bills provided fans with a back-and-forth blunderfest that finally came to a close after Deshaun Watson ripped the Bills fans hearts out by somehow evading a sack and making a ridiculous throw to backup running back Taiwan Jones that set up the game-winning field goal in overtime. This is a long way of saying that the Texans were incredibly fortunate to beat the Bills at home last weekend and I can't see a non-drastic scenario where Bill O'Brien or this depleted defense is able to outduel a Chiefs team loaded with offensive weapons and aggressive pass-rushers that have been playing their best football of the season over the past month.

Green Bay Packers over Seattle Seahawks: It's honestly hard for me to not pick the Seahawks here. Russell Wilson has the best playoff track record of any quarterback that's playing in the Divisional Round, Pete Carroll should be able to coach circles around Matt LaFluer and with the possible exception of rushing the passer, there's not a single thing that the Packers have done well on a regular basis all season long. However, health can be a huge benefit this time of year and the Packers have a clear edge in that department as about half of the Seahawks opening day roster is currently on IR, which puts Aaron Rodgers and co. in a good spot to eek out a victory over one of the league's most resilient teams.

Earful of Fantasy Episode #16

After a few week hiatus, Liam and I have returned to discuss the divisional round matchups, Josh Allen's gaffes and whether or not Kirk Cousins has finally overcome his long history of choking in big games. Listen below or face rejection from your loved ones.


Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/divisional-round-preview-eof116/id1478573845?i=1000461977930

2019 NFL All-Pro Team

Quarterback
1st team: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
2nd team: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

Running Back
1st team: Christian McCaffery (Panthers), Derrick Henry (Titans)
2nd team: Dalvin Cook (Vikings), Nick Chubb (Browns)

Wide Receiver
1st team: Michael Thomas (Saints), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)
2nd team: Julio Jones (Falcons), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)

Tight End
1st team: George Kittle (49ers)
2nd team: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

Tackle
1st team: Ronnie Stanley (Ravens), Ryan Ramcyzk (Saints)
2nd team: Jason Peters (Eagles), Lane Johnson (Eagles)

Guard
1st team: Quenton Nelson (Colts), Brandon Brooks (Eagles)
2nd team: Zack Martin (Cowboys), Marshal Yanda (Ravens)

Center
1st team: Jason Kelce (Eagles)
2nd team: Ben Jones (Titans)

Defensive End
1st team: Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Cameron Jordan (Saints)
2nd team: Calais Campbell (Jaguars), Danielle Hunter (Vikings)

Defensive Tackle
1st team: Aaron Donald (Rams), Grady Jarrett (Falcons)
2nd team: DeForest Buckner (49ers), Fletcher Cox (Eagles)

Outside Linebacker
1st team: T.J. Watt (Steelers), Chandler Jones (Cardinals)
2nd team: Lavonte David (Buccaneers), Shaq Barrett (Buccaneers)

Inside Linebacker
1st team: Eric Kendricks (Vikings), Demario Davis (Saints)
2nd team: Luke Kuechly (Panthers), Bobby Wagner (Seahawks)

Cornerback
1st team: Richard Sherman (49ers), Tre'Davious White (Bills)
2nd team: Stephon Gilmore (Patriots), Marcus Peters (Rams/Ravens)

Safety
1st team: Justin Simmons (Broncos), Minkah Fitzpatrick (Dolphins/Steelers)
2nd team: Jamal Adams (Jets), Tyrann Mathieu (Chiefs)

Kicker
1st team: Justin Tucker (Ravens)
2nd team: Josh Lambo (Jaguars)

Punter
1st team: Brett Kern (Titans)
2nd team: Tress Way (Redskins)

Return Specialist:
1st team: Deonte Harris (Saints), Cordarrelle Patterson (Bears)
2nd team: Dionate Johnson (Steelers), Mecole Hardman (Chiefs)

Special Teamer:
1st team: Matthew Slater (Patriots)
2nd team: J.T. Gray (Saints)

I Think You Should Leave Sketches Ranked

TV is a medium that I haven't written about in quite some time. There's two major reasons for that. 1. I find writing about an episodic series without divulging major spoilers to be incredibly difficult. 2.My consumption of it is very minimal compared to movies, music and sports. However, there are certain occasions where I'm willing to dive into these foreign waters.

Netflix sketch comedy series I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson was my favorite thing that the entertainment industry produced in 2019 and since it's year-end list season, I figured now would be the perfect time to declare my love for it. Thanks to its quick runtime (each episode is roughly 15 minutes), near non-stop laughs and a high quotability/rewatchability factor, I Think You Should Leave has become my favorite comedy show to debut since It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia in no time at all. Below you'll find a ranking of all 29 sketches that are featured in the six episode first season with links to the handful that are available on YouTube.

A warning to anyone that's unfamiliar with it and wants to give it a shot: I Think You Should Leave is for people with a very specific type of offbeat humor. It's absurd, sophomoric and routinely goes into bizarre directions. If you're a fan of Tim and Eric Awesome Show! or The Lonely Island, you'll probably love it. If you're not, there's a pretty good chance that you'll be either confused and/or repulsed by its content. With that final note out of the way, here's my definitive I Think You Should Leave sketch power rankings.    

29.New Printer (Episode 5)
28.Christmas Carol (Episode 4)
27.Lifetime Achievement (Episode 4)
26.Party House (Episode 6)
25.Brooks Brothers (Episode 5)
24.The Day That Robert Palins Murdered Me (Episode 5)

23.Choking (Episode 5)
22.The Man (Episode 2)

21.Chunky (Episode 6)

20.River Mountain High/T.C. Tugger's (Episode 2)
19.Nachos (Episode 4)
18.Babysitter (Episode 5)
17.Fenton's Stables and Horse Ranch (Episode 6)

16.Motorcycles (Episode 2)
15.Traffic (Episode 4)
14.Baby Shower (Episode 6)
13.Both Ways (Episode 1)

12.Wilson's Toupees (Episode 2)
11.Instagram (Episode 1)

10.Bozo (Episode 6)
9.Focus Group (Episode 3)

8.Gift Receipt (Episode 1)
7.Which Hand? (Episode 3)
6.Has This Ever Happened to You? (Episode 1)

5.Pink Bag (Episode 2)
4.Baby of the Year (Episode 1)
3.Game Night (Episode 3)
2.Laser Spine Specialists (Episode 3)
1.New Joe (Episode 3)

The Best and Worst of John Gallagher Jr.

“The Best and Worst of” series chronicles the career highlights and lowlights of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week, I take a look at the filmography of “Underwater” star John Gallagher Jr.

Films starring John Gallagher Jr. that I've seen:
Whatever Works
Jonah Hex
Short Term 12
10 Cloverfield Lane
The Belko Experiment
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
Peppermint
The Best of Enemies 

Best Performance: Short Term 12 (2013)
As terrific as he was in 10 Cloverfield Lane and the vastly underrated The Miseducation of Cameron Post, my introduction to Gallagher Jr. as a performer (I have no recollection of him appearing in Jonah Hex) remains his finest work. His remarkable effort as Mason, the co-head of a temporary foster home for "troubled" teenagers, helps the film's message of being unafraid to open up about your trauma and doing whatever you can to help out people that are dealing with deep-rooted emotional pain hit with tremendous potency.    

Worst Performance: Peppermint (2018)
While Jennifer Garner brings a suitable amount of coldness to the lead role, middling vigilante movie Peppermint wasn't exactly a top-tier acting showcase. Even a terrific character actor like Gallagher Jr. succumbs to the generic nature of the script with a completely phoned-in performance as one of the cops that's assigned to investigate the string of revenge-driven murders Garner's character commits.

Best Film: Short Term 12 (2013)
Looking back on Short Term 12, it's hard not to be wowed by the amount of future stars that we're involved with it. There's a pair of Oscar winners (Brie Larson, Rami Malek), key members of acclaimed television projects (Lakeith Stanfield, Stephanie Beatriz), a writer/director whose about to make a Marvel movie (Destin Daniel Cretton) and a couple of actors (Kaitlyn Dever, Gallagher Jr.) that have quietly solidified themselves as some of the most reliably strong performers in the industry. The upward career trajectories of all these individuals isn't a shock as Short Term 12 was a damn near flawless drama. Courtesy of Cretton's grounded direction/storytelling and the awards-caliber performances of everyone involved, Short Term 12 tackles a variety of difficult subject matters (suicide, sexual abuse, grief, depression) with honesty, grace and compassion.  

Worst Film: Jonah Hex (2010)
A western/superhero hybrid about a disfigured bounty hunter that has the ability to temporarily resurrect the dead should've been badass as hell. Instead, Jonah Hex proved to be an uneven clusterfuck of epic proportions with a committed performance from Josh Brolin as the title character being the only thing that prevented it from going further down the shit highway. Given the immense potential of its premise, hopefully Warner Brothers/DC will give Jonah Hex another crack at the big screen someday.


Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Bad Boys for Life” star Martin Lawrence. 

NFL Wild Card Predictions

Buffalo Bills over Houston Texans: This matchup should be fascinating. In one corner, you have a team that is succeeding almost in spite of its quarterback. In the other, you have a team that is largely succeeding because of theirs. Bizarrely enough, I'm going to take the team that's led by the QB (Josh Allen) I trust the least in this entire field outside of Kirk Cousins. Deshaun Watson has been playing pretty terribly of late (3 TD's/5 INT's/61.9 CMP%/ 72.6 QBR) in last 3 games) and if Bills hard-nosed defense causes some disruptions/takeaways, they'll be in an excellent position to control the clock with their running/short passing game and pull out a W. Plus would it really be Wild Card weekend without the Texans getting their ass kicked in the late Saturday afternoon slot?

New England Patriots over Tennessee Titans: There's plenty of reasons to be down on the Patriots here. They just dropped a home game to a 5-win Dolphins team led by Ryan Fitzpatrick, the Titans have a balanced, high-powered offense that could potentially expose the deficiencies of their defense (lack of speed, softness against the run) and as he showed in a blowout victory in Nashville last season, Mike Vrabel is completely unfazed by the mystique of Brady/Belichick. Even with their uncharacteristically mortal play of late, I can't bring myself to pick against the Patriots here. Their offense-which has looked significantly better over the past few weeks-should be able to put up some points on this merely decent Titans defense and even though he's playing by far the best football of his career, Ryan Tannehill has struggled mightily at Gillette Stadium (0-6 during his time with the Dolphins) in the past.

New Orleans Saints over Minnesota Vikings: Kirk Cousins has done nothing to prove that he isn't a puddle when the lights shine brightest. Especially when you factor in the questionable health of top weapons Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen, a road playoff contest against a hungry Saints team that can seems desperate to avenge their painful, arguably fluky playoff exits in back-to-back years doesn't seem like a scenario where he is finally able to flip the script. It also doesn't help that the Saints offense is tailor made to expose the soft cornerbacks that have gotten the Vikings otherwise excellent defense in trouble all season long.

Seattle Seahawks over Philadelphia Eagles: Doug Pederson has a gift for getting his team to play their asses off in big games, Lincoln Financial Field is about as a hostile of an environment as you'll come across in the league and recent history has shown what the Eagles are capable of when they're labeled underdogs, so it wouldn't be a shock if the Bird Gang walked away with another improbable W here. However in a showdown between two injury-riddled squads with abundant defensive deficiencies, I have to go with the team that gets better play out of its quarterback and barring some superhuman shit from Carson Wentz in his playoff debut, battle-tested veteran Russell Wilson should come out on top.

10 Most Anticipated Albums of Winter/Spring 2020

10.Kvelertak-Splid (Release Date: February 14th)
9.Halsey-Manic (Release Date: January 17th)
8.Dua Lipa-Future Nostalgia (Release Date: TBD) 
7.Veil of Maya-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
6.Young Thug-Punk (Release Date: TBD February)
5.The Weeknd-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
4.Intronaut-Fluid Existential Inversions (Release Date: February 28th)
3.Run the Jewels-Run the Jewels 4 (Release Date: TBD)
2.Protest the Hero-TBD (Release Date: TBD)
1.The Black Dahlia Murder-TBD (Release Date: TBD)

Also excited for:
Sylosis-Cycle of Suffering (Release Date: February 14th)
Tame Impala-The Slow Rush (Release Date: February 14th)
Beneath the Massacre-Fearmonger (Release Date: February 28th)
Body Count-Carnivore (Release Date: TBD)
A Day to Remember-You're Welcome (Release Date: TBD)
Emmure-Hindsight (Release Date: TBD)
Lil Uzi Vert-Eternal Atake (Release Date: TBD)
Testament-TBD (Release Date: TBD)