Way Too Early Oscar Predictions: 2024 Edition

Fall festival season has all but officially concluded as the New York Film Festival enters its final stretch tonight with the US premiere of Steve McQueen's Apple-backed WWII biopic Blitz. This of course means it's time to embark on a silly little annual tradition in these parts: Trying to guess who and what will be nominated for Oscars at a juncture of the calendar where it's neither necessary nor wise to do so! Making this exercise even more reckless this year is the current lack of clear frontrunners in damn near every category, which is an exceptionally rare thing to see roughly a month after the big 3 fests (Venice, Telluride, Toronto) have concluded. This lack of early favorites across the board won't do anything to disrupt this piece. In fact, it only makes this whole goofy exercise more fun.       

As always given how far out we are from the start of the voting process, it needs to be noted that there are several major titles including Gladiator II, Wicked, A Complete Unknown, Nosferatu, Here and Juror #2 that have yet to publicly screen in their final form and the races have the potential to be widely impacted once they debut. Now with that note out of the way, here are my way too early Oscar predictions for every category excluding Best Original Song, Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Live Action Short. 

*Indicates the predicted winner   

Best Picture:

Anora*

Blitz

The Brutalist

Conclave 

Dune: Part Two

Emilia Perez

Gladiator II  

Nickel Boys

A Real Pain

Sing Sing 

Best Director:

Jacques Audiard, Emilia Perez 

Sean Baker, Anora* 

Brady Corbet, The Brutalist  

Steve McQueen, Blitz

Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two 

Best Actor:

Adrien Brody, The Brutalist 

Daniel Craig, Queer 

Colman Domingo, Sing Sing

Ralph Fiennes, Conclave* 

Paul Mescal, Gladiator II  

Best Actress:

Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Perez 

Angelina Jolie, Maria 

Nicole Kidman, Babygirl 

Mikey Madison, Anora* 

Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun 

Best Supporting Actor:

Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain* 

Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing 

Guy Pearce, The Brutalist

Stanley Tucci, Conclave

Denzel Washington, Gladiator II 

Best Supporting Actress:

Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson  

Selena Gomez, Emilia Perez 

Felicity Jones, The Brutalist  

Zoe Saldana, Emilia Perez* 

Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys 

Best Original Screenplay:

Anora*

Blitz

The Brutalist

A Real Pain

The Seed of the Sacred Fig

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Conclave*

Emilia Perez 

Nickel Boys

The Room Next Door

Sing Sing

Best Animated Feature:

Flow

Inside Out 2

Memoir of a Snail

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl

The Wild Robot*

Best Documentary Feature:

Black Box Diaries 

Daughters

The Remarkable Life of Ibelin

Sugarcane* 

Will & Harper

Best International Feature:

Emilia Perez*

The Girl with the Needle

Grand Tour

I'm Still Here

The Seed of the Sacred Fig 

Best Cinematography:

Lol Crawley, The Brutalist*

Greig Fraser, Dune: Part Two

Jomo Fray, Nickel Boys  

Paul Guilhaume, Emilia Perez 

Edward Lachman, Maria 

Best Film Editing:

Sean Baker, Anora

Nick Emerson, Conclave 

David Jancso, The Brutalist

Peter Sciberras, Blitz

Joe Walker, Dune: Part Two*

Best Costume Design:

Blitz

Dune: Part Two

Gladiator II

Maria

Wicked*

Best Makeup and Hairstyling:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Dune: Part Two*

Nosferatu

The Substance

Wicked

Best Production Design:

Blitz

The Brutalist

Dune: Part Two

Gladiator II*

Wicked

Best Score:

The Brutalist 

Conclave*

Emilia Perez 

Saturday Night

The Wild Robot

Best Sound:

Blitz

Dune: Part Two*

Emilia Perez

Gladiator II 

Twisters 

Best Visual Effects:

Dune: Part Two*

Gladiator II

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Mufasa: The Lion King 

Twisters 

2024 NFL Power Rankings: Week 6

()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) Week 6 opponent: Bye 

2.(2) Detroit Lions (3-1) Week 6 opponent: Dallas Cowboys 

3.(3) Minnesota Vikings (5-0) Week 6 opponent: Bye 

4.(4) Baltimore Ravens (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Washington Commanders 

5.(8) Houston Texans (4-1) Week 6 opponent: New England Patriots 

6.(9) Washington Commanders (4-1) Week 6 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

7.(10) Green Bay Packers (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

8.(5) Buffalo Bills (3-2) Week 6 opponent: New York Jets 

9.(15) Atlanta Falcons (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Carolina Panthers 

10.(7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2) Week 6 opponent; New Orleans Saints 

11.(18) Dallas Cowboys (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Detroit Lions

12.(6) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders 

13.(11) Seattle Seahawks (3-2) Week 6 opponent: San Francisco 49ers

14.(14) Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) Week 6 opponent: Denver Broncos

15.(12) San Francisco 49ers (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Seattle Seahawks

16.(16) Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) Week 6 opponent: Cleveland Browns  

17.(20) Chicago Bears (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

18.(17) Indianapolis Colts (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Tennessee Titans 

19.(13) New Orleans Saints (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

20.(22) Arizona Cardinals (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Green Bay Packers 

21.(24) Denver Broncos (3-2) Week 6 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers 

22.(19) New York Jets (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Buffalo Bills 

23.(27) New York Giants (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals 

24.(21) Los Angeles Rams (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Bye 

25.(26) Cincinnati Bengals (1-4) Week 6 opponent: New York Giants 

26.(23) Las Vegas Raiders (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers

27.(28) Tennessee Titans (1-3) Week 6 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

28.(30) Miami Dolphins (2-3) Week 6 opponent: Bye 

29.(32) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Chicago Bears 

30.(25) Cleveland Browns (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles 

31.(29) Carolina Panthers (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Atlanta Falcons  

32.(31) New England Patriots (1-4) Week 6 opponent: Houston Texans  

Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2024 Edition

Quarterback

MVP: Kirk Cousins (Falcons) 

Cousins' first great performance as a Falcon coming on a short week in primetime is something that no one would've ever predicted. Outside of a late pick that probably should've but ultimately didn't cost them the game, Cousins carved through the Bucs defense with ease-throwing for 509 YDS and 4 TD's in an early contender for Game of the Year. Only rostered in about 50-60% of leagues at the moment, Cousins will be a priority waiver target where available ahead of his Week 6 date with a horrid Panthers defense.   

Honorable Mentions: Joe Burrow (Bengals), Lamar Jackson (Ravens), Kyler Murray (Cardinals)

LVP: Sam Darnold (Vikings)

Anybody that bought in on Darnold extracting his long-awaited revenge on the Jets organization was left mighty disappointed on Sunday morning. Darnold put together his 1st stinker as a Viking, throwing for 179 scoreless YDS and an INT while also losing a fumble against the Jets elite defense. He'll face the Lions when the Vikings return to action in Week 7.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Josh Allen (Bills), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Brock Purdy (49ers)

Running Back

MVP: D'Andre Swift (Bears)

What a difference 2 weeks makes! Swift put together another strong performance as the clear leader of the Bears backfield versus the Panthers, handling 21 carries for 73 YDS and a score while adding a pair of catches for 47 YDS. He should remain in starting lineups for the Bears Week 6 trek over to London to face the hometown Jaguars. 

Honorable Mentions: Rico Dowdle (Cowboys), Kareem Hunt (Chiefs), Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots)

LVP: Breece Hall (Jets)

So much for Hall turning things around in Week 5.... Hall was once again completely stifled by a good defense, registering just 37 scrimmage YDS on 12 touches (9 carries, 3 receptions) versus the Vikings. As bad as his yardage totals have been, his touch counts are even more concerning as the Jets aren't really committing to the run and have basically put Hall into a timeshare with rookie Braelon Allen-who's arguably looked better than him over the past few weeks. Hall will be a risky start in Week 6 against the Bills.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Jerome Ford (Browns), Zack Moss (Bengals), Bucky Irving (Buccaneers)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Ja'Marr Chase (Bengals)

A season-best performance from Joe Burrow led to a season-best performance from Chase on Sunday. The Bengals star wideout was getting open and running after the catch at will against the Ravens suddenly porous secondary, turning 10 catches into 193 YDS and 2 TD's. Chase has officially returned to form after a very slow start and should be locked in as the elite WR1 option he was drafted to be moving forward. 

Honorable Mentions: Drake London (Falcons), Tee Higgins (Bengals), D.J. Moore (Bears)

LVP: Chris Olave (Saints)

Despite being in a pass-driven game script for most of the game last night, Olave was really quiet against the Chiefs-catching 2-of-4 targets for just 10 YDS. The Saints most versatile receiving threat has been off to a very erratic start to 2024 and with the team losing 3 straight games after a 2-0 start, Klint Kubiak should really start drawing up more plays for him. Olave will be a WR2 for the Saints Week 6 matchup with the Bucs.     

Dishonorable Mentions: George Pickens (Steelers), Diontae Johnson (Panthers), Deebo Samuel (49ers)

Tight End

MVP: Tucker Kraft (Packers)

Don't look now but the Packers might have another quietly lethal receiving option on their roster. Kraft followed up his breakout Week 4 performance with an even brighter gem (4 REC/88 YDS/2 TD's) in Week 5 versus the Rams. While his usage rate could suffer once Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs return to action, he's a no brainer starting option in the interim.  

Honorable Mentions: Brock Bowers (Raiders), George Kittle (49ers), Isaiah Likely (Ravens)

LVP: Dalton Kincaid (Bills)

Khalil Shakir's absence presented Kincaid with an excellent opportunity to step up and be the featured option in the Bills passing attack. He didn't take advantage of it. To be fair, Josh Allen only completed 9 passes on a day where he was pressured relentlessly by the Texans ferocious pass rush, but that still doesn't let Kincaid off the hook for not really showing up (he had 2 catches for 34 YDS) when his team needed him most. The second-year tight end has been one of the biggest disappointments of 2024 thus far and it's hard to envision him putting together a breakout performance against the Jets stubborn pass defense this week.       

Dishonorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Zach Ertz (Commanders), Mike Gesicki (Bengals)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Vikings

Brian Flores had Aaron Rodgers wishing he had just moved to Peru to do peyote full time. The Vikings sacked the Jets aging burnout QB 3 times and forced him to throw a whopping 3 INT's including a pick 6 by edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel in a 23-17 victory that brought the Skol gang to 5-0 on the year. Minnesota's D/ST has been elite to start the year, and they'll look to pick up where they left off against the Lions top-flight offense in Week 7.    

Honorable Mentions: Broncos, Bears, 49ers

LVP: Ravens

While they did just enough to put their offense in a position to mount a late comeback and eventually pull out a somewhat lucky OT victory over the Bengals, this was a terrible showing by a Ravens defense that looked like they were trending in the right direction after a strong performance versus the Bills in Week 4. They allowed a Bengals offense that had been stuck in neutral for weeks now to hang 36 points on them and only countered that with 3 sacks and a pick, which wasn't even enough to get back them back to 0 fantasy points. A scorching hot Commanders offense is not an ideal bounceback spot for Zach Orr's group this week.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Texans, Bills, Dolphins 

Movie Review: It's What's Inside

Psychological black comedy thriller It's What's Inside is something that has been on my radar since it debuted at Sundance back in January. The debut feature from writer/director/editor Greg Jardin is a super low budget, twist-happy ensemble piece about a pre-wedding reunion between college friends (Brittany O'Grady, James Morosini, Gavin Leatherwood, Nina Bloomgarden, Alycia Debnam-Carrey, Reina Hardesty, Devon Terrell) that goes awry when an unexpected guest (David W. Thompson) from their past arrives with a suitcase containing a party game that threatens to drastically alter their lives moving forward was among the small number of titles that brought down the house in Park City this year. All of those rowdy screenings eventually lead to It's What's Inside getting its worldwide distribution rights picked up by Netflix for $17 million-which ended up being the biggest acquisition deal of this year's festival. While I don't lament the producers for taking the money Netflix threw at them, the at-home viewing experience of It's What's Inside left something to be desired that could very well have been remedied by being released in the same theatrical venues where the streaming giant's team first saw the film. 

As I alluded to above, It's What's Inside is a movie that makes heavy use of mind games, misdirection and plot twists to tell its story. There's really no shortage of moments-particularly in the back half of the movie-that would generate gasps, cheers, applause or really any emotion of excitement, surprise or jubilation from a crowd. Without the energy of a crowd however, the entire affair has really nothing going for it outside of Jardin's confident, stylish direction and trippy visuals/editing/camerawork that vibrantly illustrates the disorienting sensory experience its characters are going through. The big bag of sleight-of-hand tricks that serves as the driver for the plot becomes more grating as the twists start to pile up, the satirical elements aren't at all funny or clever and while it was probably a deliberate creative choice, the characters are obnoxious, thinly written jabronis who are largely indistinguishable from one another and really not much fun to be around at all. Is it entirely possible that I still would've been left cold by It's What's Inside if I had seen in a theater? Absolutely, but this is a project that was designed to get pops from a large, engaged crowd and seeing it outside of that environment just quite simply removed most of whatever fun exists within this flashy wannabe mindfuck of a genre movie.                 

                  

Grade: C

Todd Phillips Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked", a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Todd Phillips-whose latest project "Joker: Folie a Deux" releases in theaters today. 

Todd Phillips' Filmography Ranked:

10.Joker (D-)

9.School for Scoundrels (D+)

8.The Hangover: Part III (B-)

7.The Hangover: Part II (B-)

6.War Dogs (B)

5.Road Trip (B)

4.Starsky & Hutch (B)

3.Due Date (B+)

2.Old School (B+)

1.The Hangover (A)

Top Dog: The Hangover (2009)

While some of the jokes haven't aged well, The Hangover is still a comedy classic on the whole. The film is a masterclass in situational comedy as it repeatedly throws absurd, hilarious curveballs at the viewer as the three lovable idiot protagonists (Ed Helms, Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis) try to find their friend (Justin Bartha) the day after his Vegas bachelor party got way out of hand and watching this trio riff through the unique turbulence they're enduring is a real treat.      

Bottom Feeder: Joker (2019)

There's an underlying desperation behind Joker that is honestly just pathetic. Phillips is desperate to be taken seriously as a director after a career full of studio comedies by making a film full of hollow provocations and half-assed social commentary. Joaquin Phoenix is desperate to turn a famous comic book villain into this devastating cautionary tale of a mentally ill man who finds solace in violence after decades of being laughed at and pushed aside by society. The script is desperate to convince the viewer it's something fresh when it's really just a slightly altered version of The King of Comedy. All of these shamelessly self-congratulatory efforts make Joker an infuriating nightmare of a movie that is among the most obnoxious pieces of garbage I've ever sat through.                 

Most Underrated: Due Date (2010)

Phillips' last purely comedic directorial effort also happens to be one of his best. Robert Downey Jr. and Zack Galinfinakis are an electric odd couple pairing and the road trip narrative allows Phillips to once again show off the situational comedy chops that are his greatest strength as a filmmaker.     

Most Overrated: Joker (2019) 

2019 was such an incredible year for movies. Parasite, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood..., Marriage Story, The Irishman, The Lighthouse, Midsommar, Uncut Gems. Jojo Rabbit, John Wick: Chapter 3-Parabellum, Booksmart, Knives Out, Us, Richard Jewell, Just Mercy, Klaus, Rocketman and Dolemite is My Name represent just a small portion of the terrific films that were released over those 12 months in the United States. That's what makes Joker picking up 11 Oscar nominations and 2 wins such a travesty. There was so much excellence to recognize and the Academy rallied around this fucking movie? I saw Uncut Gems in May when A24 re-released it in IMAX and one of the thoughts I had afterwards was just how much it sucked that Adam Sandler not only didn't win Best Actor over Phoenix but couldn't even muster a nomination! Fuck Joker forever.             

2024 NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

 ()=Previous Ranking

1.(1) Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints

2.(3) Detroit Lions (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

3.(4) Minnesota Vikings (4-0) Week 5 opponent: New York Jets 

4.(10) Baltimore Ravens (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals  

5.(2) Buffalo Bills (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Houston Texans

6.(5) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Dallas Cowboys 

7.(13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Atlanta Falcons 

8.(9) Houston Texans (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Buffalo Bills

9.(17) Washington Commanders (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Cleveland Browns 

10.(6) Green Bay Packers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Rams 

11.(11) Seattle Seahawks (3-1) Week 5 opponent: New York Giants 

12.(14) San Francisco 49ers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Arizona Cardinals 

13.(7) New Orleans Saints (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs 

14.(12) Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

15.(18) Atlanta Falcons (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

16.(8) Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

17.(22) Indianapolis Colts (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars 

18.(19) Dallas Cowboys (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers 

19.(16) New York Jets (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Minnesota Vikings 

20.(23) Chicago Bears (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Carolina Panthers 

21.(20) Los Angeles Rams (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Green Bay Packers

22.(15) Arizona Cardinals (1-3) Week 5 opponent: San Francisco 49ers 

23.(25) Las Vegas Raiders (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Denver Broncos 

24.(27) Denver Broncos (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Las Vegas Raiders 

25.(24) Cleveland Browns (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Washington Commanders 

26.(30) Cincinnati Bengals (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Baltimore Ravens 

27.(26) New York Giants (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Seattle Seahawks 

28.(32) Tennessee Titans (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Bye 

29.(29) Carolina Panthers (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Chicago Bears 

30.(21) Miami Dolphins (1-3) Week 5 opponent: New England Patriots 

31.(28) New England Patriots (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Miami Dolphins 

32.(31) Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Indianapolis Colts 

Week 4 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2024 Edition

 Quarterback

MVP: Jordan Love (Packers)

Love made some headlines when he showed up to the game wearing a Brett Favre jersey to honor the former Packers QB following the news that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. That tribute carried over to the field as Love put together a gunslinger performance (389 YDS, 4 TD's, 3 INT's, 1 2-PT CNV) for the ages as the Packers were down by 21 versus the Vikings at the half and needed his arm to try and mount a comeback-which actually came surprisingly close to happening. Love has a date with a burnable Rams secondary in Week 5.   

Honorable Mentions: Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers), Jared Goff (Lions), Jayden Daniels (Commanders)

LVP: Josh Allen (Bills)

The Ravens defense and at times, his own receivers had Josh Allen in HELL on Sunday night-which led to him having one of the quietest games of his entire career (180 YDS, 5 CAR, 21 Rushing YDS, lost fumble) in a lopsided primetime loss. Allen will look to redeem himself in a key game against the Texans next week.  

Dishonorable Mentions: Kyler Murray (Cardinals), Kirk Cousins (Falcons), Caleb Williams (Bears)

Running Back

MVP: Derrick Henry (Ravens)

For the 2nd straight week, Henry was simply unstoppable. He absolutely obliterated the Bills pretty good defense to the tune of 199 YDS and a TD on 24 carries and notched another score in the passing game-which marked his first TD catch since 2019. The King has fully acclimated to the Ravens offense after a pretty quiet start, which should scare the shit out of the rest of the league.   

Honorable Mentions: Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), D'Andre Swift (Bears), Jordan Mason (49ers)

LVP: Breece Hall (Jets)

When they needed him most in a low scoring, grind it out game with the Broncos, Hall failed the Jets. The 3rd year back was basically invisible, managing a pathetic 4 YDS on 10 carries and catching just 2 passes for 14 YDS in a crushing 1-point home loss to a team that's by all accounts inferior to them. This was the 1st time this season that Hall has had less than 80 scrimmage YDS and failed to reach the endzone, so his owners have nothing to worry about for now.    

Dishonorable Mentions: De'Von Achane (Dolphins), James Cook (Bills), Devin Singletary (Giants)

Wide Receiver 

MVP: Nico Collins (Texans)

The absence of Joe Mixon and Tank Dell put more on the plate of Collins this week and he did much more than just pick up the slack. The Texans WR1 caught 12 of the 15 passes that came his away for 151 YDS and a TD in a tight divisional contest with the Jaguars. Collins has already proved that his 2023 breakout campaign was no fluke and if he maintains his current level of play, he should be in the running for overall WR1 honors come January.    

Honorable Mentions: Jayden Reed (Packers), Jordan Addison (Vikings), CeeDee Lamb (Cowboys)

LVP: Zay Flowers (Ravens)

Lamar Jackson threw for a season-low 156 YDS as the Ravens run game carried them to a dominant win over the Bills.  Flowers was among the top parties impacted by this development-getting targeted only twice and only hauling in one of them for 10 YDS. While Flowers has been really quiet outside of Week 2 versus the Raiders, he remains the top WR in Baltimore by a wide margin and should return to being a solid performer in due time. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Calvin Ridley (Titans), Rome Odunze (Bears), Keenan Allen (Bears)

Tight End

MVP: Pat Friermuth (Steelers)

Those who elected to stick with Friermuth after his consistent but unsexy start to the season were rewarded this week as he picked up 5 catches for 57 YDS and scored his 1st TD of the year in a narrow loss to the Colts. As long as the TE-friendly Justin Fields remains the starter in Pittsburgh, Friermuth will be worth starting every week.  

Honorable Mentions: George Kittle (49ers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Dallas Goedert (Eagles)

LVP: Kyle Pitts (Falcons)

Balance has been restored to the fantasy universe as we've just had our first Kyle Pitts donut of the season. The always infuriating and unpredictable Falcons tight end failed to haul in any of his 3 targets on a day where the offense contributed very little to their winning effort against the Saints. The next stop on the Pitts rollercoaster is a Thursday night date with the Bucs-who've allowed the 10th fewest fantasy points to TE's so far this season.    

Dishonorable Mentions: Mark Andrews (Ravens), Isaiah Likely (Ravens), Brock Bowers (Raiders) 

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: 49ers

The overhauled, injury-riddled 49ers defense has been pretty poor to start the year. That all changed on Sunday when the league's worst offense rolled into Santa Clara. The Patriots surrendered 6 sacks, coughed up a pair of fumbles and allowed Fred Warner to get one of the easiest pick 6's you'll ever seen in an NFL game in a commanding 30-13 win for the 49ers. Despite their current 2-game losing streak, stopping Kyler Murray and the Cardinals explosive offense should be a far more difficult assignment for this still very much embattled group.  

Honorable Mentions: Browns, Ravens, Vikings

LVP: Bills

As I've already mentioned multiple times in this piece, the Bills defense didn't look so hot against the Ravens on SNF. They surrendered 35 points, got just 1 sack and forced a meaningless late turnover on a Lamar Jackson run that helped bring their fantasy point total from -3 to -1. While far from an ideal matchup given the depth of their offensive talent and the vendetta that a certain WR on their roster holds against them, it would be pretty surprising if they struggled to this extent again against the Texans this week.   

Dishonorable Mentions: Dolphins, Steelers, Texans