()=previous ranking
1.(1) New England Patriots (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Washington Redskins
2.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) Week 5 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
3.(10) New Orleans Saints (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4.(2) Los Angeles Rams (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
5.(4) Dallas Cowboys (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Green Bay Packers
6.(9) Seattle Seahawks (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
7.(5) Green Bay Packers (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
8.(11) Chicago Bears (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Oakland Raiders
9.(17) Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) Week 5 opponent: New York Jets
10.(7) Houston Texans (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
11.(6) Baltimore Ravens (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
12.(12) Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Denver Broncos
13.(14) San Francisco 49ers (3-0) Week 5 opponent: Cleveland Browns
14.(13) Buffalo Bills (3-1) Week 5 opponent: Tennessee Titans
15.(20) Carolina Panthers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
16.(15) Detroit Lions (2-1-1) Week 5 opponent: Bye Week
17.(18) Tennessee Titans (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Buffalo Bills
18.(23) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) Week 5 opponent: New Orleans Saints
19.(21) Cleveland Browns (2-2) Week 5 opponent: San Francisco 49ers
20.(8) Minnesota Vikings (2-2) Week 5 opponent: New York Giants
21.(22) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Carolina Panthers
22.(16) Indianapolis Colts (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
23.(24) New York Giants (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
24.(25) Oakland Raiders (2-2) Week 5 opponent: Chicago Bears
25.(26) Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
26.(19) Atlanta Falcons (1-3) Week 5 opponent: Houston Texans
27.(27) Denver Broncos (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
28.(28) Arizona Cardinals (0-3-1) Week 5 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
29.(31) New York Jets (0-3) Week 5 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
30.(29) Cincinnati Bengals (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
31.(30) Washington Redskins (0-4) Week 5 opponent: New England Patriots
32.(32) Miami Dolphins (0-4) Week 5 opponent: Bye Week
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Monday, September 30, 2019
Movie Review: Rambo: Last Blood
While it's definitely pretty far removed from the subtly potent social commentary that elevated First Blood into classic territory, Last Blood is still able to convey a resonant message in its own gruesome way. Underneath all of the over-the-top carnage and straightforward vigilante plotting, Last Blood is a sadistic character study about a physically-and-emotionally broken man in his 70's that comes to realize he's never going to escape the vicious cycle of violence he's been stuck in for his entire adult life. Think of it as the schlocky cousin of Logan where the beaten-down protagonist slowly comes to terms with his mortality while also graphically murdering cartel sex traffickers in a booby trap-filled bunker to avenge the death of a loved one. It's a brutal ride that isn't always easy to stomach, but as the swan song for a character whose existence has only been defined by loss, suffering and fighting to stay alive through violent means, I found it to be an effective and oddly poetic piece of storytelling.
Is Last Blood imperfect? Very much so. There's plenty of unintentionally funny moments (that final kill..) and the villains (Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Oscar Jaenada) straight up stink. At the end of the day, those problems didn't prevent Last Blood from being a sensible, on-brand conclusion to a series that has embraced darkness every step of the way and to be honest, that's all I needed to deem it a success.
Grade: B
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Concert Review: Converge--- Cambridge, MA-- September 20, 2019
Lineup: Converge/Infest/Wound Man/Burden/Peace Test
Venue: Hardcore Stadium
Note: Infest was the headliner, but I left before they played.
Peace Test: Arrived late and missed their set.
Burden: This was my first time at the legendary Hardcore Stadium, so I had to do some exploring upon arriving. For those who have never there before, Hardcore Stadium is a functioning Elks Lodge that just happens to host shows from time to time. There's members working the door, musty odors protruding from every corner, ceiling fans that may or may not be functional and a bathroom, while surprisingly clean, that looks like it was thrown together by a mediocre, likely intoxicated handyman sometime in the 1950's. It's a DIY paradise and I'm disappointed that it took me so long to attend a show here.
As a result of being sucked into the glorious tacky ambiance and out-of-market baseball games being shown on the TV's in the basement area, I didn't get back upstairs until Burden was just about done playing. From what I saw, they reminded me of some of the old-school punk bands you'd come across on the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack. While those songs made for cool, appropriate background noise for a vert ramp shred sash, I never felt compelled to jam them outside of the game. I'll never hate on an act that's spirited and can generate positive energy from a crowd, but there was nothing about Burden's music that I found to be above average.
Wound Man: Holy hell, what a powerviolence band Wound Man is. The balance between grind chaos and gloomy, mid-paced sludge was as clean as I've ever heard in the genre and their vocalist was an intense lunatic who performed just about every song in the middle of the pit. If their studio material comes anywhere close to resembling the freight turn of fury that was their live show, I'm going to become a huge Wound Man fan in no time at all.
Converge: Reliability is something that shouldn't be taken for granted-especially with live music. Not only is a group of musicians being able to bring it every time they take the stage a very impressive feat, it also provides the comforting luxury of piece of mind that your money is being well spent when you go see one of their shows. Metalcore pioneers Converge are flagship members of this special club.
The 50 minutes they were on stage played out like a tutorial on how to make playing extreme music look like the easiest thing in the world. They carry themselves with an easy yet not overbearing confidence, never miss a note and know how to craft a setlist that matches the tone of the bands they're sharing the stage with (in this case, it was a heavy dose of their heavier, spazzier material). Their universal prowess becomes even more jaw-dropping when you consider that most of the band is in there early-to-mid 40's (drummer Ben Koller is the young buck at age 39) and playing super technical music full of frequent, rapid tempo changes. Part of me wishes things got a bit rowdier than they did considering the space they were playing in, but it was still really cool to see them return to their roots in such a lowkey venue and with their 30th (!) anniversary as a band coming next year, hopefully they'll do some more intimate hometown shows like this.
Grades:
Burden: C
Wound Man: B+
Converge: A-
Setlist:
Converge:
A Single Tear
Dark Horse
Aimless Arrow
Under Duress
Forsaken
Reap What You Sow
Cutter
Glacial Pace
Sadness Comes Home
Runaway
All We Love We Leave Behind
Eagles Become Vultures
Concubine
Venue: Hardcore Stadium
Note: Infest was the headliner, but I left before they played.
Peace Test: Arrived late and missed their set.
Burden: This was my first time at the legendary Hardcore Stadium, so I had to do some exploring upon arriving. For those who have never there before, Hardcore Stadium is a functioning Elks Lodge that just happens to host shows from time to time. There's members working the door, musty odors protruding from every corner, ceiling fans that may or may not be functional and a bathroom, while surprisingly clean, that looks like it was thrown together by a mediocre, likely intoxicated handyman sometime in the 1950's. It's a DIY paradise and I'm disappointed that it took me so long to attend a show here.
As a result of being sucked into the glorious tacky ambiance and out-of-market baseball games being shown on the TV's in the basement area, I didn't get back upstairs until Burden was just about done playing. From what I saw, they reminded me of some of the old-school punk bands you'd come across on the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater soundtrack. While those songs made for cool, appropriate background noise for a vert ramp shred sash, I never felt compelled to jam them outside of the game. I'll never hate on an act that's spirited and can generate positive energy from a crowd, but there was nothing about Burden's music that I found to be above average.
Wound Man: Holy hell, what a powerviolence band Wound Man is. The balance between grind chaos and gloomy, mid-paced sludge was as clean as I've ever heard in the genre and their vocalist was an intense lunatic who performed just about every song in the middle of the pit. If their studio material comes anywhere close to resembling the freight turn of fury that was their live show, I'm going to become a huge Wound Man fan in no time at all.
Converge: Reliability is something that shouldn't be taken for granted-especially with live music. Not only is a group of musicians being able to bring it every time they take the stage a very impressive feat, it also provides the comforting luxury of piece of mind that your money is being well spent when you go see one of their shows. Metalcore pioneers Converge are flagship members of this special club.
The 50 minutes they were on stage played out like a tutorial on how to make playing extreme music look like the easiest thing in the world. They carry themselves with an easy yet not overbearing confidence, never miss a note and know how to craft a setlist that matches the tone of the bands they're sharing the stage with (in this case, it was a heavy dose of their heavier, spazzier material). Their universal prowess becomes even more jaw-dropping when you consider that most of the band is in there early-to-mid 40's (drummer Ben Koller is the young buck at age 39) and playing super technical music full of frequent, rapid tempo changes. Part of me wishes things got a bit rowdier than they did considering the space they were playing in, but it was still really cool to see them return to their roots in such a lowkey venue and with their 30th (!) anniversary as a band coming next year, hopefully they'll do some more intimate hometown shows like this.
Grades:
Burden: C
Wound Man: B+
Converge: A-
Setlist:
Converge:
A Single Tear
Dark Horse
Aimless Arrow
Under Duress
Forsaken
Reap What You Sow
Cutter
Glacial Pace
Sadness Comes Home
Runaway
All We Love We Leave Behind
Eagles Become Vultures
Concubine
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
The Best and Worst of Anna Kendrick (2019)
“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 “The Day Shall Come” star Anna Kendrick.
Films starring Anna Kendrick that I've seen:
Up in the Air
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
50/50
End of Watch
Pitch Perfect
Cake
The Voices
Pitch Perfect 2
Get a Job
Mr. Right
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
The Hollars
The Accountant
Table 19
Pitch Perfect 3
A Simple Favor
Best Performance: A Simple Favor (2018)
While a string of increasingly insane plot twists in the final act made A Simple Favor a pretty frustrating watch on the whole, Kendrick's performance goes a long way in preventing Paul Feig's darkly comedic mystery thriller from completely falling apart. Kendrick brings an ideal combination of charm and unassuming menace to a bubbly, seemingly perfect single mother whose long-hidden dark secrets come to light once she strikes up an unexpected friendship with another mother (the similarly fantastic Blake Lively) at her kid's school.
Worst Performance: The Accountant (2016)
Like every actor with this project outside of Ben Affleck, Kendrick is done in by an absurd, scattershot script that isn't sure whether to treat her character as collateral damage in a major criminal scheme or a love interest to Affleck's titular autistic math wizard/hitman.
Best Film: 50/50 (2011)
In a development that should shock absolutely no one who is familiar with my work, I'm going to be pumping out a whole lot of 2010's retrospective content once 2019 wraps up. Even though the brainstorming process has just kicked off, I can confirm that 50/50 will be featured on at least one of those lists. Not only does it handle battling cancer in a grounded way that never feels contrived or melodramatic, it's also funny as hell and is toplined by the most powerful performance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's career to-date.
Worst Film: The Voices (2015)
Dark comedy can be a tricky genre to pull off and despite boasting a solid premise (an upbeat schizophrenic man slowly gives into his evil delusions after accidently killing his co-worker) and talented cast (Ryan Reynolds, Kendrick, Gemma Arterton, Jacki Weaver) that is up for tackling gleefully sadistic material, The Voices ends up falling completely on its face. The script's failure to establish a tone that adds even a bit of lightness to offset the heavy dose of morbidity results in The Voices being far more off-putting than it is funny.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Joker” star Joaquin Phoenix.
Films starring Anna Kendrick that I've seen:
Up in the Air
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
50/50
End of Watch
Pitch Perfect
Cake
The Voices
Pitch Perfect 2
Get a Job
Mr. Right
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
The Hollars
The Accountant
Table 19
Pitch Perfect 3
A Simple Favor
Best Performance: A Simple Favor (2018)
While a string of increasingly insane plot twists in the final act made A Simple Favor a pretty frustrating watch on the whole, Kendrick's performance goes a long way in preventing Paul Feig's darkly comedic mystery thriller from completely falling apart. Kendrick brings an ideal combination of charm and unassuming menace to a bubbly, seemingly perfect single mother whose long-hidden dark secrets come to light once she strikes up an unexpected friendship with another mother (the similarly fantastic Blake Lively) at her kid's school.
Worst Performance: The Accountant (2016)
Like every actor with this project outside of Ben Affleck, Kendrick is done in by an absurd, scattershot script that isn't sure whether to treat her character as collateral damage in a major criminal scheme or a love interest to Affleck's titular autistic math wizard/hitman.
Best Film: 50/50 (2011)
In a development that should shock absolutely no one who is familiar with my work, I'm going to be pumping out a whole lot of 2010's retrospective content once 2019 wraps up. Even though the brainstorming process has just kicked off, I can confirm that 50/50 will be featured on at least one of those lists. Not only does it handle battling cancer in a grounded way that never feels contrived or melodramatic, it's also funny as hell and is toplined by the most powerful performance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's career to-date.
Worst Film: The Voices (2015)
Dark comedy can be a tricky genre to pull off and despite boasting a solid premise (an upbeat schizophrenic man slowly gives into his evil delusions after accidently killing his co-worker) and talented cast (Ryan Reynolds, Kendrick, Gemma Arterton, Jacki Weaver) that is up for tackling gleefully sadistic material, The Voices ends up falling completely on its face. The script's failure to establish a tone that adds even a bit of lightness to offset the heavy dose of morbidity results in The Voices being far more off-putting than it is funny.
Thank you for reading this week's edition of “The Best and Worst of”. The next victim of my praise and ire will be “Joker” star Joaquin Phoenix.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Week 3 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2019 Edition
Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
A parade of miscues from running back Chris Carson and the special teams put the Seahawks in a deep hole early against the Saints, which in turn allowed Wilson to put together an all time great garbage time explosion. The 30-year old signalcaller threw for 406 YDS and 2 TD's while adding another 51 YDS and 2 TD's on the ground. Wilson has a date with the Cardinals leaky defense in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Deshaun Watson (Texans)
LVP: Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
The 49ers are off to a surprising 3-0 start despite Garoppolo doing everything in his power to make things difficult for them to win games. He put together yet another sloppy dud against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon, throwing for 277 YDS, 1 TD and turning the ball over 3 times (2 INT's, 1 lost fumble). We'll see if he can make some adjustments during the bye week and not continue to kill his team with ugly turnovers.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baker Mayfield (Browns), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
Running Back
MVP: Mark Ingram (Ravens)
In a game where Lamar Jackson struggled to consistently get things going through the air, Ingram was able to keep the Ravens competitive. He mustered an impressive scrimmage 135 YDS (103 rushing, 32 receiving) and 3 rushing TD's in a tough road loss to the Chiefs. With 319 total YDS and 5 scores through 3 games, Ingram has provided an excellent return on his late 4th-to-early 5th round ADP.
Honorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Phillip Lindsay (Broncos), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)
LVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
After a pretty strong start, the red flags surrounding Gurley heading into 2019 finally showed up this week. Gurley looked sluggish against a banged-up Browns D on Sunday Night Football, catching no passes and managing just 43 YDS on 14 carries. He'll look to make more of his modest workload this week when the Rams return home to face a very beatable Buccaneers team.
Dishonorable Mentions: James Conner (Steelers), Chris Carson (Seahawks), Josh Jacobs (Raiders)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Safe to say, Evans has gotten over whatever illness was holding him back the past 2 games. The Bucs top wideout spazzed on the Giants garbage secondary, mustering 190 YDS and 3 TD's on just 8 receptions. Even in a brutal matchup against the Rams, Evans will be on the WR1 radar in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Keenan Allen (Chargers), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
LVP: Kenny Golladay (Lions)
Golladay was practically invisible against the Eagles horrid secondary, securing just 2 of his 8 targets for 17 yards. Despite this forgettable performance, Golladay is firmly entrenched as the Lions top receiving option and should be considered a mid-tier WR2 most weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Stefon Diggs (Vikings), Calvin Ridley (Falcons), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Look out people, we might have an unexpected resurgence on our hands. Olsen, who is coming off a pair of injury-plagued seasons, followed up his 100+ yard explosion in Week 2 with a similarly terrific outing (6 REC/75 YDS/2 TD) against the Cardinals. As long as he stays healthy and maintains a rapport with Kyle Allen, who is set to fill-in for Cam Newton the foreseeable future, Olsen has a great chance of re-establishing his status as an elite fantasy tight end on a long-term basis.
Honorable Mentions: Austin Hooper (Falcons), Evan Engram (Giants), Darren Waller (Raiders)
LVP: Mark Andrews (Ravens)
Lamar Jackson's aforementioned struggles versus the Chiefs limited Andrews to just 15 YDS on 3 receptions. The centerpiece of the Ravens passing attack should get back on track against a wounded Browns secondary this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Lions), Jared Cook (Saints), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Bears
The poor Redskins became the 1st team in 2019 to experience the full fury of the Bears defense. Chuck Pagano's crew made Case Keenum and co. uncomfortable all night by registering a knockout performance (4 sacks, 3 INT, 2 FUM and a TD) that helped power the team to a relatively easy road victory. Repeating this level of dominance in their week 4 tilt with the ultraconservative Vikings offense seems like a long shot.
Honorable Mentions: Jaguars, Patriots, Saints
LVP: Titans
Sloppy conditions and a far better than expected performance from the Jaguars o-line/QB prevented the Titans D from doing any damage (0 sacks or takeaways) in a 20-7 loss last Thursday night. While there's a lot of talent on this group, their pretty conservative approach means the fantasy numbers aren't likely to be there every week. They'll look to get back in the good graces of their owners when they square off with a Falcons squad that has turned the ball over multiple times in 2 of the first 3 games.
Dishonorable Mentions: Seahawks, Chargers, Eagles
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
A parade of miscues from running back Chris Carson and the special teams put the Seahawks in a deep hole early against the Saints, which in turn allowed Wilson to put together an all time great garbage time explosion. The 30-year old signalcaller threw for 406 YDS and 2 TD's while adding another 51 YDS and 2 TD's on the ground. Wilson has a date with the Cardinals leaky defense in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Deshaun Watson (Texans)
LVP: Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers)
The 49ers are off to a surprising 3-0 start despite Garoppolo doing everything in his power to make things difficult for them to win games. He put together yet another sloppy dud against the Steelers on Sunday afternoon, throwing for 277 YDS, 1 TD and turning the ball over 3 times (2 INT's, 1 lost fumble). We'll see if he can make some adjustments during the bye week and not continue to kill his team with ugly turnovers.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baker Mayfield (Browns), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
Running Back
MVP: Mark Ingram (Ravens)
In a game where Lamar Jackson struggled to consistently get things going through the air, Ingram was able to keep the Ravens competitive. He mustered an impressive scrimmage 135 YDS (103 rushing, 32 receiving) and 3 rushing TD's in a tough road loss to the Chiefs. With 319 total YDS and 5 scores through 3 games, Ingram has provided an excellent return on his late 4th-to-early 5th round ADP.
Honorable Mentions: Alvin Kamara (Saints), Phillip Lindsay (Broncos), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)
LVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
After a pretty strong start, the red flags surrounding Gurley heading into 2019 finally showed up this week. Gurley looked sluggish against a banged-up Browns D on Sunday Night Football, catching no passes and managing just 43 YDS on 14 carries. He'll look to make more of his modest workload this week when the Rams return home to face a very beatable Buccaneers team.
Dishonorable Mentions: James Conner (Steelers), Chris Carson (Seahawks), Josh Jacobs (Raiders)
Wide Receiver
MVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Safe to say, Evans has gotten over whatever illness was holding him back the past 2 games. The Bucs top wideout spazzed on the Giants garbage secondary, mustering 190 YDS and 3 TD's on just 8 receptions. Even in a brutal matchup against the Rams, Evans will be on the WR1 radar in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Keenan Allen (Chargers), Cooper Kupp (Rams), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)
LVP: Kenny Golladay (Lions)
Golladay was practically invisible against the Eagles horrid secondary, securing just 2 of his 8 targets for 17 yards. Despite this forgettable performance, Golladay is firmly entrenched as the Lions top receiving option and should be considered a mid-tier WR2 most weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Stefon Diggs (Vikings), Calvin Ridley (Falcons), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers)
Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Look out people, we might have an unexpected resurgence on our hands. Olsen, who is coming off a pair of injury-plagued seasons, followed up his 100+ yard explosion in Week 2 with a similarly terrific outing (6 REC/75 YDS/2 TD) against the Cardinals. As long as he stays healthy and maintains a rapport with Kyle Allen, who is set to fill-in for Cam Newton the foreseeable future, Olsen has a great chance of re-establishing his status as an elite fantasy tight end on a long-term basis.
Honorable Mentions: Austin Hooper (Falcons), Evan Engram (Giants), Darren Waller (Raiders)
LVP: Mark Andrews (Ravens)
Lamar Jackson's aforementioned struggles versus the Chiefs limited Andrews to just 15 YDS on 3 receptions. The centerpiece of the Ravens passing attack should get back on track against a wounded Browns secondary this Sunday.
Dishonorable Mentions: T.J. Hockenson (Lions), Jared Cook (Saints), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Bears
The poor Redskins became the 1st team in 2019 to experience the full fury of the Bears defense. Chuck Pagano's crew made Case Keenum and co. uncomfortable all night by registering a knockout performance (4 sacks, 3 INT, 2 FUM and a TD) that helped power the team to a relatively easy road victory. Repeating this level of dominance in their week 4 tilt with the ultraconservative Vikings offense seems like a long shot.
Honorable Mentions: Jaguars, Patriots, Saints
LVP: Titans
Sloppy conditions and a far better than expected performance from the Jaguars o-line/QB prevented the Titans D from doing any damage (0 sacks or takeaways) in a 20-7 loss last Thursday night. While there's a lot of talent on this group, their pretty conservative approach means the fantasy numbers aren't likely to be there every week. They'll look to get back in the good graces of their owners when they square off with a Falcons squad that has turned the ball over multiple times in 2 of the first 3 games.
Dishonorable Mentions: Seahawks, Chargers, Eagles
2019 NFL Power Rankings: Week 4
()=previous ranking
1.(1) New England Patriots (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Buffalo Bills
2.(2) Los Angeles Rams (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Detroit Lions
4.(4) Dallas Cowboys (3-0) Week 4 opponent: New Orleans Saints
5.(6) Green Bay Packers (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
6.(5) Baltimore Ravens (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Cleveland Browns
7.(9) Houston Texans (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Carolina Panthers
8.(11) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Chicago Bears
9.(8) Seattle Seahawks (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
10.(18) New Orleans Saints (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
11.(13) Chicago Bears (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
12.(10) Los Angeles Chargers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Miami Dolphins
13.(15) Buffalo Bills (3-0) Week 4 opponent: New England Patriots
14.(16) San Francisco 49ers (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
15.(20) Detroit Lions (2-0-1) Week 4 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
16.(17) Indianapolis Colts (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Oakland Raiders
17.(7) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Green Bay Packers
18.(12) Tennessee Titans (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
19.(14) Atlanta Falcons (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Tennessee Titans
20.(22) Carolina Panthers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Houston Texans
21.(19) Cleveland Browns (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
22.(27) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Denver Broncos
23.(21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
24.(31) New York Giants (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Washington Redskins
25.(23) Oakland Raiders (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
26.(24) Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
27.(25) Denver Broncos (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
28.(26) Arizona Cardinals (0-2-1) Week 4 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
29.(29) Cincinnati Bengals (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
30.(28) Washington Redskins (0-3) Week 4 opponent: New York Giants
31.(30) New York Jets (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
32.(32) Miami Dolphins (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
1.(1) New England Patriots (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Buffalo Bills
2.(2) Los Angeles Rams (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3.(3) Kansas City Chiefs (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Detroit Lions
4.(4) Dallas Cowboys (3-0) Week 4 opponent: New Orleans Saints
5.(6) Green Bay Packers (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
6.(5) Baltimore Ravens (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Cleveland Browns
7.(9) Houston Texans (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Carolina Panthers
8.(11) Minnesota Vikings (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Chicago Bears
9.(8) Seattle Seahawks (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Arizona Cardinals
10.(18) New Orleans Saints (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Dallas Cowboys
11.(13) Chicago Bears (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Minnesota Vikings
12.(10) Los Angeles Chargers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Miami Dolphins
13.(15) Buffalo Bills (3-0) Week 4 opponent: New England Patriots
14.(16) San Francisco 49ers (3-0) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
15.(20) Detroit Lions (2-0-1) Week 4 opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
16.(17) Indianapolis Colts (2-1) Week 4 opponent: Oakland Raiders
17.(7) Philadelphia Eagles (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Green Bay Packers
18.(12) Tennessee Titans (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Atlanta Falcons
19.(14) Atlanta Falcons (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Tennessee Titans
20.(22) Carolina Panthers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Houston Texans
21.(19) Cleveland Browns (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Baltimore Ravens
22.(27) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Denver Broncos
23.(21) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Los Angeles Rams
24.(31) New York Giants (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Washington Redskins
25.(23) Oakland Raiders (1-2) Week 4 opponent: Indianapolis Colts
26.(24) Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
27.(25) Denver Broncos (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
28.(26) Arizona Cardinals (0-2-1) Week 4 opponent: Seattle Seahawks
29.(29) Cincinnati Bengals (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
30.(28) Washington Redskins (0-3) Week 4 opponent: New York Giants
31.(30) New York Jets (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Bye Week
32.(32) Miami Dolphins (0-3) Week 4 opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Monday, September 23, 2019
Album Review: Lana Del Rey-Norman Fucking Rockwell!
The court of public opinion is a relentlessly cruel place and few artists working today that haven't been accused or convicted of a heinous crime have experienced the full extent of that harshness more than Lana Del Rey. Before her debut LP Born to Die dropped in January 2012, she had already been labeled a phony product of the industry after some internet detectives discovered that she recorded an album under the name Lizzy Grant years earlier that sounded nothing like the melancholic pop she was making under the Lana Del Rey moniker and became an overnight meme sensation following a sloppy Saturday Night Live performance where her pitch was all over the place.
Post-Born to Die, the narrative around Del Rey slowly began to change. Despite not changing the dreary tone or obsession with 50's/60's American pop culture that earned her so much hate at the start of her career, the criticisms surrounding her overall aesthetic and vocal capabilities have decreased with each record she's released. Norman Fucking Rockwell! is the final step in a seven-and-a-half year reclamation project where Del Rey asserts her dominance over the alternative corner of the pop landscape and finally ascends to the pioneer status that she's long been denied.
Norman Fucking Rockwell! standouts in Del Rey discography for one simple reason: an abundance of swagger. The self-proclaimed sad girl's music may still have a bleak backdrop, but this record has an overwhelming bravado running through it that makes most hip-hop records seem modest. She jumps between singing behind hazy guitars that harken back to the days of The Doors ("California", "The Greatest") to minimalist piano ("Norman Fucking Rockwell", "Mariners Apartment Complex") to booming strings with her signature trip hop undertones ("How I Disappear", "Fuck It, I Love You" ) with a sense of complete fearlessness, tackling every twist and turn this bold, psychedelic journey takes with stunning vibrancy and prowess. As consistently impressive as her discography has been, it's still stunning to see how much more comfortable she is as both a singer and songwriter now compared to the early days.
Aiding the increased potency and confidence Del Rey displays here is the sensational production of Jack Antonoff. Like Del Rey, Antonoff has faced heavy scrutiny over the years for his perceived disingenuous image and reliance on bouncy piano progressions to drive his songs. He uses Norman Fucking Rockwell! as a vast wonderland to say "fuck you" to his detractors by experimenting with an array of different sounds that are unlike anything he's ever done on any of his own projects or high-profile collaborations with the likes of Taylor Swift and Lorde.
While piano is still his preferred tool for crafting melodies, Antonoff fills the instrumentation here with plenty of subtle, stunning flourishes. Simple, beautiful keys build into explosive bridges filled with triumphant synths. Distorted guitar lines emerge practically out of thin air. Lengthy ambient outros provide powerful, dream-like exclamation points to the moody anthems that preceded them. These unexpected, slowly-unfolding detours that occur on just about every track here allow Del Rey to explore every octave of her expansive vocal range while also allowing her sprawling vision of a longtime cynic finally flirting with optimism even as the whole world burns around her to come to life with titanic force. Creating an immersive emotional atmosphere has always been the primary appeal of Del Rey's music and under Antonoff's watch, these soundscapes have never been more visceral, hypnotic or exhilarating.
I don't give a shit if anyone writes this off as a rash overreaction since it's only been four weeks since it was released, I'm ready to declare that Norman Fucking Rockwell! is a generation-defining masterpiece. Underneath its dense, endlessly rewarding musical surface, it's really a poetic representation of what it means to be alive in 2019. The world may be full of heartbreak, division and general unease, but entertaining the possibility that better days are on the horizon if you can muster up the strength to weather the storm is all the fuel you need to make tomorrow worth living for. This is a message that only Del Rey could deliver with such grace, clarity and poignancy, and ultimately why Norman Fucking Rockwell! should go down as the most impressive accomplishment of her quietly influential career thus far.
Post-Born to Die, the narrative around Del Rey slowly began to change. Despite not changing the dreary tone or obsession with 50's/60's American pop culture that earned her so much hate at the start of her career, the criticisms surrounding her overall aesthetic and vocal capabilities have decreased with each record she's released. Norman Fucking Rockwell! is the final step in a seven-and-a-half year reclamation project where Del Rey asserts her dominance over the alternative corner of the pop landscape and finally ascends to the pioneer status that she's long been denied.
Norman Fucking Rockwell! standouts in Del Rey discography for one simple reason: an abundance of swagger. The self-proclaimed sad girl's music may still have a bleak backdrop, but this record has an overwhelming bravado running through it that makes most hip-hop records seem modest. She jumps between singing behind hazy guitars that harken back to the days of The Doors ("California", "The Greatest") to minimalist piano ("Norman Fucking Rockwell", "Mariners Apartment Complex") to booming strings with her signature trip hop undertones ("How I Disappear", "Fuck It, I Love You" ) with a sense of complete fearlessness, tackling every twist and turn this bold, psychedelic journey takes with stunning vibrancy and prowess. As consistently impressive as her discography has been, it's still stunning to see how much more comfortable she is as both a singer and songwriter now compared to the early days.
Aiding the increased potency and confidence Del Rey displays here is the sensational production of Jack Antonoff. Like Del Rey, Antonoff has faced heavy scrutiny over the years for his perceived disingenuous image and reliance on bouncy piano progressions to drive his songs. He uses Norman Fucking Rockwell! as a vast wonderland to say "fuck you" to his detractors by experimenting with an array of different sounds that are unlike anything he's ever done on any of his own projects or high-profile collaborations with the likes of Taylor Swift and Lorde.
While piano is still his preferred tool for crafting melodies, Antonoff fills the instrumentation here with plenty of subtle, stunning flourishes. Simple, beautiful keys build into explosive bridges filled with triumphant synths. Distorted guitar lines emerge practically out of thin air. Lengthy ambient outros provide powerful, dream-like exclamation points to the moody anthems that preceded them. These unexpected, slowly-unfolding detours that occur on just about every track here allow Del Rey to explore every octave of her expansive vocal range while also allowing her sprawling vision of a longtime cynic finally flirting with optimism even as the whole world burns around her to come to life with titanic force. Creating an immersive emotional atmosphere has always been the primary appeal of Del Rey's music and under Antonoff's watch, these soundscapes have never been more visceral, hypnotic or exhilarating.
I don't give a shit if anyone writes this off as a rash overreaction since it's only been four weeks since it was released, I'm ready to declare that Norman Fucking Rockwell! is a generation-defining masterpiece. Underneath its dense, endlessly rewarding musical surface, it's really a poetic representation of what it means to be alive in 2019. The world may be full of heartbreak, division and general unease, but entertaining the possibility that better days are on the horizon if you can muster up the strength to weather the storm is all the fuel you need to make tomorrow worth living for. This is a message that only Del Rey could deliver with such grace, clarity and poignancy, and ultimately why Norman Fucking Rockwell! should go down as the most impressive accomplishment of her quietly influential career thus far.
Grade: A+
Standout Tracks
1.California
2.Cinnamon Girl
3.Fuck It, I Love You
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