What Movie Has The Greatest Soundtrack of All-Time?

Greatest movie soundtracks of all time

So this question has been making its rounds on Twitter. What movie has the greatest soundtrack? Soundtracks have the ability to elevate a bad movie to a good movie (Batman Forever) and turn a good movie into a great movie (8 Mile).

For me, the soundtrack should reflect the overall themes of the movie. Songs can tell a story into how the main characters think and feel. If I listen to songs from a soundtrack outside of the theater, that’s when you know the film will stick with you.

Narrowing down my choice for greatest soundtrack is proving to be impossible. Instead of choosing one soundtrack, here are a few of my favorite soundtracks over the years.

Forrest Gump

When I first saw the original tweet asking for the greatest soundtrack, Forrest Gump instantly came to mind. Since Forrest Gump spans from 1954 to the early 1980s, the film covers a variety of musicians, bands, and genres. Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, The Supremes, Jackson Browne, and Lynyrd Skynyrd are just names off of the iconic soundtrack. Instead of running across the country like Forrest, roll down the windows, go for a drive, and blast the Forrest Gump soundtrack on your next road trip.

Dazed and Confused

Alright, alright, alright. If you love 70s classic rock, then you will love the Dazed and Confused soundtrack. The soundtrack reflected the rebellious personalities for these rising high school seniors. With an uncertain future, finding the next party and enjoying summer break was the main priority, which a lot of us can relate to at the age of 17. With so many classic rock songs to choose from, “Slow Ride” by Foghat during the final scene is the song that sticks out for me.

La La Land

Make Jazz Great Again. If you think you are “too tough or macho” for a musical film, then I don’t want to be friends. La La Land is a delightful film about a jazz pianist and an aspiring actor who fall in love while chasing their dreams in Los Angeles. Unlike a traditional musical, there is a lot of dialogue so it’s not all singing. However, when stars Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone decide to sing and dance throughout the city, it’s movie magic. I would say I listened to at least one song from La La Land for about 8 straight months in 2017. After you fall in love with the piano arrangements and huge dance numbers, you’ll be listening to a lot of jazz in the future.

A Star Is Born

If you want to tell me that I’m suffering from recency bias or it’s too early to name this the “greatest soundtrack of all-time,” I’ll hear your argument. However, I know for a fact that it’s not to early to call this a great soundtrack in general. Who knew that Bradley Cooper can sing? Cooper and Lady Gaga had unreal chemistry throughout the entire film. The soundtrack is a mix of rock anthems, ballads, and powerful duets. I dare you to say something about about “Shallow.”

West Side Story

The title of “best film adaption of a broadway musical” belongs to West Side Story thanks to the iconic score and lyrics from Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. West Side Story has it all: romance, action, conflict, and great music. This tragic love story and its themes of loyalty, revenge, and class warfare are still prevalent in 2019. If I had to recommend one musical to watch that any person would appreciate and enjoy, my recommendation would be West Side Story

Honorable Mention:

Almost Famous, Black Panther, Fifty Shades of Grey (100% serious), Grease, Garden State, Purple Rain, Saturday Night Fever, The Sound of Music, Straight Outta Compton

Do you agree with my choices? Do you hate every single one of them? Let me know your choices for greatest soundtrack on Twitter @danny_giro.

March Madness: Top 5 Greatest Moments In NCAA Tournament History

Greatest March Madness shots Christian Laettner

As College Basketball Insider Jon Rothstein likes to say, “This is March.” Welcome to one of the best times of the year, March Madness. For my money, the first two days of the NCAA Tournament are the two best sporting days of the year. There’s nothing better than 32 basketball games that are full of non-stop action, buzzer beaters, and the agony of defeat. I challenge you to name anything better in sports than those two days.

There are so many unforgettable March Madness moments that you began to lose track of them. It seems that every buzzer-beater gets better and better. Narrowing the list down to five is almost impossible, but I’m going to give you my most top 5 moments in NCAA Tournament History. Let the debate begin.

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5. George Mason’s Magical Run To The Final Four

https://youtu.be/NcV13jffIQE

George Mason walked so that Sister Jean could run. Before VCU, Wichita State, and Loyola Chicago made their magical runs to the Final Four; there was George Mason. In 2006, the George Mason Patriots made one of the greatest runs to the Final Four as an 11 seed. Keep in mind that George Mason did not even win their conference that year. The Patriots lost in the CAA semis to Hofstra and had to sweat it out on Selection Sunday. The committee granted George Mason with an 11 seed, and the rest was history. On their historic run, George Mason knocked off Tom Izzo, Roy Williams, Gregg Marshall, and Jim Calhoun. Beating three Hall of Fame coaches on the way to the Final Four is pretty damn impressive. It wasn’t always pretty, but George Mason’s grit and toughness overcame the odds to reach the Final Four.

4. The Legend Of Steph Curry

There’s putting on a show, and then there’s what Steph Curry did in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Steph Curry was not on any NBA radars back in 2008. Steph was a talented shooter, but most people only recognized him because of his last name and his father, Dell, who played in the NBA. That all changed with one legendary NCAA tournament run. Look at these numbers that Steph posted in a four game stretch.

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128 points in 4 games is insane. Keep in mind that Davidson was a #10 seed and was one shot away from making the Final Four. Steph’s range and ability to create his own shot were put on full display, and NBA scouts took notice. Now, Curry is arguably the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA. It all started with a magical run in the tournament.

3. Kris Jenkins Wins The National Championship For Villanova

Not all buzzer beaters are created equal. Winning in the first round from a buzzer beater is cool, but winning the National Championship with a buzzer beater is iconic. Under Jay Wright, Villanova was always a solid team, but could never put it all together when it really mattered. It wasn’t until 2013 that Villanova consistently became one of the best teams in the country. From 2013-2018, Villanova accumulated a record of 165 wins and 21 with two National Championships. Everything about this play is awesome. The presence of mind to flip back to Jenkins as Grant Hill says to “watch Jenkins.” Nantz says “for the championship” as the ball goes in is such a perfect moment. Plus, the confetti cannons going off while pandemonium ensues is incredible.

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2. Jimmy V Looks For A Hug

I mentioned that George Mason walked so that the other Cinderellas could run. Well, Jim Valvano and NC State crawled so that George Mason could walk. NC State upsetting Houston in the championship of the 1983 NCAA Tournament is one of the greatest upsets of all time. I highly recommend watching Survive and Advance, an ESPN 30 for 30 which chronicles Jimmy V and that 1983 NC State team that won it all. NC State was able to overcome a “Phi Slama Jama” which had two future Hall of Famers in Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler. Lorenzo Charles’s dunk at the last second to win the title was special, but Jimmy V looking for someone to hug after the game is the defining image from this game.

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1. Christian Laettner Hits The Shot

Love him or hate him, and most people hate him, there’s no denying the fact that Christian Laettner was one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. In 1992, Mike Krzyzewski and the number one seed Duke squared off against Rick Pitino and the number two seed Kentucky in the Elite 8 to determine the last spot in the Final Four. With 2.1 seconds in overtime, Duke, the defending National Champion, was down 1 point with the ball. Grant Hill threw a full court heave to Laettner, who caught the ball at the free throw line, had the presence of mind to take a dribble, and nailed the game winning shot as time expired. This game is widely considered as the greatest game in the history of the NCAA Tournament. What’s so underrated about the game is Laettner’s stat line. Laettner finished the game with 31 points and 7 rebounds, which sounds like a good day from the office. However, Laettner was 10 for 10 from the field and 10 for 10 from the free throw line. Laettner was perfect and so was his shot.

What are your most unforgettable moments from the NCAA Tournament? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Seven

NFL Teams Week Seven

Five Up Five Down

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Seven is where we rank the five best and five worst teams in the NFL. Anybody can list the best teams. It takes real skill to sort through the mess that is the bottom of the league.   Week seven is hours away from kicking off in the Mile High City. What did we learn from Week 6? Tom Brady has nimble feet, Aaron Rodgers is the comeback kid, Todd Gurley is the best running back on the planet, and the Ravens have just sacked Marcus Mariota yet again.

5 UP:  The 5 Best NFL Teams Week Seven

1. LOS ANGELES RAMS (6-0) Last Week:  2nd

The Rams are proving to be the best team in the NFL for many reasons. One of those reasons is they find ways to win games that they don’t play in very well. One guy who was dominant was Todd Gurley, who was again the best running back on planet setting career highs (208 yards 2 TD’s 7.4 Avg.) as he ran up and all over the Denver Broncos. He covered up for Jared Goff who was sacked five times and only completed 50% of his passes and threw an ugly interception. It marks the 2nd straight week of bad play from Jared after his fantastic performance against the Vikings. Goff has still put up impressive numbers on the year (1,928 Yards 12 TD’s 5 INT 110.9 Ratings) but with Gurley running this well, his numbers might decrease anyways. The Rams WR core has been beaten up recently with Copper Kupp out this week which has not helped Jared either.

The defense has played big in moments when they’ve had to. Consistency has been an issue all year long, and Wade Phillips is working on it. The Rams will finish up a long three-game road trip in San Francisco. They are 10.5 point favorites against the (1-5) 49ers who have played better than their record would indicate. The two rivals have met 137 times with the 49ers winning 69 of those contests.

2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-1) Last Week: 1st

If you could ever build a case that you’ve won after losing, the Chiefs proved that this week. Patrick Mahomes II legacy is still growing when he nearly outdueled the GOAT. He threw for 352 yards and 4 TD’s (1,865 yards 18 TD’s 4 INT’s 112.2 Rating) this kid is beyond exceptional!  Another positive for the Chiefs in the 43-40 loss was the running game appeared in the form of Kareem Hunt (10 carries 80 Yards 8 AVG). If the Chiefs can balance the attack and eat up more time on the clock, they will win more close games. They gave Tom Brady too much time to beat them on Sunday night.

A high-powered offense again picked apart the Kansas City Chiefs defense. I realize the Chiefs are usually tough on 3rd down conversions (allowed over 50% to the Pats on Sunday night) but when you give up nearly 500 yards that will end up being a losing formula. The challenges keep coming for KC who will welcome a good Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) team to town. Chiefs are 6 point favorites, but Cincy leads the all-time series 15-13. Though they moved one spot down our list of Five Up, the Chiefs proved even in a loss they are a team who will contend for the top spot thanks to the most exciting player in the NFL.

3. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-1) Last Week: 4th

The Saints enjoyed the Bye Week and gained a spot in our 5 Up category thanks to a Bengals loss in Pittsburgh. This week, Drew Brees and company will have to deal with a red-hot defense that just racked up 11 sacks last week. New Orleans’ schedule is brutal coming up with three of the next four crucial games on the road against (@Ravens, @Vikings, Rams, @Bengals). We will learn a lot about the Saints Super Bowl chances in the next month. Drew Brees, when its all said and done, would like to be #1 on the top 10 quarterbacks list. Ravens have dominated the series five games to one and are two-point favorites at home.

4. CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-2) Last Week: 3rd

So the Bengals lost to the Steelers last week, what else is new? They played very well but lost on a late Antonio Brown touchdown. I am merciful; they only dropped one spot in our rankings. The defense let down the Bengals against Pittsburgh. Three Steelers had over 100 yards by run and pass, which is not a good sign for Marvin Lewis team. The Bengals have a lot of young talent and Tyler Boyd is starting to become a household name.

The offense was not without blame as well. Andy Dalton was very inconsistent and wound up with just 229 yards through the air. Joe Mixon was, in my opinion, not used enough (11 carries for 64 Yards). If the Bengals don’t want to slide out of the top five, they will need to establish the run and make Joe Mixon part of a ball attack against Kansas City this weekend.

5. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-2) Last Week: Unranked

Well, it was just a matter of time before the Patriots were going to climb into the rankings. It was not an easy decision because the Chargers and Ravens are not far behind the Patriots. They have some serious questions on the defensive side of the ball. If there is any coach who can get all the questions answered and the mess cleaned up, it’s Bill Belichick. Check back in November and that defense will probably be corrected as it is every year.

When you have Tom Brady as your QB, it covers up a lot of weaknesses. He has some old weapons back in Edelman and some new ones to play with in Josh Gordon. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but it looks like Brady is getting even better. What’s in that TB 12? What is also very appealing for the Patriots is the fact rookie running back Sony Michel is looking like a stud. The Patriots will travel to the Windy City to challenge the Chicago Bears (3-2). An aspect to watch is how the Pats will block Khalil Mack. New England is two-point favorites for week seven and leads the all-time series between the two teams, 9-4. The Biggest game between these two, of course, was Super Bowl 20 when the Bears trounced New England 46-10.

Closing in the top 5 this week:

Baltimore Ravens (4-2), LA Chargers (4-2), Miami Dolphins (4-2)

5 DOWN: The 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Six

28. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (1-5) Last Week: Unranked

The start of the 2018-2019 season has not been kind to the Colts. It looks like Andrew Luck is still trying to find his consistency, but he has very little to work with offensively. Indy is 30th running the ball which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on the shoulders of the franchise Quarterback (1,792 yards, 16 TD’s 8 INTS 88,8 Rating). Luck has been under duress as well, already being sacked 19 times so far this year.

The Colts defense has not offered any big stops when the team needs it most. They give up a lot of yards on the ground and provide no pass rush to create sacks (10 as a team) and turnovers. The perfect get well card is coming to town as the equally inept Buffalo Bills (2-4) enter Lucas Oil Field. The Colts are favored by seven and a half points, but the Bills lead the series 37-31-1.

29. N.Y. GIANTS (1-5) Last Week: 29th

The Giants are a complete disaster right now as week seven begins. After playing better in Carolina, they came home in a must-win versus the Eagles and everyone other than Saqoun Barkley played horribly.  The offensive line did an excellent job run blocking, but the Eagles pushed them aside and terrorized Eli Manning all night. The Odel Beckham Jr. soap opera is another example of blaming the teams best player when he is not the issue. Eli Manning, as great as he has been in his career, looks like a washed-up gunslinger who is out of bullets. The Giants got a great player in Barkley but the decision to give Manning one more year seems like a disaster.

The defense has been equally inept. Eli Apple seems to be fighting everyone, and the tackling has been poor. Pat Shurmur has a lot of work on his hands, and one must wonder if he doesn’t hear the clock tick on his job. He deserves patience but the New York fan base has none. If the team continues to have terrible performances like against the Eagles last Thursday night, Pat might be a coordinator somewhere else soon. The Giants will be in Atlanta on Monday night. There is a chance to put up big numbers against a struggling Falcons defense. The Falcons (2-4) are four and a half favorites against the G-men at home, and the series is even at 12 games apiece.

30. ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-5) Last Week: 30th

The Cards are improving in some areas, but surprisingly it was the defense that let them down in Minneapolis. Somehow the Cards let the inept running game of the Vikings get 195 yards on the ground. They did create another turnover for a score. However, giving up 27 points on the road with a rookie quarterback is a recipe for a loss. David Johnson continues to be average but one bright spot is the play of Christian Kirk who was noticeable getting open against a stingy Vikings defense (6 catches for 77 yards).

The Cardinals will be in Denver tonight to face the (2-4) Broncos. This might be the worst matchup for the Cardinals historically who have lost eight of the ten matchups with one ending in a tie. This will be another learning curve for Josh Rosen (626 Yards 55.6 % 2 TD’S) who hasn’t played that bad after relieving Sam Bradford of the starting duties.

31. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (1-5) Last Week: 32nd

Did the 49ers lose in heartbreak fashion on Monday night? Yes, they did. Like many teams, the failure to stop Aaron Rodgers late in a game lead to a loss at Lambeau Field. The team played hard, and a lot of positives come out of this loss, which is why they moved up the rankings. No team in the NFL has been hit with so many injuries. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan deserves credit because his team comes to compete every week.

C.J. Beathard to his credit has played well (892 yards 6 TD’s 5 INTs 87.3 Rating) since coming in for injured Jimmy Garoppolo. How long will this last, nobody knows? The issue with the 49ers is the defense. It’s frustrating because they get pressure and sacks but the secondary has been awful. Yes, this does include a past his prime Richard Sherman. Next up for the 49ers  for week seven, is the best team in football, the Los Angeles Rams (6-0). When it pours downhill, you are 1-5, the Rams are next of course.

32. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-5) Last Week: 31st

Well, Jon Gruden said his team is not tanking. That’s great.  Gruden grinders getting up at 4 am to put together a dated offensive system. I like Coach a lot.   He is a stand-up guy, but this team is brutal and the worst in the NFL. His offensive gameplan is old, and the team is somehow worse than it was last year. Getting embarrassed across the pond in London 27-3 to a beleaguered Seahawks team is disgusting. I’ve said this all along, Derek Carr looks like a lost soul. Is he fixable? Well, that is what Jon Gruden is supposed to do. He looks like he has regressed from last year. If you listen to talk radio, the marriage of Gruden and the fans are in a state of divorce proceedings.

As far as the defense, they are minus 66 point differential – the worst in the league. It’s ugly, and the lack of depth is the fault of the entire organization. Hey, Khalil Mack says hi from Chicago. The good news for the Raiders is that they cannot lose this weekend. Oakland is enjoying a Bye week. When they get back on October 28th, the equally inept Colts will be in town. It will be a chance for the Silver and Black to get a win.

Teams that are knocking on futilities door:

Buffalo Bills (2-4), Denver Broncos (2-4), Atlanta Falcons (2-4)

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down: The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 8.

Five Up Five Down: The 5 Best and The 5 Worst NFL Teams Week Five

5 Worst NFL Teams Week Five

It sucks when your team is inching closer to being part of the 5 Worst NFL Teams as Week Five is closing in. Thanks, Minnesota, close to being part of the five worst teams are you kidding me? What happened to that vaunted Mike Zimmer defense? Better get it right in Philly, or I cant save you next week for being in the five down, the five worst NFL teams oh my! I need a drink.

Ah yes, it’s that time of the week for 5 Up 5 Down: The five best and five worst teams in the NFL.  We are Unafraid to piss you off by adding clubs who probably don’t belong in the Top 5. Sorry, Jacksonville at least your team doesn’t stink right now! Week 5 is here as the Colts and Patriots kick things off tonight.  As always, There are some movers and shakers in our rankings, but we also have the Bills and Cardinals who are staples at being part of the Worst 5 in the NFL. What did we learn in Week 4? The Titans have a head coach with brass balls, seeing Quarterbacks with 50 or 60 passes and 400 yards is becoming a typical thing, Earl Thomas has a unique way of saying goodbye, Patrick Mahomes II is a star, and the Rams are the ultimate show in the NFL.

5 UP: The Five Best NFL Teams 

1.  LOS ANGELES RAMS (4-0)  Last Week: 1st

No surprise here these Rams could overtake, “The Greatest Show on Turf” soon with the numbers they are putting up. I think the Rams just scored another touchdown against the Vikings while you were reading this.  My question was, could Jared Goff take the next step?  He has climbed over that step and is now atop the mountain.  In my mind, Jared joined the elite in the NFL as witnessed by these picture-perfect passes vs. a shell-shocked Vikings defense. Goff tossed a perfect game (158.3 Rating) and has amassed some fantastic numbers so far this year (72.4 % 1,406 Yards 11 Td’s just 2 INT’s with a stunning 127.3 OBR).   The Los Angeles Rams are the best team in football right now, but they are not as complete as I thought they were.

The defense has real issues at the LB position, and the secondary got torched by Kirk Cousins. The Rams are number one in our 5 Up due to the perfect record, high octane offense and an impressive plus 73 point differential. What is scary is they can be much better than this. A battle with division rivals, the Seattle Seahawks (2-2) on Sunday afternoon in the Emerald City is next. Las Vegas has the Rams at 7.5 favorites, and the all-time series stands at 23-17 for Seattle (they split both games last year). For the Rams, this kicks off three straight weeks on the road against some stiffer defenses (Seahawks, Broncos, and 49ers), but I fully expect them to win all of these game. Congrats Rams, two straight weeks atop our five up rankings.

2.  KANSAS CITY CHIEFS  (4-0) Last Week: 2nd

We wanted to see Patrick Mahomes II (1,200 Yards, 14 Touchdowns, 126.5 QBR, with zero INT’s) get tested and he did in Denver on Monday night. I’m going to call him “Kid Dynamite,” found a way to get his 2nd win in the Mile High City (won last year in his first start as a Pro). The Broncos had some pressure on Patrick who once again used his feet to buy time to make big plays. He showed us some rookie throws which were fortunately not intercepted, but when the team needed him in the 2nd half, he delivered. This kid has that Brett Favre quality with improvising ability like changing hands to make a key play. He is pure excitement at the highest level becoming my favorite QB to watch in the NFL.

The Chiefs defense which has struggled a lot this year (ranked 32nd coming into the match-up) made some big plays as well. That interception by Eric Murray was a thing of beauty. An aspect that the “D” has done well all year is making some key stops on third down. They prevented another Keenum miracle at the end of the game to keep the record perfect. K.C. will have its toughest test of the year so far as the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1) come to town.  The Chiefs are 3 point favorites, but the Jags lead the all-time series six games to five.

3. TENNESSEE TITANS (3-1) Last Week: Unranked

I had to bump Jacksonville out of our Top 5 this week since they won ugly on Sunday (plus the Titans beat them).  A team that won me over for having the gutsiest coach in the NFL are the Tennessee Titans. What a dramatic call against the Eagles to go for the win and sidestep the tie.  A huge 4th down conversion with game-tying FG in reach. Thank you, Mike Vrabel we hate ties! That win vs. the defending Super Bowl Champs is one that builds team unity, confidence and a season of epic success. You don’t believe me watch this postgame speech by my new favorite Head Coach.  Oh, by the way, Marcus Mariota is growing into an amazing leader, and we might have also seen the birth as well of an elite wide receiver, in Corey Davis.

Tennesee is quickly becoming a team that many around the NFL don’t want to face. The Defense is playing great, and a dramatic gutsy overtime victory versus Philly is why the Titans hold the third position in our 5 Up rankings. The Titans will travel to Buffalo (1-3) to battle the Bills. Tennessee is 3 point favorites to get the road win, and they lead the all-time series 28-17. One can never forget the Music City Miracle between these two teams in 2000 one of the great endings of all-time.

4. CHICAGO BEARS (3-1) Last Week: Unranked

So I am mixing it up in my five up. This team deserves a chance to be here since they should be (4-0) right now. Mitch Trubisky had a career day throwing for six touchdowns and the Bears receiving core (Robinson, White (amazing at blocking), Gabriel, and Miller) is improving right before our eyes. Some things the Bears need to do better is run blocking and running the ball. Neither Howard or Cohen have been consistent and with a young QB that is still developing that needs to improve.  I like how Matt Nagy goes after it very aggressive, similar to Sean McVay.

The biggest monster of the midway is Khalil Mack. He is the first player since Robert Mathis (2005) to record a sack and force a fumble in four straight games. It’s incredible to watch the rest of the defense pick up its energy level and try to emulate the play of the defensive MVP of the league right now. Chicago Bears fans should be very excited with a young team on the rise, and they will get a week off to enjoy it and root against the NFC North rivals.

5. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (3-1) Last Week: Unranked

It’s all about the spectacular Alvin Kamara who created history on Sunday. He was a monster last week, and he can beat you in so many ways. The Saints offense keeps getting more creative. Sean Payton might be the best play-caller in the business. Drew Brees is on the verge of becoming the all-time leading passer in NFL history. We don’t talk enough about him, but we are watching one of the all-time greats continue to play at a very high level.

If the defense can get its act together (allowing 30 points a game), then this team could represent the NFC in Atlanta for Super Bowl 53. The Saints battle the Redskins on Monday Night at home and are currently 7 point favorites. Washington leads the all-time series 17-9, but the Saints beat the Skins last year in OT, 34-31.

Closing in or falling out of our top 5 this week: Honorable Mention

Miami Dolphins (3-1), Cincinnati Bengals (3-1), Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1), Baltimore Ravens (3-1), Philadelphia Eagles (2-2).

5 DOWN: The Five worst NFL teams 

28.  HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3)  Last Week: Unranked

The Houston Texans should send Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Frank Reich a thank you card. Thanks to a horrible decision to go for it in OT on their side of the field, the Texans were able to end a horrific 9 game losing streak.  DeShaun Watson played well (375 Yards 2 touchdowns) despite being sacked seven times and hurried on numerous occasions.  Like many offensive lines in the NFL (Vikings, Cardinals, Bills) the Houston Texans Big Boys up front stink right now! I realize that Patrick Mahomes II is the new fancy toy to drool over but watching DeShaun versus the Colts, you know he is going to be a Super Star.

The defense needs to get its act together. When you have Watt, Clowney, and Whitney things shouldn’t be this poor (every game they have allowed 20 or more points).  A Battle of Texas this Sunday Night as the Cowboys (2-2) come to town. Houston is favored by three and a half points, but the Cowboys lead the all-time series three games to one. I’m going to go on a limb to say; the Texans will not be part of the five worst NFL teams next week.

29.  N.Y. JETS (1-3)  Last Week: Unranked

Well after week one, New York Jet fans were thinking Super Bowl. Okay maybe that is a little much but a road win in Detroit by a ton of points this might be a 9 or 10 win season. Nope, rookie quarterback falls back down to Earth, but it’s not all his fault.  Sam Darnold has been okay, but the offense is so intricate without any stars that things need to be simplified quicky. The bigger issue might be developing on the other side of scrimmage.

The defense is holding a players-only meeting to talk about eliminating miscommunications.  The Jets are making way too many mistakes, and this is squarely on Todd Bowles shoulders. An ominous sign for a Head Coach who is already on the hot seat. New York will welcome the Denver Broncos to MetLife Stadium. The Jets will be two-point favorites, but Denver leads the all-time series 20-15-1.  How long will the J-E-T-S be part of the five worst NFL teams, this week will be a true indicator.

30. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-3)  Last Week: 30th

The Raiders are fortunate to have won on Sunday against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns. They came within an inch of being 0-4. In a must win, the offense got it done. Derek Carr put up huge numbers (437 yards 4 TD’s 2 INTS), and Jared Cook is becoming an unstoppable weapon. The offense has been putting up big numbers, but the problem is on the other side of the ball.

While Khalil Mack is doing things we haven’t seen since 2005 in Chicago, The Raiders defense can’t stop the run, pass, or opposing teams from scoring. Only Tampa Bay has given up more points. One shining star has been the play of rookie Maurice Hurst who has shown on tape over and over.  Oakland’s defense needs only to be average for this sinking ship to float again. In four games though that defense looks like it will keep the Silver and Black in the five worst teams in the NFL. The Raiders will play what seems to be a home game in LA versus the Chargers (2-2). San Diego will be 6 point favorites, but the Raiders lead the series 63-52-1.

31. BUFFALO BILLS (1-3)  Last Week: 28th

After shocking the world with a huge upset the week before in Minnesota, the Bills true colors came out as they got embarrassed 22-0 to the Packers at Lambeau. Josh Allen, as our George Wrighster has pointed out on many occasions, was very inaccurate on Sunday. He looked like a deer in headlights thanks to an offensive line that allowed seven sacks.  LeSean McCoy returned and ran for a paltry 24 yards. The Buffalo Bills showed us all at Lambeau field why they might be picking first in the 2019 NFL Draft.  An awful football team who will use this year to gain experience. Hopefully, Josh Allen’s confidence won’t be destroyed.

The Bills will always be part of the 5 worst NFL teams here in 2018-2019. Arizona is somehow below them right now in our rankings, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Cards overtake Buffalo at some point this year. The Good news for the Bills is they are home this Sunday, but the bad news is it’s against the red-hot Tennessee Titans. Hey, at least the Buffalo Wings are really good, and the Sabres drop the puck this week.

32.  ARIZONA CARDINALS (0-4) Last Week: 32nd

The Cards look to be a staple in the 5 worst NFL teams.  Another week and another poor outing by the Cardinals offense. In four weeks of play, this team has put up an NFL worst 37 points. I am guessing soon the defense might take out some anger on that offense in practice. The Cardinals have shown some fight the last two weeks, but 0-4 is pathetic.  Josh Rosen did provide a glimmer of hope (180 Yards 1 TD’s no interceptions), but this offense is just brutal. Please set Larry Fitzgerald free.  He deserves a chance to finish his career with something better than this. What is going on with running back David Johnson?  Fantasy owners are going crazy!

The Cardinals travel to San Francisco to battle division foes the (1-3) 49ers. Niners are 4 point favorites at home and lead the all-time series 29-24, but the Cards have won the last six match-ups.

Teams that are Knocking on futilities door:

San Francisco 49ers (1-3),  N.Y. Giants (1-3), Detroit Lions (1-3), Minnesota Vikings (1-2-1), Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2-1)

Come back next Thursday for Five Up Five Down, The five best NFL Teams and the five worst NFL Teams for Week 6.

Guess who is #1? Top 10 QBs All-Time

The Top 10 Quarterbacks list took a lot of time, hard work, dedication, and study. If you do not agree with the list you are wrong. There are a couple players who are playing their way on this list right now (Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees). I’ll start with the honorable mentions and work my way to number one.

 

Dan Fouts- Hall of Famer and an Oregon Duck. He was the first quarterback to pass for over 4,000 yards three consecutive seasons, was selected two times All-Pro, and two times 2nd team All-Pro. He passed for over 40,000 yards and also won NFL offensive player of the year.
Fran Tarkenton- The proof is in the pudding. Tarkenton passed for 47,003 yards and 342 TDs. He was selected to nine Pro Bowls, was league MVP in 1975, and was All-Pro two times. Only one problem, no championships.
Doug Williams- First Black QB to win Super Bowl MVP. The QB was looked at as a white man’s position and for a long time and he helped change that. Doug gets on the list simply because he changed the game by breaking ground and paving the way for a new era of players.
10. Warren Moon- He amassed over 49,000 passing yards and 291 touchdowns in the NFL alone. When you add his CFL and NFL career together, you see how truly great he was. He amassed over 70,000 yards 400 touchdowns. Moon was clearly an NFL quarterback, but was forced to the CFL because black quarterbacks were not given the same opportunity to lead NFL franchises as they are today. He was selected to 9 Pro Bowls, and was NFL league MVP in 1990. Moon, along with Doug Williams and James”Shack” Harris proved that great quarterbacks have no color.

9. Brett Favre- He played at a high level until he was 40. The season before his last with the Vikings could have arguably been his finest if he had reached or won the Super Bowl. He is one of the best to play the position, but his stats are a product of inevitability with the number of years played. If it were not for a 1.5:1 touchdown to interception ratio he would be in the Top 5. But I will say, if he was not one of the greatest he could not have done it for this long at such a high level. He won’t WOW you with completion percentage or accuracy but he has everything you ask for in a great QB: Toughness, Leader, Winner, MVP, and Champion.

8. Dan Marino- Marino piled up a ton of stats but couldn’t stack them on top of a championship. People will argue that his unbelievable numbers make him the best of all time, but they don’t. Kareem Abul-Jabbar has easily scored the most points in NBA history and 3rd all-time in rebounds but we don’t call him the greatest of all-time. I cannot put him in the Top 5 because he has no championships. The reason he has no championships is because he never had a running game. His philosophy was why run the football when he could throw it further than they could run each play.

7. Kurt Warner- This Arena League QB who went undrafted out of college has turned into one of the best quarterbacks the league has ever seen. He bagged groceries for $5.50 per hour to earn money for his family and lived with his in-laws to keep his NFL dream alive. Now, Warner is a future Hall of Famer and owns the three highest single game passing yardage totals in Super Bowl history. He also earned the NFL league MVP twice and was the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner has cemented his place in NFL history; all you have to do is check the record books.

 

6. John Elway- California boy from Granada Hills HS (which is minutes from my house, FYI). When you hear “The Drive” you already know what game they are referring to (Jan. 11 1987 Denver Broncos vs Cleveland Browns in the AFC Championship game). He has championships, wins, played in five Super Bowls, and basically invented the 4th quarter comeback stat! Not only was he selected to nine Pro Bowls, he is also a two-time Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, and 1987 league MVP.

 

5. Steve Young- If “Montana to Rice” was a good combo “Young to Rice” was even better. He helped revolutionize the position to what it is today. Teams only wanted a “pocket” passer until Young showed how much a mobile quarterback could help the offense. Three time Super Bowl champion. Two-time NFL MVP. Young holds numerous NFL records including highest career passer rating (98.6), and most rushing touchdowns by a QB (43). And he did it all with a disability, he’s left-handed. Joke. LOL

 

4. John Unitas- Innovator of the passing game. He revolutionized the QB position therefore he changed the game. There would be no Jerry Rice or Randy Moss without Unitas because there would be no Young, Montana, or Brady. I would not be acknowledging history if I left “Johnny U” off the list. Its like Michael Jordan. A better/more talented player may come along but he will always be regarded as the man who changed the game; the original QB. He was league MVP three times and still owns the NFL record for most consecutive games with a TD pass (47) which has stood since 1960!

3. Tom Brady-This man has three championships. Brady, aka the “Check Down King” is calm, cool, and collected. In big game situations ice water runs through his veins. All he does is, “win, win, win, no matter what”. When I first made the Top 5 list last year I had him as an honorable mention. He has since assaulted the record books and won another league MVP. Brady has 3 championships and 2 Super Bowl MVPs. That said he is still clearly one of the best QBs of all-time. Some might even argue that he should be above Manning, but I give his team and head coach Bill Belichick higher marks than Manning’s supporting cast. Brady missed a season and his team still won 10 games. Manning is missing a season and the Colts are the worst team in the league.

2. Peyton Manning- We are watching him rewrite history. He is the fastest QB in history to reach 4,000 completions and 50,000 passing yards. Manning is an 11 time pro bowl selection, and has been voted all-pro 8 times. There isn’t a  throw he can’t make or a receiver he doesn’t hit in stride. Peyton is the consummate perfectionist, but you could never tell by his pre-play antics. At first glance he looks like a mad man in disarray, but after the whistle blows and the clock has all zeros you know Peyton is the Chess Master. Defenses try to throw everything at him: blitzes, zone dogs, and every other scheme, to no avail. He will be #1 on this list while he is still in uniform with one more championship. Do I really need to list ALL his stats to qualify this? Peyton has missed most of the 2011 season, and the Colts are 0-8. He is clearly the most important player to his team in the league, and one of the greatest to ever wear cleats.

1. Joe Montana- The best QB of all-time. Four time Super Bowl champion. Three time Super Bowl MVP. Two-time league MVP. He holds postseason records for most career passing TDs (45), games with over 100.0 passer rating (12), and games with 300 passing yards (6, recently broken by Manning). The most important stat of them all, 0, that’s the number of interceptions he threw in four Super Bowls! What more can you say? He is the very definition of what a coach, owner, or teammate could ever ask for in a QB!

Week 2: NFL Winners/ Losers

If you followed my Twitter Sunday then you know I gave everyone my picks for the NFL games and fantasy football players to watch. The smart thing to do is check with me every week to make sure you are on top of your game. I took a lot of heat for a few of my picks, but as you should expect, I was right (13-16. That’s 81% but who’s counting)! People told me I needed to be committed for picking the Colts, Cowboys, Broncos, and Falcons to lose. Arian Foster, Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, and Hakim Nicks were all starters on my fantasy teams last week. He who laughs last laughs hardest! Enough of my resume, here are my Week 2 picks and fantasy studs:
Ravens vs Bengals- I hate to say it but the Bengals will start the season 0-2. They will rebound later in the season but the Ravens have one of best Defenses and Offenses in the league. RAVENS
Bears vs Cowboys– Dallas will rebound this week. Chicago had trouble scoring against Detroit. Don’t expect much better against the Cowboys. COWBOYS
Eagles vs Lions– No Matthew Stafford. No win. The Lions D will be hard pressed to lay a finger on Vick. EAGLES
Dolphins vs Vikings– Expect a big rebound by the Vikings on the back of Adrian Peterson. He may get the 40-50 carries he wants. VIKINGS
Patriots vs Jets– Randy Moss will build a mansion on Revis island and have a BIG game. The Jets offense can’t score enough to beat the Pats. PATRIOTS
Giants vs Colts– Colts get back on track and Peyton Manning continues his assault on the NFL record book. COLTS
Other Winners: Falcons, Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Texans, Chargers, Packers, Saints, Buccaneers, Steelers (My heart will not allow me to pick against the Ducks, go Dennis Dixon!)

QB: Peyton Manning, Michael Vick, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Shaub, Drew Brees
RB: Adrian Peterson, DeAngelo Williams, Jamaal Charles, Reggie Bush, Ray Rice
WR: Eddie Royal, Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings, Randy Moss, Brandon Marshall, Miles Austin
TE: Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finley, Vishante Shiancoe, Jason Witten, Vernon Davis
Def: Eagles, Cowboys, Patriots, Raiders, Packers