Emotional Listening #49

Ride the Fader - Chavez (Matador, 1996)
I got into Chavez's first record last summer, and now am finally doing the same with their second and final one, Ride the Fader. While I'm bummed that they only released two records in their existence, I'm not sure that I could have asked for anything else from them. Ride the Fader is more melodic, technical, angular guitar rock. It might be even more accessible than 1995's Gone Glimmering, but, I think I prefer the overall feel of that previous record. The drums here are huge and intense, as are the guitars, and Matt Sweeney's voice and melodies fit perfectly. I love the contrast of these heavier tunes with the melodic, well-sung vocals. This album opens up with a one-two-three punch that rivals The Dismemberment Plan's Change in "Top Pocket Man," "The Guard Attacks" and "Unreal is Here." The first two are heavy hitters, but, then "Unreal is Here" brings things down a notch, and is perhaps the band's most tender moment (and is also my favorite song). There are other great moments throughout, but nothing reaches the heights of the first three tracks until closer "You Must be Stopped," which features some gnarly guitar harmonics and, once again, some insane drumming. I'd consider Swervedriver, Hum, Polvo, Burning Airlines and Shiner all to be kindred spirits here.
Top jams: "Top Pocket Man," "The Guard Attacks," "Unreal is Here," "New Room," "Lions," "Our Boys Will Shine Tonight," "Flight 96," "You Must be Stopped"




24 Hour Revenge Therapy - Jawbreaker (Tupelo/Communion, 1994)
It's funny, I just realized that when I previously had written about Chavez on here, in the same post I also wrote about Jawbreaker's final LP, Dear You. I'm not sure how things lined up that way again this time around. Anyway, admittedly, I'm relatively new to the Jawbreaker game. I was dragging my feet for years until I stumbled upon a used vinyl reissue of Dear You at Underground Sounds in Ann Arbor a couple years ago and decided it was finally time to dig in. Dear You ended up hitting me pretty hard, and now I am totally in love with that record. Jawbreaker's previous record, the Albini-produced(!), 24 Hour Revenge Therapy, hasn't had nearly the same effect yet. There are certainly some jams, mainly "The Boat Dreams From the Hill," "Boxcar" and "Do You Still Hate Me?" The Albini production is an interesting thing, as the drums sound typical of him (big and roomy), but the guitars sound like garbage. Blake Schwarzenbach's melodies are fantastic, and overall, this is some really good, angry pop punk. The songs just aren't as good as those on Dear You. Can tell that I didn't grow up listening to the band?
Top jams: "The Boat Dreams From the Hill," "Indictment," "Boxcar," "Outpatient," "Ache," "Do You Still Hate Me?," "Jinx Removing"




The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (Silvertone, 1989)
I've known that The Stone Roses' self-titled debut (and their only worthwhile record, from what I gather) was deserving of my full attention for a good while now. I've dabbled with it here and there over the past couple of years, but, am finally giving its due devotion. Sure, there are songs I like considerably more than others, but, this is a near-perfect album. I mean, the first half, "I Wanna be Adored" through "Bye Bye Bad Man," IS perfect. A couple of the tracks toward the end lose me. That's entirely forgivable, though. Some of the deep cuts are incredible, especially jangle-popper "(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister" and the kinda sexy chill jam "Shoot You Down." "I Am the Resurrection" is definitely the perfect choice for closer, and I love the way it starts and eventually ends. However, I could do without the extended funk jam in the middle. Am I alone in this? Anyway, the first half of the record is truly untouchable and it overshadows any of the flaws later on. The guitars are absolutely gorgeous, and Ian Brown's vocals and melodies are as close to flawless as you can get. This will stick with me forever, I'm sure. Is it the best Brit Pop album? I don't know nor care enough about the genre to say yes with confidence, but, it has to be, right? Is it the best thing to come out of the UK? No, I still believe that OK Computer retains that title. Is it better than any Beatles record? Ummmmmm... maybe?
Top jams: "I Wanna be Adored," "She Bangs the Drums," "Elephant Stone," "Waterfall," "Don't Stop," "Bye Bye Bad Man," "(Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister," "Shoot You Down," "I Am the Resurrection"




Laughing Stock - Talk Talk (Verve, 1991)
It takes a special album for me to like it when it's made up of only six songs and clocks in at almost 45 minutes. Talk Talk have achieved the unthinkable. If I recall correctly, Talk Talk spent most of the 80s as a popular new wave/synth pop group, then, for 1988's Spirit of Eden (their fourth LP), turned completely into left field with a more sparse, jazzy, experimental sound. I tried getting into that record a couple months ago, and it wasn't working for me. Back in 2007 or maybe 2008, I remember my friend Julian raving about their final LP, Laughing Stock. I had checked it out once or twice back then, thinking it sounded very cool and interesting, but, also sort of boring. While since then I have become more of a fan of short and sweet records (and songs), I have developed a tolerance, and even appreciation in a number of circumstances, for repetition. That is certainly one word I would use to describe Laughing Stock. Another would be arty, and yet another would be beautiful. I've never heard music like this before: simple, but, thick bass grooves and light, jazzy, ridiculously repetitive drumming make up the core. "Ascension Day" showcases some loud, rhythm-heavy guitar and Mark Hollis' spectacular vocals at their most intense. The two best songs, "After the Flood" and "New Grass," which are just under 10 minutes long each, are more of a collection of soft guitar fiddling, huge organ chords and spacious atmosphere. I didn't think my brain had the capacity for music like this anymore, but, after coming back to Laughing Stock and spending more time with it, that has been disproved.
Top jams: "Myrrhman," "Ascension Day," "After the Flood," "New Grass"

Emotional Listening #48

Hunky Dory - David Bowie (RCA, 1971)
I did a weird thing with David Bowie. Instead of starting with the albums that featured his most popular hits (Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, even Station to Station), when I finally decided to be super interested in his music, I went right for the weird ones (Low, Heroes). I don't regret that, because his late-70s experimental albums are fantastic, but, honestly, it certainly didn't help develop any further appreciation for Bowie's more straightforward glam and psychedelic pop. Don't get me wrong - I still like his more classic sound (he was obviously still an incredible songwriter and musician in the earlier stages of the game), and, regarding this specific album of focus, "Queen Bitch" has always been one of my favorite Bowie songs. I just strongly prefer Bowie's more insane side. Anyway, Hunky Dory is still a great early-70s pop record that heavily nods toward psych and folk rock. I used to think "Changes" was obnoxious because you'd hear it way too much at the bar or karaoke, but, man, it is a really good song and the perfect opener. I was an idiot. "Oh! You Pretty Things" and "Fill Your Heart" sound like cheezy Paul McCartney tunes to me, but, Bowie-fied. I still like 'em. "Life on Mars" used to sort of annoy me, but, I know it's another totally good pop song. Maybe it's just a little too dramatic? Lastly, "Queen Bitch" is still my favorite song on the record. It's fun as hell.
Top jams: "Changes," "Oh! You Pretty Things," "Life on Mars," "Kooks," "Fill Your Heart," "Song for Bob Dylan," "Queen Bitch"




Whirlpool - Chapterhouse (Dedicated/RCA, 1991)
I don't know a ton about Chapterhouse. As I'm working on this blurb, I've learned that they were from Reading and only released two albums: 1991's Whirlpool and 1993's Blood Music. My girlfriend Sara tipped me off to them by sharing with me "Breather," the opener from Whirlpool. "Breather" is without question THE jam of the record with its pretty, dreamy, drawn out female vocals, catchy and chimey guitar, and completely insane drum part (still trying to figure out if its real or sampled). Nothing else on the record even comes to close to this song, but, the overall quality is still high. Whirlpool showcases some truly solid tuneage in the realm of shoegaze and dream pop, and it has me interested in checking out that 1993 follow-up.
Top jams: "Breather," "Pearl," "Treasure," "Falling Down," "Guilt," "If You Want Me"




Zenyatta Mondatta - The Police (A&M, 1980)
It's no Synchronicity, but, The Police's third LP, Zenyatta Mondatta, is pretty good. I know, I know, there are definitely some elements of it that are terribly corny, such as the title and chorus of "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (though, I can't deny that it's a catchy tune). However, the good outweighs the bad. Mega-hit "Don't Stand So Close to Me" is still great, considering the fact that I've heard it way too many times in my life. "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around" and "Voices Inside My Head" groove in a way that I don't know The Police were capable of. "Canary in a Coalmine," for better or worse, is the most reggae moment on the record, and is unquestionably the surprise top jam here. Cheezy or not, The Police were one of the more unique bands at the time, and were incredible musicians. I will always appreciate them for that.
Top jams: "Don't Stand So Close to Me," "When the World is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around," "Canary in a Coalmine," "Voices Inside My Head," "Bombs Away," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Man in a Suitcase"




Let It Be - The Replacements (Twin/Tone, 1984)
Okay, so, I've spent time with Let It Be (not the Beatles album, but the third album by The Replacements, often considered their seminal work). It's always seemed to be on in the background, usually while hanging out with friends or something. So, I hadn't really put in the amount of focus that I typically like to with an album until these past few weeks. Wonderfully, it's even better than I had at first realized, even borderline perfect. Sure, "Gary's Got a Boner" isn't a great song, but, at least it's funny! I'm not really a fan of "Black Diamond" either, but, I love every other song. The awesomely jangly "I Will Dare" is the perfect opener, and has always been my favorite Replacements song (though over the past year, "Asking Me Lies," from Don't Tell a Soul, has given it some competition). "Favorite Thing," "We're Comin' Out," and "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out" are bad ass, boozy rock songs, with the latter two riding the line of straight up punk rock. "Androgynous" is a piano tune that is a weird fit, but, really works as a sort of intermission. "Unsatisfied" and "Sixteen Blue" are great almost-ballads, both featuring excellent melodies and guitar chords. "Seen Your Video" is another balls-out rocker, and "Answering Machine," the hidden gem, closes things out. That song has always been weird to me, because the first time I ever heard it, I thought it really could have used drums and bass instead of being the bare bones entity that it is. But, that's also part of the charm of the song. It gives off so much energy and raw emotion with just a guitar, vocals, off-time tambourine shaking and, of course, and answering machine message. Anyway, I ridiculously just gave a quick rundown of the whole album, which was not my originally intention. But, whatever. If you haven't already listened to this record, I'm guessing you probably won't. But, you should.
Top jams: "I Will Dare," "Favorite Thing," "We're Comin' Out," "Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out," "Androgynous," "Unsatisfied," "Seen Your Video," "Sixteen Blue," "Answering Machine"




Mezcal Head - Swervedriver (Creation/A&M, 1993)
Mezcal Head, Swervedriver's sophomore LP, has quickly become an all-time favorite record. My interest in started when both Travis and Sara (again, my girlfriend) described the band as something I would love quite a long time ago. I had listened to the album a handful of times with Sara, and maybe once or twice with Trav, and I could tell that once I put in the proper amount of time with it, I would have a life-long relationship with it. Well, it's happened. Mezcal Head is an incredible album, wrongfully being lumped in with the shoegaze genre. Swervedriver hail from Oxford, but, they sound  much more like an American band, perhaps from Chicago. The songs here are big and surprisingly melodic considering how technical they can get. Adam Franklin's vocal melodies are top notch (and he has a fantastic voice, to boot). The dueling guitars are the stuff dreams are made of. The bass guitar tone is thick and the parts are just right. I will say that the production on the drums does sound a bit more Brit Pop than anything else on the record, but, they sound fantastic, and Jez Hindmarsh's playing is awesomely tight and complex. Overall, I'd say that Mezcal Head is comparable to Chavez, Shiner and Hum, perhaps with even bigger production and a bit more pop sensibility. While "Duel" is definitely an all-time favorite song, in the context of the album, I had a hard time picking a favorite, so I decided to additionally share "Harry & Maggie" and "You Find It Everywhere." Now, question: Where do I go next with Swervedriver? Do I go back to their debut, Raise? Or, do I move ahead to Ejector Seat Reservation?
Top jams: "For Seeking Heat," "Duel," "Blowin' Cool," "MM Abduction," "Last Train to Satansville," "Harry & Maggie," "Girl on a Motorbike," "You Find It Everywhere"

2014 NFL Preview

Here comes my annual preview of the impending NFL season (already one game under way), which will eventually be embarrassingly incorrect.

DIVISION PREDICTIONS

AFC East
1. New England Patriots (12-4)
2. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
3. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
4. New York Jets (5-11)

Per usual, Tom Brady and angry mad genius Bill Belichick will lead the New England Patriots to an AFC East title, probably a trip to the AFC Championship, and maybe even a chance to lose to the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. With an improved defense and more time spent gelling as a team overall, the AFC Championship appearance is that much more of a lock. For some reason the Miami Dolphins seem to be getting some hype. Maybe it's just because I haven't been reading too much about them, but, I don't understand why this is. I think between defense and young, talented weapons on offense (regardless of NFL experience), the Buffalo Bills are the better team. Not that they're going to be good. I expect the New York Jets to be atrocious this year due to drama and lack of true talent, and that should be really fun.

AFC North
1. Cincinnati Bengals (10-6)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-8)
3. Baltimore Ravens (8-8)
4. Cleveland Browns (5-11)

The Cincinnati Bengals have a very good defense and capable offense that could really blow up if Andy Dalton can decrease the number of mistakes. This makes them the best team in a mediocre AFC North, albeit not a great team. A.J. Green is probably the best wide receiver in the conference, right? With a .500 record, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens both could legitimately compete for one of the Wild Card playoff spots along with the Kansas City Chiefs. It's always a fun race between these two AFC North teams, but, over the past few years it has gotten less and less interesting as their overall quality has diminished. It makes me sad. Also, fuck Ray Rice. That Josh Gordon is suspended for the whole year is a crime compared to what Ray Rice did, and it makes me sick. That being said, Gordon's absence makes the Cleveland Browns a lock for being terrible once again in 2014. The Johnny Manziel thing will be fascinating, however, I'm not sure if I should hate him for being an obnoxious douche-hole, or root for him because he is an entertaining obnoxious douche-hole.

AFC South
1. Indianapolis Colts (10-6)
2. Houston Texans (7-9)
3. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
4. Tennessee Titans (4-12)

Andrew Luck is a much different quarterback than Peyton Manning is (and was when he was the Indianapolis Colts' golden boy), but, I believe that he will eventually have the same effect on the team as Manning did, and may even win more championships once he and Brady retire. The Indianapolis defense seems to be improving, and once they can acquire a competent running back, they will be very good. The Houston Texans certainly have a giant uphill battle after their 2-14 2013. I don't follow college football or the NFL Draft very closely, so I don't know a ton about Jadeveon Clowney, but, apparently he is a once-in-a-generation stud on defense. Perhaps he alone will help them to be the second best team in the AFC South again, like they were in the conference's latter Manning days. I have no idea what to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, aside from the fact that they will be god-awful.

AFC West
1. Denver Broncos (13-3)
2. San Diego Chargers (9-7)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (8-8)
4. Oakland Raiders (3-13)

Obviously Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos are the team to beat. Last year's record breaking offense will simmer down a smidge thanks to the Wes Welker suspension, the loss of Eric Decker (though his replacement, Emmanuel Sanders, is probably a more dangerous weapon), and simply NFL defenses catching on a little bit. That being said, like New England, the Broncs defense is improved, and that should go a long way. Only the Pats and the Broncs have the talent enough to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. It's almost a toss up, except that it's not, because the Broncos are still better. I'd say that Demaryius Thomas might actually be tied with A.J. Green as the best wideout in the NFL, but, Thomas has one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time throwing to him, so, that helps. Anyway, the San Diego Chargers will probably have pretty close to the same season they had in 2013: great passing offense thanks to a brilliant offensive-minded coach and a habitually pissed off, underrated QB, a surprisingly serviceable running attack, and one of the absolute worst running defenses in the entire league. They are on a fast track to a Wild Card playoff round exit. The Kansas City Chiefs will not be as good as they were last year when they inexplicably were undefeated for forever (incredible defense at the time, I know, but, they really fell off). They'll still be an entertaining, competitive squad, but, it pretty much ends there. As long as he's healthy, Jamaal Charles will be the second or third most exciting player to watch. I will be surprised if the Oakland Raiders aren't the most embarrassingly terrible team in the AFC, if not the entire NFL.

NFC East
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6)
2. Washington R------s (8-8)
3. New York Giants (7-9)
4. Dallas Cowboys (7-9)

Can there be a more mediocre division than the AFC North? Yes, and that is the NFC East. Defenses will finally be catching on to Chip Kelly's ridiculously uptempo offense, but, the Philadelphia Eagles will still be a blast to watch. LeSean McCoy is a true stud, and I believe Nick Foles to be a darkhorse MVP candidate despite his small sample size. Not sure how effective his receivers will actually be, though, after the loss of DeSean Jackson. Should be interesting. Also, that defense isn't going to be very good, is it? They're still the best team in the division. I firmly believe that the Washington R------s will be the second best team in the NFC East as that offense has potential to be pretty amazing if the coaching staff learns how to use RGIII. I really want to root for the guy. I like him a lot. But, the racist team name makes it hard to not wish for the worst for them at this point. I look forward to another laughable season from Eli Manning, and really the whole New York Giants team. They really are a consistently bad to mediocre team who somehow limps into a Super Bowl victory every four years. And, oh, the Dallas Cowboys. I want to sort of like them now that they picked up Michael Sam after the St. Louis Rams cut him (fuck you Rams, you totally deserve the Sam Bradford season-ending injury). I also don't hate Tony Romo, and think he is a very good regular season/fantasy QB when he's healthy. His instances of choking are charming and hilarious to me. I also really like DeMarco Murray, but, maybe that's only because I ended up drafting him for one of my fantasy squads this year. However, Jerry Jones is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, and he is an evil goblin who deserves the worst. I cannot wait for the day that he says some racist Donald Sterling shit and loses his ownership.

NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers (12-4)
2. Chicago Bears (10-6)
3. Detroit Lions (7-9)
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-11)

I know that the Green Bay Packers just got their asses destroyed by the Seattle Seahawks last night, but, they are still far and away the best team in the NFC North, without question. Aaron Rodgers is like Brady, Manning and Drew Brees in that it doesn't matter what he has to work with, his stats will be amazing and he will win 10 to 13 games single handedly. He's got some quality receivers, though, and a potentially the next great young running back in Eddie Lacy if he stays healthy. They certainly need help at tight end. Defense is definitely the only real question mark here, and it could go either way. I think the Chicago Bears will finally land that Wild Card playoff spot again, simply because of the incredible offense. It's funny to think of Jay Cutler leading an "incredible" offense because, let's face it, he's really not that great, and he is a huge douche. BUT, man, between Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte, dude has the best set of weapons. I feel like every year I predict my Detroit Lions to go 7-9. 2014 is no exception. Once again, the Lions are extremely talented in certain areas on both sides of the ball (and seriously, their offense is surprisingly kinda stacked now), but, somehow, they will find a way to screw everything up and be the definition of mediocre. Don't hate me because I'm being realistic. Of course I'm rooting for them to win it all, but, let's be real here. They still have some work to do. I will say that I am very excited about Joique Bell, and am pulling for him to be the guy eventually. The Minnesota Vikings will certainly struggle all year, but Adrian Peterson makes them relevant. Cordarrelle Patterson makes them more relevant. And, Teddy Bridgewater makes them even more relevant! He will be fun to follow over the next year or two.

NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints (12-4)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-6)
3. Atlanta Falcons (7-9)
4. Carolina Panthers (7-9)

The New Orleans Saints improved on defense, and Drew Brees is to Aaron Rodgers what Tom Brady is to Peyton Manning (incredible quarterback with mad scientist head coach and limited resources vs. incredible quarterback with meathead head coach and pseudo-studs). They are hands down the best team in the NFC South, and will compete for the NFC Championship, but, will fall short because of the Seattle Seahawks. My bold prediction for this season is that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be 2014's Arizona Cardinals and go 10-6, just missing the playoffs. I believe in them. Not necessarily either of their quarterbacks (Josh McCown or Mike Glennon, though, they are both potentially fun stories), but, the weapons they have to work with are pretty impressive. Also, this defense has become pretty stacked, and it seems like defense wins NFC Championships. Not that I'll be going that far with this team, though. The Atlanta Falcons will be much better this season with Matt Ryan's every-other-year magic and a healthy Julio Jones and Roddy White. Their TE and RB situations are UGLY, though, and this defense is still really bad. The Carolina Panthers will be this year's NFC South first-to-worst story, but, if Cam Newton can stay relatively healthy, he and the extremely talented defense will lead them to roughly seven victories. Who the hell is Cam gonna throw to, though? My friend Brian says Kelvin Benjamin. I'm not sure I even know who that is.

NFC West
1. Seattle Seahawks (13-3)
2. San Francisco 49ers (11-5)
3. Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
4. St. Louis Rams (5-11)

Russell Wilson. Marshawn Lynch. Percy Harvin. Essentially everyone on that defense. I am simply listing all the reasons why the Seattle Seahawks should fairly easily make it back to the Super Bowl. Despite all the drama, stupid mistakes and "distractions" (one of my least favorite NFL buzzwords), the San Francisco 49ers will still win 10 to 12 games and look like the second best team in the NFC coming out of what was (and should have been if it weren't for certain injuries) the toughest division in the entire NFL. I know there's a weird rape-y store regarding Colin Kaepernick that recently surfaced that's gonna make it hard for me to root for him, and Jim Harbaugh is a giant baby-gremlin. Otherwise, I would root for them over the Seahawks. But, I won't. Regardless, this team will run the ball like hell (regardless of Frank Gore getting closer and closer to being an NFL grandpa), and the defense will still be very good despite some critical injuries and suspensions and whatnot. The Arizona Cardinals were another hype team for a while there, and I understand why a little more than the Miami Dolphins. But, Carson Palmer will come down from his mountain and be mediocre and Larry Fitzgerald will eventually retire a depressed Cardinal. Bums me out. The defense will still be decent in spite of some critical injuries (sounding like a broken record... stopping soon), and maybe Andre Ellington is something special? Moving on, Sam Bradford's season-ending injury was preemptive karma for the St. Louis Rams cutting Michael Sam, and they also deserve another 10 years of being terrible. Their defense is pretty awesome, though, and I am hoping Zac Stacy and Tavon Austin end up being studs.

POST-SEASON AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Marc Trestman (Chicago) - Trestman for getting the Bears back to the playoffs with an incredible offense despite Jay Cutler. Lovie Smith (Tampa Bay) and Jim Harbaugh (San Francisco) were also considered.
Comeback Player of the Year: Julio Jones (WR, Atlanta) - He is the stud that got injured in the middle of an incredible season in 2013, and will come back to be pretty great for a whole season.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jadeveon Clowney (OLB, Houston) - He's really the only name I know, and like I said, is apparently a once-in-a-generation player.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Sammy Watkins (WR, Buffalo) - I originally was thinking Johnny Manziel (QB, Cleveland), but, that was only if he was going to start the whole season. Watkins is supposedly the most talented offensiveman in this draft class, right?
Defensive Player of the Year: Earl Thomas (FS, Seattle) - I figured I had to pick someone from the Seahawks. Offenses are going to be too smart to throw Richard Sherman's direction, so he will essentially disappear and Thomas will get more attention.
Offensive Player of the Year: LeSean McCoy (RB, Philadelphia) - I like to pick an offensive player that is not a quarterback for this award, since a quarterback always wins MVP. McCoy is incredibly versatile, and though Matt Forte (RB, Chicago) and Jamaal Charles (RB, Kansas City) are similar players, I think he is slightly better.
Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers (QB, Green Bay) - I think this is essentially a toss up between Rodgers, Peyton Manning (QB, Denver), Tom Brady (QB, New England) and Drew Brees (QB, New Orleans). Rodgers gets the nod in my book, because he was injured for a healthy portion of last season and the Packers went 8-7-1 and still won the NFC North and made the playoffs, and this year he will be there for the entire season and they will go 12-4 and be a Super Bowl contender, proving exactly how valuable he is to that team. That said, in an MVP race, all four of these guys are interchangeable, and whoever has the highest QB rating, most passing yards and touchdowns will win the award.

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

AFC Wild Card Round
(3) Cincinnati Bengals over (6) Pittsburgh Steelers
(4) Indianapolis Colts over (5) San Diego Chargers

NFC Wild Card Round
(3) New Orleans Saints over (6) Chicago Bears
(5) San Francisco 49ers over (4) Philadelphia Eagles

AFC Divisional Round
(1) Denver Broncos over (4) Indianapolis Colts
(2) New England Patriots over (3) Cincinnati Bengals

NFC Divisional Round
(1) Seattle Seahawks over (5) San Francisco 49ers
(3) New Orleans Saints over (2) Green Bay Packers

AFC Championship
(1) Denver Broncos over (2) New England Patriots

NFC Championship
(1) Seattle Seahawks over (3) New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl XLIX
(1) Denver Broncos over (1) Seattle Seahawks

Super Bowl XLIX MVP
Demaryius Thomas (WR, Denver)