NFL Predictions 2024-2025

As always, remember that I am a casual fan who really doesn't know what he's talking about.  

Rather that be a fan of one team, I pick a different NFL team to root for every year.  This year, I am supporting the Detroit Lions.   Given that my track record with supporting sports teams is atrocius, I apologize to the Lions and their fans in advance and hope that my sports curse aura does not affect them.

Overall- I don't think there are that many great teams this year, nor do I think there are many absolutely awful teams (well, Carolina, but they play in the worst division in the NFL).  Kansas City is the most talented team on paper, but winning three Super Bowls has never been done; there's too many pitfalls.  I think this season will be a long slog.

NFC

East:

Dallas   10-7

Philadelphia   10-7 (Wild Card)

Washington   8-9

NY Giants   5-12

North:

Detroit   12-5

Green Bay   11-6 (Wild Card)

Chicago   8-9

Minnesota   6-11

South:

Atlanta   10-7

Tampa Bay   7-10

New Orleans   7-10

Carolina   4-13

West:

San Francisco   11-6

Seattle   11-6  (Wild Card)

Los Angeles Rams   9-8

Arizona   4-13

Playoffs:

San Francisco over Philadelphia

Green Bay over Atlanta

Seattle over Dallas

Green Bay over San Francisco

Detroit over Seattle

Detroit over Green Bay



AFC

East:

Buffalo   11-6

NY Jets   10-7 (Wild Card)

Miami   7-10

New England   4-13

North:

Baltimore   12-5

Pittsburgh   9-8

Cleveland   8-9

Cincinnati   5-12

South:

Indianapolis   10-7

Houston   10-7 (Wild Card)

Jacksonville   9-8

Tennessee   6-11

West:

Kansas City   12-5

Los Angeles Chargers   12-5 (Wild Card)

Las Vegas   7-10

Denver   7-10

Playoffs:
Indianapolis over NY Jets

Buffalo over Los Angeles Chargers

Kansas City over Houston

Baltimore over Indianapolis

Buffalo over Kansas City

Baltimore over Buffalo (and this pains me to make this call...)



Super Bowl: Detroit 23, Baltimore 17

Peter Gabriel Retropesctive: Album 04- Security

 

The fourth solo album by Peter Gabriel.  After three self-titled albums, the record executives named this album 'Security' to differentiate it from the other three albums.

Album:  Security

Year Released:    1982

Lineup (numbers are the tracks in order):  

• Peter Gabriel – vocals (all tracks), Fairlight CMI (all tracks), Prophet-5 (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7), Linn LM-1 programming (tracks 1–6), piano (track 7), surdo (tracks 1, 8), additional drums on track 2
• Tony Levin – bass guitar (tracks 1, 7, 8), Chapman stick (tracks 2–5), fretless bass guitar (track 6)
• David Rhodes – guitar (tracks 2–8), backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 8),
• John Ellis – guitar on tracks (2, 4), backing vocals (tracks 1, 3, 8)
• Jerry Marotta – drum kit (all tracks), surdo (track 1), percussion (track 6)
• Larry Fast – Moog synthesizer (tracks 1–4, 8), Prophet-5 (tracks 1, 3, 5, 7), [[electronic percussion (track 8)
• Stephen Paine – Fairlight CMI (track 4)
• David Lord – Polymoog and Prophet synthesizers (track 6), Fairlight CMI (tracks 6, 7), piano (tracks 7, 8)
• Roberto Laneri – treated saxophone (track 4)
• Morris Pert – traditional Ethiopian pipes (track 4), timbales (track 6), percussion (track 8)
• Jill Gabriel – backing vocals on track 2
• Peter Hammill – backing vocals on tracks 4, 5, 6
• Ekome Dance Company – Ghanaian drums on track 1

Track listing:

1. "The Rhythm of the Heat" 5:15

2. "San Jacinto" 6:21

3. "I Have the Touch" 4:30

4. "The Family and the Fishing Net" 7:08

5. "Shock the Monkey" 5:28

6. "Lay Your Hands on Me" 6:03

7. "Wallflower" 6:30

8. "Kiss of Life" 4:17

Overall Thoughts:

With his fourth album, Peter Gabriel expanded his music repetoire, adding world music from Africa and South America.  Gabriel continued putting political messages in his songs, including talking about human rights violations ("Wallflower") and the loss of Native America Communities ("San Jacinto").  But other songs are much more personal- about Jealousy ("Shock the Monkey") or healing through trust ("Lay Your Hands On Me").  Of the songs, "Wallflower" is the most potent in terms of imagery.

It's a good mix of songs- not as many great songs as Melt, but an impressive album. Gabriel's earlier solo albums were all over the place, in terms of both music and themes.  But with each album, he manages to put the tools together and in more focussed manner.

And on his next album, it all comes together.

Ranking of Peter Gabriel Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
2. Security
3. Peter Gabriel (Car)
4. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
2. "Wallflower", Security
3. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
5. "Here Comes the Flood", Peter Gabriel (Car)
6. "Family Snapshot", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
7. "Biko", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
8. "San Jacinto", Security
9. "Waiting for the Big One", Peter Gabriel (Car)
10. "The Rhythm of the Heat", Security

Peter Gabriel Retropesctive: Album 03- Peter Gabriel (Melt)

 

Next up is the third solo album by Peter Gabriel...

Album:  Peter Gabriel (Melt)

Year Released:    1980

Lineup:  

• Peter Gabriel – vocals, piano; synthesizer on "Start", "I Don't Remember", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"; drum pattern on "Biko"; backing vocals on "Intruder", "Family Snapshot" and "Not One of Us"; whistle on "Games Without Frontiers"
• Larry Fast – synthesizer on "Intruder", "No Self Control", "Start", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Biko"; processing on "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"; bagpipes on "Biko"
• David Rhodes – guitar on all tracks except "Start"; backing vocals on "Intruder", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"
• Robert Fripp – electric guitar on "No Self Control", "I Don't Remember" and "Not One of Us"
• Dave Gregory – electric guitar on "I Don't Remember" and "Family Snapshot"
• Paul Weller – electric guitar on "And Through the Wire"
• John Giblin – bass guitar on "No Self Control", "Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire", "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"
• Tony Levin – Chapman Stick on "I Don't Remember"
• Jerry Marotta – drums on "I Don't Remember", "Family Snapshot", "And Through the Wire", "Games Without Frontiers", "Not One of Us", "Lead a Normal Life" and "Biko"; percussion on "Games Without Frontiers" and "Not One of Us"
• Phil Collins – drums on "Intruder" and "No Self Control"; drum pattern on "Intruder"; snare on "Family Snapshot"; surdo on "Biko"
• Morris Pert – percussion on "Intruder", "No Self Control" and "Lead a Normal Life"
• Dick Morrissey – saxophone on "Start", "Family Snapshot", "No Self Control" and "Lead a Normal Life"
• Kate Bush – backing vocals on "No Self Control" and "Games Without Frontiers"
• Steve Lillywhite, Hugh Padgham – whistles on "Games Without Frontiers"
• Dave Ferguson – screeches on "Biko"

Overall Thoughts:

On his second album, Peter Gabriel continued his trend of musical experimentation.  On his third self-titled album (referred to as the 'Melt' album, based on the cover picture), Gabriel wrote some brilliant songs to go with his music.

Gabriel's music often is a mix of beautiful sounds combined with dark themes.  This album starts off with 'Intruder', a menacing song that reunited Gabriel with his fellow Genesis singer Phil Collins.  With songs called "Not One of Us' and 'Lead a Normal Life', this is not a cheery album

Gabriel also wrote several political songs on this album.  'Games Without Frontiers' is about the cost of war;  The cheery, child-like music works as a great contrast to the theme.  'Biko' is about the murder of an anti-apartheid activist- because it is so specific, it's also much more powerful.  And 'Family Snapshot', which is a song from the point of view of a person about to become a political assassian.

This is a great album.

  

Ranking of Peter Gabriel Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. Peter Gabriel (Melt)
2. Peter Gabriel (Car)
3. Peter Gabriel (Scratch)

Top 10 Peter Gabriel Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. "Solsbury Hill", Peter Gabriel (Car)
2. "Games Without Frontiers", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
3. "I Don't Remember", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
4. "Here Comes the Flood", Peter Gabriel (Car)
5. "Family Snapshot", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
6. "Biko", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
7. "Waiting for the Big One", Peter Gabriel (Car)
8. "Moribund the Burgermeister", Peter Gabriel (Car)
9. "Intruder", Peter Gabriel (Melt)
10. "Humdrum", Peter Gabriel (Car)