NFL Picks: Backing the Bears and Raiders

NFL Picks: Backing the Bears and Raiders

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

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Another bad week for the staff, with Stopa winning the week at 7-6 and moving into sole possession of first place. We went 2-2 on unanimous picks, though the Steelers loss was a pretty bad beat.

This week, we have two unanimous picks, the Bears and Raiders. And Oakland is also Del Don's and Pianowski's best bet.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Bills +2.5 at JetsBillsBillsJetsBillsJets
Lions +11.5 at PackersLionsPackersPackersPackersPackers
Cowboys +1.5 at BuccaneersBuccaneersCowboysBuccaneersCowboysBuccaneers
Panthers -5.5 at TitansTitansTitansTitansPanthersTitans
Bears +7 at RamsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
Saints -1 at RedskinsRedskinsSaintsRedskinsSaintsRedskins
Dolphins +6.5 at EaglesDolphinsDolphinsEaglesDolphinsDolphins
Browns +5 at SteelersSteelersSteelersBrownsBrownsBrowns
Jaguars +5.5 at RavensJaguarsRavensRavensJaguarsJaguars
Vikings +3 at RaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaiders
Chiefs +6 at BroncosChiefsBroncosChiefsBroncosBroncos
Patriots -7 at GiantsGiantsPatriotsGiantsPatriotsPatriots
Cardinals +3 at SeahawksSeahawksSeahawksCardinalsCardinalsSeahawks
Texans +10.5 at BengalsBengalsBengalsTexansBengalsTexans
Best BetRedskinsRaidersRavensPackersRaiders
Last Week's Record5-85-86-77-66-7
2015 Record62-65-564-63-554-73-565-62-557-7-5
Best Bet Record5-45-44-4-12-6-15-4
Unanimous Pick Record9-13
Majority Pick Record58-69-5
2014 Unanimous Pick Record20-15-1
2014 Majority Record
To listen to the podcast version of this article, click here. To subscribe here

Another bad week for the staff, with Stopa winning the week at 7-6 and moving into sole possession of first place. We went 2-2 on unanimous picks, though the Steelers loss was a pretty bad beat.

This week, we have two unanimous picks, the Bears and Raiders. And Oakland is also Del Don's and Pianowski's best bet.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Bills +2.5 at JetsBillsBillsJetsBillsJets
Lions +11.5 at PackersLionsPackersPackersPackersPackers
Cowboys +1.5 at BuccaneersBuccaneersCowboysBuccaneersCowboysBuccaneers
Panthers -5.5 at TitansTitansTitansTitansPanthersTitans
Bears +7 at RamsBearsBearsBearsBearsBears
Saints -1 at RedskinsRedskinsSaintsRedskinsSaintsRedskins
Dolphins +6.5 at EaglesDolphinsDolphinsEaglesDolphinsDolphins
Browns +5 at SteelersSteelersSteelersBrownsBrownsBrowns
Jaguars +5.5 at RavensJaguarsRavensRavensJaguarsJaguars
Vikings +3 at RaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaiders
Chiefs +6 at BroncosChiefsBroncosChiefsBroncosBroncos
Patriots -7 at GiantsGiantsPatriotsGiantsPatriotsPatriots
Cardinals +3 at SeahawksSeahawksSeahawksCardinalsCardinalsSeahawks
Texans +10.5 at BengalsBengalsBengalsTexansBengalsTexans
Best BetRedskinsRaidersRavensPackersRaiders
Last Week's Record5-85-86-77-66-7
2015 Record62-65-564-63-554-73-565-62-557-7-5
Best Bet Record5-45-44-4-12-6-15-4
Unanimous Pick Record9-13
Majority Pick Record58-69-5
2014 Unanimous Pick Record20-15-1
2014 Majority Record146-116-5
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5124-127-5128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10111-135-10128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7123-126-7127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5136-115-5134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3130-123-3126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10125-121-10130-116-10
2007 Record127-120118-129127-120N/A130-117
2006 Record118-129N/A139-108N/AN/A
2005 Record121-126N/A127-120N/AN/A
2004 Record124-124N/A130-118N/AN/A
2003 Record121-126118-129124-123N/AN/A
2002 Record113-136123-126141-108N/AN/A
2001 Record124-113117-120118-119N/AN/A
2000 Record123-117134-106141-99N/AN/A

Unanimous/Majority Picks

This week we have two unanimous picks, the Bears and Raiders. We went 2-2 on our unanimous picks last week to bring our season record to 9-13. We went 5-8 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 58-69-5.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonI still don't trust the Saints as a favorite on the road, especially after they just lost at home to Tennessee!... Who gets the "revenge game" bonus - Rex Ryan, or the entire Jets team for having played for him? I like Stopa's mention of the Nick Mangold factor for their recent struggles... When's the last time we've seen Seattle be as low as a three point favorite at home? They're my second favorite bet.
PianowskiThe under-the-hood metrics still hate the Vikings, and so do I. They've played the easiest schedule in the league thus far, and get the hardest schedule in the league, starting this week. Good luck with that. Filling an inside straight or two does not make you Daniel Negreanu.
LissI like the Ravens off the bye at home against the Jaguars. I think Baltimore's horrible schedule (five of seven road games, four on the west coast) was partly to blame for their bad start. I also like the Titans getting 5.5 at home against a good but not great Carolina squad. And I expect the Giants to shoot it out with the Patriots this week.
StopaThese picks came really easily to me this, whatever that means... Interesting to see Cincy go from -13 to -10.5 when you know the public is on them. Ultimate sharps vs squares there... I'm all in on GB this week, be it here, DFS, you name it. Off two straight losses, now at home, against an awful defense with a lame-duck coach, I look for the Packers to name their number. Detroit isn't the type of team that can keep up; if it were, Golden Tate would have more than 40-377-1 through eight games even though the Lions have been throwing all year.
Del DonThe Raiders offense is the real deal, and I expect them to handle the Vikings at home. My second favorite bet of the week is the Seahawks.

The players:

• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013 Staff Picks Champ. Writes the Weekly Rankings. Covers and roots for the Bengals.

• Scott Pianowski: Fantasy expert for Yahoo! Sports, and also contributes to Rotowire.com. 2009, 2011 and 2014 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.

• Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006 Staff Picks Champ, 2003, 2004 co-champ. Writes East Coast Offense, Beating the Book and the Survivor column in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.

• Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010, 2012 Staff Picks Champ, Writes Run 'N' Shoot. Roots for the Bills.

• Dalton Del Don: Fantasy Expert for Yahoo! Sports, 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the 49ers.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Liss
Chris Liss was RotoWire's Managing Editor and Host of RotoWire Fantasy Sports Today on Sirius XM radio from 2001-2022.
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