This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Like last year, we'll be tracking not only unanimous picks but also majority ones (three or more writers). The majority went 146-116-5 including the playoffs (55.7%), a pretty big number for picking 267 games.
For Week 1 we have three unanimous picks, and one of them, the Jets, is the best bet for three of us.
You can also listen to Stopa and me handicap the games on this week's East Coast Offense podcast.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers +7 at Patriots | Patriots | Steelers | Patriots | Patriots | Steelers |
| Packers -6.5 at Bears | Bears | Packers | Packers | Bears | Bears |
| Chiefs +1 at Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Chiefs | Texans |
| Browns +3 at Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Colts -3 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Colts | Bills | Colts |
| Dolphins -4 at Redskins | Redskins | Redskins | Dolphins | Redskins | Redskins |
| Panthers -3.5 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars |
| Seahawks -4 at Rams | Seahawks | Rams | Rams | Rams | Rams |
| Saints +2.5 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Lions +3 at Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Lions | Chargers | Chargers |
| Titans +3 at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Titans | Buccaneers | Bucs | Buccaneers |
| Bengals -3.5 at Raiders | Raiders | Bengals | Bengals | Raiders | Raiders |
| Ravens +4.5 at Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Ravens |
| Giants +6 at |
Like last year, we'll be tracking not only unanimous picks but also majority ones (three or more writers). The majority went 146-116-5 including the playoffs (55.7%), a pretty big number for picking 267 games.
For Week 1 we have three unanimous picks, and one of them, the Jets, is the best bet for three of us.
You can also listen to Stopa and me handicap the games on this week's East Coast Offense podcast.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers +7 at Patriots | Patriots | Steelers | Patriots | Patriots | Steelers |
| Packers -6.5 at Bears | Bears | Packers | Packers | Bears | Bears |
| Chiefs +1 at Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Chiefs | Texans |
| Browns +3 at Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Colts -3 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Colts | Bills | Colts |
| Dolphins -4 at Redskins | Redskins | Redskins | Dolphins | Redskins | Redskins |
| Panthers -3.5 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars |
| Seahawks -4 at Rams | Seahawks | Rams | Rams | Rams | Rams |
| Saints +2.5 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Lions +3 at Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Lions | Chargers | Chargers |
| Titans +3 at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Titans | Buccaneers | Bucs | Buccaneers |
| Bengals -3.5 at Raiders | Raiders | Bengals | Bengals | Raiders | Raiders |
| Ravens +4.5 at Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Ravens |
| Giants +6 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Giants | Cowboys | Giants | Giants |
| Eagles -3 at Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Eagles | Falcons |
| Vikings -2.5 at 49ers | 49ers | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | 49ers |
| Best Bet | Texans | Jets | Jets | Patriots | Jets |
| 2014 Record | 123-128-5 | 140-111-5 | 135-116-5 | 124-127-5 | 128-123-5 |
| 2014 Best Bet Record | 10-11 | 7-14 | 16-5 | 11-9-1 | 12-9 |
| 2014 Unanimous Pick Record | 20-15-1 | ||||
| 2014 Majority Record | 146-116-5 | ||||
| 2013 Record | 132-114-10 | 118-128-10 | 123-123-10 | 111-135-10 | 128-118-10 |
| 2012 Record | 110-140-6 | 125-125-6 | 121-129-6 | 143-107-6 | 123-127-6 |
| 2011 Record | 121-128-7 | 134-115-7 | 124-125-7 | 123-126-7 | 127-122-7 |
| 2010 Record | 129-122-5 | 134-117-5 | 126-125-5 | 136-115-5 | 134-117-5 |
| 2009 Record | 123-130-3 | 132-121-3 | 131-122-3 | 130-123-3 | 126-127-3 |
| 2008 Record | 132-114-10 | 128-118-10 | 124-122-10 | 125-121-10 | 130-116-10 |
| 2007 Record | 127-120 | 118-129 | 127-120 | N/A | 130-117 |
| 2006 Record | 118-129 | N/A | 139-108 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Record | 121-126 | N/A | 127-120 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Record | 124-124 | N/A | 130-118 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Record | 121-126 | 118-129 | 124-123 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Record | 113-136 | 123-126 | 141-108 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Record | 124-113 | 117-120 | 118-119 | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Record | 123-117 | 134-106 | 141-99 | N/A | N/A |
Unanimous/Majority Picks
We have three unanimous picks this week, the Jets, Jaguars and Cardinals. We went 20-15-1 on unanimous picks and 146-116-5 (including playoffs) on majority picks (three or more writers) last season.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I think at worst the Texans are the equal of the Chiefs and as such the line should be -3. |
| Pianowski | The Jets improved their offense modestly and the defense significantly. Have fun against Josh McCown. I don't see a bad team in the AFC East, but I could see the Browns winning four games or less. |
| Liss | It worries me that three of us have the Jets as a best bet and that it's a unanimous pick. When something is too obvious, it's often wrong. |
| Stopa | We never know for sure what to expect in Week 1, so I was all set to take points wherever I could, especially if the lines were big. Then I looked at the slate and saw 16 games, all with a spread at a TD or less, and several at a FG or less. So much for that strategy. ... I see an F-you game coming from Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Steelers awful defense is the perfect recipe for it, and without Le'Veon Bell and Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh lacks the horses on offense to keep up. Brady and Roethlisberger might combine for 800 yards passing in what will be the first of many aerial shootouts for the Steelers this year. Patriots 45-28. ... Seattle's defense is down Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas is hurt (though he's playing, it's troubling that labrum issue isn't healed after a full offseason to do so), and they lost a couple guys to cuts/free agency. These are the types of "under the radar" things that won't affect Seattle's point spreads but will eventually catch up to them. Until I see evidence otherwise on the field, I'll be fading Seattle early on this season, particularly on the road.... I like the under in Jacksonville, as both teams lack explosive playmakers and should be content to play close to the vest. |
| Del Don | I prefer to lean toward underdogs in Week 1, with so much uncertainty entering a new season. That seemed especially easy to do when it meant also taking 12 home teams... I don't love my best bet, though I will say the Jets did stand out among the rest..My favorite teaser of the week is actually using both games on the Monday night slate, bumping up the points for both dogs. |
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.
