This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Another decent week for the Staff, including 2-0 on consensus picks and 4-1 on best bets. We're not out of the hole yet, but we're climbing. This week, eight of the 13 games were split 3-2, meaning there was more disagreement than usual, which is not surprising as it's a tough slate. The Jets and Steelers are consensus picks.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals -3 at Dolphins | Bengals | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Bengals |
| Falcons +7.5 at Panthers | Panthers | Falcons | Panthers | Panthers | Falcons |
| Vikings +10.5 at Cowboys | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Cowboys | Vikings |
| Saints -6 at Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Titans -3 at Rams | Rams | Titans | Rams | Titans | Rams |
| Chiefs -3.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Chargers -1 at Redskins | Redskins | Redskins | Redskins | Chargers | Chargers |
| Eagles +1.5 at Raiders | Eagles | Raiders | Eagles | Raiders | Eagles |
| Buccaneers +16.5 at Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Buccaneers | Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Ravens -2.5 at Browns | Browns | Ravens | Browns | Ravens | Browns |
| Steelers +7 at Patriots | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers |
| Colts -2.5 at Texans | Texans | Texans | Colts | Texans | Texans |
| Bears +11 at Packers | Bears | Bears | Packers | Packers | Bears |
| Best Bet | Browns | Steelers | Panthers | Panthers | Rams |
| Last Week's Record | 7-6 | 6-7 | 8-5 | 7-6 | 5-8 |
| 2013 Record | 65-51-4 | 53-63-4 | 53-63-4 | 51-65-4 | 61-56-4 |
| Best Bet Record | 5-3 | 3-5 | 2-6 | 5-3 | 2-6 |
| 2013 Consensus Pick Record | 10-16-2 | ||||
| 2012 Record | 110-140-6 | 124-126-6 | 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 |
Another decent week for the Staff, including 2-0 on consensus picks and 4-1 on best bets. We're not out of the hole yet, but we're climbing. This week, eight of the 13 games were split 3-2, meaning there was more disagreement than usual, which is not surprising as it's a tough slate. The Jets and Steelers are consensus picks.
Consensus Picks
The players:
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals -3 at Dolphins | Bengals | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Bengals |
| Falcons +7.5 at Panthers | Panthers | Falcons | Panthers | Panthers | Falcons |
| Vikings +10.5 at Cowboys | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Cowboys | Vikings |
| Saints -6 at Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Titans -3 at Rams | Rams | Titans | Rams | Titans | Rams |
| Chiefs -3.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Chargers -1 at Redskins | Redskins | Redskins | Redskins | Chargers | Chargers |
| Eagles +1.5 at Raiders | Eagles | Raiders | Eagles | Raiders | Eagles |
| Buccaneers +16.5 at Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Buccaneers | Seahawks | Seahawks |
| Ravens -2.5 at Browns | Browns | Ravens | Browns | Ravens | Browns |
| Steelers +7 at Patriots | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers |
| Colts -2.5 at Texans | Texans | Texans | Colts | Texans | Texans |
| Bears +11 at Packers | Bears | Bears | Packers | Packers | Bears |
| Best Bet | Browns | Steelers | Panthers | Panthers | Rams |
| Last Week's Record | 7-6 | 6-7 | 8-5 | 7-6 | 5-8 |
| 2013 Record | 65-51-4 | 53-63-4 | 53-63-4 | 51-65-4 | 61-56-4 |
| Best Bet Record | 5-3 | 3-5 | 2-6 | 5-3 | 2-6 |
| 2013 Consensus Pick Record | 10-16-2 | ||||
| 2012 Record | 110-140-6 | 124-126-6 | 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 |
Consensus Picks
This week we have two consensus picks: the Jets and the Steelers. Last week we went 2-0 to put us at 10-16-2 on the season.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | Panthers seem like a sucker bet, especially with the hook, but I don't think we've all realized the full extent to which the Falcons suck... Chiefs lose for the first time all season this week... Bengals are another "square" pick, but I just think that Miami OL is going to sink the Dolphins' season, and the Bengals are well-suited to exploit that... The Texans' defense is missing Cushing, and that could be huge, but I still think they're a force, and I could see this unfolding a lot like the IND-SD game from a few weeks ago... Hated picking the Steelers/Pats game, and the Cowboys/Vikings game. |
| Pianowski | Usually I take the big dog almost reflexively, but I'm sick of watching a crummy team for three hours and hoping for the best. Give me the Seahawks. And hell, Seattle's a super-human team at home, anyway. |
| Liss | Tough slate with so many ugly home dogs, many of which (Houston, St. Louis, Buffalo and Cleveland) are playing with backup quarterbacks. The sharps have been getting crushed so far, but unless something's fundamentally changed about the league, a correction should be coming soon. |
| Stopa | 8-7 and 7-6 the past two weeks. Woo hoo! This far into the season, we have a better idea of who's good and who's awful. I'd rather see if Vegas can get hammered two straight weeks than back crummy teams like the Vikings, Bears and Falcons. So betting like a square it is. I think if the names on the jerseys weren't "Falcons" and "Panthers" that line would be over 10. |
| Del Don | I found this slate especially tough. I'm pretty sure I've picked against the Bengals every week this year, so I fully expect them to lose after backing them now. The Chiefs spread seems a little low, but that actually makes me worry about taking them more so. No best bet jumped out to me at all, so I just took the points in a game I suspect will be close. |
The players:
•Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008 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 and 2011 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.
