This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Another strong week for the staff. I went 4-0, but still trail Erickson who followed up a 4-0 Wild Card week with a 3-1 mark. Because he - like DDD (also 6-2) - has the exact same picks as me, the best DDD and I can hope for is a tie with Erickson, and that assumes we differ on the Super Bowl. There are no unanimous picks but everyone except Pianowski (Seahawks) has the Patriots as their best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers +7.5 at Seahawks | Packers | Seahawks | Packers | Seahawks | Packers |
| Colts +6.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Colts | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Best Bet | Patriots | Seahawks | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Last Week's Record | 3-1 | 2-2 | 4-0 | 1-3 | 3-1 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 7-1 | 4-4 | 6-2 | 3-5 | 6-2 |
| Best Bet Record | 8-11 | 6-13 | 14-5 | 10-8-1 | 10-9 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 20-15-1 | ||||
| Majority Record | 143-116-5 | ||||
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | 4-6-1 | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 6-5 | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 7-4 | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | 6-5 | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 8-3 | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | 6-5 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | 3-8 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 5-6 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | 4-6-1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 |
Another strong week for the staff. I went 4-0, but still trail Erickson who followed up a 4-0 Wild Card week with a 3-1 mark. Because he - like DDD (also 6-2) - has the exact same picks as me, the best DDD and I can hope for is a tie with Erickson, and that assumes we differ on the Super Bowl. There are no unanimous picks but everyone except Pianowski (Seahawks) has the Patriots as their best bets.
Unanimous/Majority Picks
The players:
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers +7.5 at Seahawks | Packers | Seahawks | Packers | Seahawks | Packers |
| Colts +6.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Colts | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Best Bet | Patriots | Seahawks | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Last Week's Record | 3-1 | 2-2 | 4-0 | 1-3 | 3-1 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 7-1 | 4-4 | 6-2 | 3-5 | 6-2 |
| Best Bet Record | 8-11 | 6-13 | 14-5 | 10-8-1 | 10-9 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 20-15-1 | ||||
| Majority Record | 143-116-5 | ||||
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | 4-6-1 | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 6-5 | 7-4 |
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 7-4 | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | 6-5 | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 8-3 | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | 6-5 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | 3-8 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 5-6 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | 4-6-1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 6-5 | N/A | N/A |
| 2014 Record | 123-128-5 | 140-111-5 | 135-116-5 | 124-127-5 | 128-123-5 |
| 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
This week, like last, we have no unanimous picks. Our record on the year for them is 20-15-1. And we went 3-1 on majority picks (three or more writers) to go 143-116-5.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I'm a little concerned that Rodgers' lack of mobility will be a problem, but I also think the Packers' defense is better than they were when they faced Seattle in Week 1... I really struggled with the second game, too. The Colts are playing their best ball right now, but they also played two compromised teams. The Bengals were missing so many good receiving options, including their top two tight ends, plus the Bengals have such an ugly history in the playoffs. Andrew Luck and the Colts defense rose to the challenge in Denver, but they were playing against a quarterback that apparently didn't have a leg to stand on. The Patriots have no such issues, and I think the scare against the Ravens will only make them stronger. |
| Pianowski | Don't love either game from an ATS standpoint. So long as New England wins, somehow, I'll be happy, even if both picks lose. NFL has to love the Final Four - all the potential Super Bowl matchups look interesting, though I see a little less juice to Colts-Packers. |
| Liss | The Colts beat a Bengals team without A.J. Green and the Broncos with an ineffective Peyton Manning. Now they face a top team with a real coach at full strength. The Seahawks are tough at home, but assuming Aaron Rodgers is reasonably healthy, this line should be closer to three or four. |
| Stopa | If Andrew Luck is early 90s Brett Favre, as I believe, then it's just not his time yet. Luck will get to the top of the mountain eventually, just as Favre did, but the Patriots are better in all facets. New England, 34-21. At his incredible best, I'd give Aaron Rodgers a fighting chance to win in Seattle. But Rodgers isn't at his best, not with that calf injury, and this Packers defense isn't close to the one that won the title a few years ago. Seahawks, 31-20. |
| Del Don | The Seahawks handled the Packers easily in Week 1, and this time around Aaron Rodgers is playing on one leg. But I still expect Green Bay to make a game out of this, even if it's just a late backdoor cover. Still, despite my two picks here, I expect Seattle to win the Super Bowl... New England just beat a very good Ravens team, while the Colts are coming off quite an impressive (and unexpected on my part) upset in Denver. Andrew Luck is probably the most valuable player in sports right now, but New England is so much better from top to bottom, and Tom Brady isn't so bad himself. |
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 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.
