This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
For the Super Bowl, we all like the Pats, and I've checked the archive going back to the Saints-Colts Super Bowl in early 2010 - it's the first unanimous Super Bowl pick we've had.
I'm the only one on the over, while Pianow, DDD and Erickson are barely under (with the exact same score), and Stopa is way under.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles +4.5 vs. Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Final Score | 27-20 | 27-20 | 31-23 | 27-13 | 27-20 |
| Last Week's Record | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-5 | 5-5 | 5-5 | 7-3 | 2-8 |
| Best Bet Record | 10-8-2 | 11-8-1 | 14-5-1 | 10-8-2 | 12-8 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 23-28-4 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 126-126-14 | ||||
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | 4-7 | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | 2-9 | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 4-7 | 9-2 |
| 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 |
For the Super Bowl, we all like the Pats, and I've checked the archive going back to the Saints-Colts Super Bowl in early 2010 - it's the first unanimous Super Bowl pick we've had.
I'm the only one on the over, while Pianow, DDD and Erickson are barely under (with the exact same score), and Stopa is way under.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles +4.5 vs. Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Final Score | 27-20 | 27-20 | 31-23 | 27-13 | 27-20 |
| Last Week's Record | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 |
| 2017 Playoff Record | 5-5 | 5-5 | 5-5 | 7-3 | 2-8 |
| Best Bet Record | 10-8-2 | 11-8-1 | 14-5-1 | 10-8-2 | 12-8 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 23-28-4 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 126-126-14 | ||||
| 2016 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 6-5 | 4-7 | 6-5 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | 2-9 | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 4-7 | 9-2 |
| 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 |
| 2017 Record | 117-125-14 | 128-114-14 | 117-125-14 | 119-123-14 | 98-144-14 |
| 2016 Record | 133-102-5 | 122-113-5 | 115-120-5 | 108-127-5 | 123-112-5 |
| 2015 Record | 134-114-8 | 120-128-8 | 114-134-8 | 127-121-8 | 121-127-8 |
| 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, the entire staff is on the Patriots. Last week, we had no unanimous picks. We were 23-28-4 on unanimous picks during the year. We went 1-1 on majority picks (three or more writers) last week to bring our season record to 126-126-14. Last year we went 27-22-2 on unanimous picks and 138-124-5 on majority picks.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | I struggled a little bit with this one, as underestimating the Eagles has been costly to me in the playoffs. But I think that the Patriots had two weeks to prepare will help them more than it will help the Eagles - well, clearly it will if for no other reason than getting Gronk cleared to play. |
| Pianowski | Old Brady is through, like they say, but New England kicks nine field goals. |
| Liss | The Eagles were seven-point dogs in the hypothetical matchup two weeks ago, and while Nick Foles showed us his ceiling last week, the bigger difference between him and Tom Brady is floor. The Pats are also well suited to exploit the Eagles defense with short, quick throws and a tempo that doesn't allow them to substitute. Foles and the Eagles should move the ball consistently, too, but someone's going to crack, and I'm betting it's not Brady. And just in case we get trough Foles, I might consider the Pats minus 21.5 at 8:1. It's not probable, but blowouts (see last week's Eagles-Vikings game) happen all the time, so it's certainly plausible. |
| Stopa | I'm astounded this line is so low. A few weeks ago, Vegas treated Philly as six points worse than Atlanta, and Philly was fortunate to win. Now they're only 4.5 points worse than the GOAT with two weeks of prep? Why? Because they blew out an emotionally spent Vikings team? I just don't see it. The one advantage you'd think Philly has, on the d-line, is neutralized by a Pats o-line that mostly kept the Jags vaunted D from getting to Brady. This line should be seven or eight, not 4.5. As for Tom Brady, he's going to be MVP. That's how it works in today's NFL, where QBs reign supreme, especially when he's playing Nick Foles. That's why I pounded a "Brady for MVP" prop bet when it came out at +160 in one book (insane when the money line was Pats -200 and Brady is easily 80% to win MVP if Pats win), betting on it so hard that book moved it down to even (which is still too high). Pats 27-13. |
| Del Don | A rough year ATS comes mercifully to an end, giving you one final chance to fade me. The Eagles clearly deserve to be here, and Nick Foles has played far better than expected in big moments. But this is a team with a backup quarterback that allowed 24 passing touchdowns on the year and has struggled against offenses that run no huddle. New England obviously has experience in its favor and as always enters with an advantage coaching (although Doug Pederson has been great going for it on fourth downs this year), and they even come in relatively healthy (Rob Gronkowski missed last year's Super Bowl). While not off a key number (at least not yet), the line has moved around two full points since opening, so the public appears to be on Philly. The Eagles are coming off a dominant win, while New England just barely got by Blake Bortles, but there's also a recipe for a blowout here, and once the ball is kicked off, you'll be happy your money is on Brady and Belichick. Patriots 27-20 |
The players:
• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016 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, 2014 and 2017 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.
