This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Dalton and Stopa made moves last week, with the former going 10-4 and the latter 9-5. That puts Dalton in second place, three games behind Pianowski who went 7-7 and one game ahead of Stopa and me. Erickson, who also went 7-7, is six games out in last place. Mercifully, we have only three consensus picks this week.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Jaguars pick 'em at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Jaguars | Bills |
| Chiefs +8 at Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Buccaneers +6.5 at Bengals | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
| Packers -2.5 at Redskins | Packers | Packers | Redskins | Redskins | Packers |
| Rams +3 at Lions | Lions | Rams | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Bears -2.5 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Bears | Panthers |
| Giants +3 at Texans | Giants | Texans | Texans | Giants | Texans |
| Broncos +7 at Ravens | Broncos | Broncos | Ravens | Broncos | Broncos |
| Falcons -3 at Browns | Browns | Falcons | Browns | Falcons | Falcons |
| Saints -7 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Saints | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Titans +6.5 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Titans | Cowboys | Titans | Titans |
| Chargers -6 at Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders |
| Eagles +3.5 at 49ers | 49ers | Eagles | 49ers | Eagles | 49ers |
| Vikings +4 at Jets | Jets | Vikings | Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Best Bet | Bills | Broncos | Cardinals | Colts | Colts |
| Last Week's Record | 7-7 | 7-7 | 7-7 | 9-5 | 10-4 |
| 2010 Record | 29-30-3 | 35-24-3 | 31-28-3 | 31-28-3 | 32-27-3 |
| Best Bet Record | 1-3 | 1-1-1 | 2-2 | 2-1-1 | 1-2-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 11-9-1 | ||||
| 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 |
Dalton and Stopa made moves last week, with the former going 10-4 and the latter 9-5. That puts Dalton in second place, three games behind Pianowski who went 7-7 and one game ahead of Stopa and me. Erickson, who also went 7-7, is six games out in last place. Mercifully, we have only three consensus picks this week.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Jaguars pick 'em at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Jaguars | Bills |
| Chiefs +8 at Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Buccaneers +6.5 at Bengals | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
| Packers -2.5 at Redskins | Packers | Packers | Redskins | Redskins | Packers |
| Rams +3 at Lions | Lions | Rams | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Bears -2.5 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Bears | Panthers |
| Giants +3 at Texans | Giants | Texans | Texans | Giants | Texans |
| Broncos +7 at Ravens | Broncos | Broncos | Ravens | Broncos | Broncos |
| Falcons -3 at Browns | Browns | Falcons | Browns | Falcons | Falcons |
| Saints -7 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Saints | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals |
| Titans +6.5 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Titans | Cowboys | Titans | Titans |
| Chargers -6 at Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders |
| Eagles +3.5 at 49ers | 49ers | Eagles | 49ers | Eagles | 49ers |
| Vikings +4 at Jets | Jets | Vikings | Jets | Jets | Jets |
| Best Bet | Bills | Broncos | Cardinals | Colts | Colts |
| Last Week's Record | 7-7 | 7-7 | 7-7 | 9-5 | 10-4 |
| 2010 Record | 29-30-3 | 35-24-3 | 31-28-3 | 31-28-3 | 32-27-3 |
| Best Bet Record | 1-3 | 1-1-1 | 2-2 | 2-1-1 | 1-2-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 11-9-1 | ||||
| 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 three consensus picks: Colts, Buccaneers and Raiders.
Last week we went 5-3 on consensus picks, putting us at 11-9-1 on the year. We finished 2009 at 19-23-1 on consensus picks, and were 24-19-2 on them in 2008.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I think that both the Bills and Lions will win their first game, and that the Browns will win outright against the Falcons. |
| Pianowski | This Ravens defense isn't nearly as good as the name brand suggests. I'll keep taking the Rams until the number adjusts. It hasn't caught up yet. |
| Liss | I like the Cardinals, Bills and Ravens best, but overall this was a tougher-than-usual slate. |
| Stopa | The lines for the 0-4 home teams are interesting. Everyone presumes the Bills, Lions and 49ers will win eventually, and a home matchup in "winnable" games seems as good a time as any, but clearly that factor is built into the lines. I wrote "Jaguars" and "Eagles" pretty easily because they're the better teams and, in the Eagles case, they're getting more than a FG. Call me crazy, but I'd like to see the 49ers win a game before I lay more than a FG against a playoff-caliber team. I sided with the Jags because I can't get past the Bills run defense (last in NFL in rushing yards allowed and rushing TDs) - MJD should have a field day. I don't have a good feel for the Broncos yet, so until I do, I have to take points. I feel like the Browns are due for a stinker, and if the Falcons win that division, and I think they will, they'll handle a team like Cleveland. The Bears aren't as bad as they looked against the Giants - most teams can't exploit their offensive line like the Giants can. Laying less than a FG against an inferior team screams "trap," but I'll take the bait. You wanna lay more than a FG with the Bengals? I don't. I have a feeling I'm gonna be on the Raiders until Vegas adjusts for the Gradkowski factor. They're not a bad team any more - not a playoff team, mind you, but 7-9 could happen. I said last week I wouldn't lay 14 with the Saints until they prove it on the field. Once you account for the home/road factor, this week's line is basically the same. "Best bet" is a Colts team that will rebound at home, where their speed really matters. The Chiefs can't match up. Redskins/Packers was tough for me. I feel like Green Bay will win, in which case less than a FG is no big deal, but the Redskins have been solid, especially at home, and as good as Aaron Rodgers is, I'm starting to feel like the Packers are like the Saints teams from years past - flashy offense but overrated elsewhere. I also struggled on Titans/Cowboys, as both teams have been inconsistent. |
| Del Don | Not an easy slate this week, and I'm not exactly comfortable backing the biggest spread on the board against an undefeated team coming off a bye, but so be it - the Colts are my best bet. |
The players:
- Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008 Staff Picks Champ. Writes the Value Meter. Covers and roots for the Bengals.
- Scott Pianowski: Fantasy expert for Yahoo! Sports, and also contributes to Rotowire.com. 2009 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.
- Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006 Staff Picks Champ, 2003, 2004 co-champ. Writes Beating the Book and Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.
- Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, Writes Working the Wire. Roots for the Bills.
- Dalton Del Don: RotoWire Senior Staff Writer. 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Writes the Game Capsules and the Barometer. Covers the Eagles and roots for the 49ers.
