NFL Picks: Lions, Browns, Titans, Broncos, Raiders, Patriots and Steelers

NFL Picks: Lions, Browns, Titans, Broncos, Raiders, Patriots and Steelers

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

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Erickson crushed it with a 12-4 week to extend his lead to four games over Stopa. Everyone else but me went .500 or better, and I'm still mired in last, four games behind the terrible DDD.

Shockingly, we have seven unanimous picks this week, some of which were on teams about which I didn't feel strongly at all. Moreover, four of the five writers agreed on six more games. In other words, on 13 of 16 games there was at least a 4-1 split, and on only three did it go 3-2.

Finally, all five best bets were on games where there was a 4-1 split, i.e., none of the seven unanimous picks were anyone's best bet. Both Erickson and DDD took the Bucs as their best bets.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Packers -3 at LionsLionsLionsLionsLionsLions
49ers +7 at BearsBearsBearsBears49ersBears
Bengals -9.5 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrowns
Jaguars +2.5 at TitansTitansTitansTitansTitansTitans
Texans +3 at BillsBillsTexansTexansTexansTexans
Ravens +4 at DolphinsRavensRavensRavensDolphinsRavens
Seahawks pick 'em at VikingsSeahawksVikingsSeahawksSeahawksSeahawks
Cardinals -5.5 at RamsRamsCardinalsRamsCardinalsCardinals
Falcons +2 at BuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersFalconsBuccaneers
Jets -2 at GiantsGiantsJetsGiantsJetsGiants
Broncos -4 at ChargersBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncos
Chiefs

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Erickson crushed it with a 12-4 week to extend his lead to four games over Stopa. Everyone else but me went .500 or better, and I'm still mired in last, four games behind the terrible DDD.

Shockingly, we have seven unanimous picks this week, some of which were on teams about which I didn't feel strongly at all. Moreover, four of the five writers agreed on six more games. In other words, on 13 of 16 games there was at least a 4-1 split, and on only three did it go 3-2.

Finally, all five best bets were on games where there was a 4-1 split, i.e., none of the seven unanimous picks were anyone's best bet. Both Erickson and DDD took the Bucs as their best bets.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Packers -3 at LionsLionsLionsLionsLionsLions
49ers +7 at BearsBearsBearsBears49ersBears
Bengals -9.5 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsBrowns
Jaguars +2.5 at TitansTitansTitansTitansTitansTitans
Texans +3 at BillsBillsTexansTexansTexansTexans
Ravens +4 at DolphinsRavensRavensRavensDolphinsRavens
Seahawks pick 'em at VikingsSeahawksVikingsSeahawksSeahawksSeahawks
Cardinals -5.5 at RamsRamsCardinalsRamsCardinalsCardinals
Falcons +2 at BuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersFalconsBuccaneers
Jets -2 at GiantsGiantsJetsGiantsJetsGiants
Broncos -4 at ChargersBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncosBroncos
Chiefs -3 at RaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaidersRaiders
Panthers -7 at SaintsSaintsSaintsSaintsPanthersSaints
Eagles +9.5 at PatriotsPatriotsPatriotsPatriotsPatriotsPatriots
Colts +7 at SteelersSteelersSteelersSteelersSteelersSteelers
Cowboys +4 at RedskinsRedskinsCowboysCowboysCowboysRedskins
Best BetBuccaneers RavensBearsCardinalsBuccaneers
Last Week's Record12-48-87-99-79-7
2015 Record93-77-685-85-675-95-689-81-679-91-6
Best Bet Record7-4-15-75-6-14-7-16-6
Unanimous Pick Record15-15
Majority Pick Record81-89-6
2014 Unanimous Pick Record20-15-1
2014 Majority Record146-116-5
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5124-127-5128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10111-135-10128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7123-126-7127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5136-115-5134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3130-123-3126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10125-121-10130-116-10
2007 Record127-120118-129127-120N/A130-117
2006 Record118-129N/A139-108N/AN/A
2005 Record121-126N/A127-120N/AN/A
2004 Record124-124N/A130-118N/AN/A
2003 Record121-126118-129124-123N/AN/A
2002 Record113-136123-126141-108N/AN/A
2001 Record124-113117-120118-119N/AN/A
2000 Record123-117134-106141-99N/AN/A

Unanimous/Majority Picks

This week we have a whopping seven unanimous picks: the Lions, Browns, Titans, Broncos, Raiders, Patriots and Steelers. We went 2-1 on unanimous picks last week to bring our season record to 15-15. We went 8-8 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 81-89-6.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonReally tight lines this week - it was rare that I found myself more than a point or two off from the lines. But I'll take the Bucs at less than three points at home against a faltering Falcons squad... Having to pick on Wednesday really is difficult in the Colts-Steelers game, Big Ben is everything. ... I went back-and-forth on Cards-Rams multiple times.
PianowskiMiami has no home-field advantage, and Ryan Tannehill, I am convinced, is not good. John Harbaugh is also an advantage over Miami's coaching staff.
LissI really like the Bears at home against the 49ers as it's time to sell Blaine Gabbert, and San Francisco is so much better at home. I also like the Saints getting seven in their home stadium against an undefeated divison rival. They have to be up for that game.
StopaThe Cardinals and Bengals are similar teams, and Cincy just mopped the floor with St Louis. I see no reason Arizona won't do the same. I'd have put this line over seven, not under.
Del DonThe Falcons sure look like one of the worst teams in the league right now, so I'll back the home team laying less than a field goal. I also like the Bears and Patriots this week.

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.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Liss
Chris Liss was RotoWire's Managing Editor and Host of RotoWire Fantasy Sports Today on Sirius XM radio from 2001-2022.
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