NFL Picks: Panthers and the Under

NFL Picks: Panthers and the Under

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Congrats to Jeff Erickson for winning the playoff portion of staff picks, though only because he's the only one not to be a total disaster (four of us are 2-8 or worse.)

This week, everyone's got the Panthers except me, and everyone has the under except Pianow.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Broncos +6 vs. PanthersPanthersPanthersBroncosPanthersPanthers
Final Score24-1027-19Panthers 17-1324-1323-13
Last Week's Record1-11-10-21-10-2
2015 Playoff Record5-52-82-82-81-9
Best Bet Record11-8-18-12711-27-12-18-12
Unanimous Pick Record21-29
Majority Pick Record124-134-8
2014 Playoff Record10-15-69-24-79-2
2013 Playoff Record5-4-23-6-24-5-24-5-24-5-2
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-14-6-18-2-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-26-57-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-67-48-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-106-55-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-68-34-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-45-6N/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-14-6-1N/AN/A
2000 Playoff Record6-57-46-5N/AN/A
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8127-121-8121-127-8
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
Congrats to Jeff Erickson for winning the playoff portion of staff picks, though only because he's the only one not to be a total disaster (four of us are 2-8 or worse.)

This week, everyone's got the Panthers except me, and everyone has the under except Pianow.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Broncos +6 vs. PanthersPanthersPanthersBroncosPanthersPanthers
Final Score24-1027-19Panthers 17-1324-1323-13
Last Week's Record1-11-10-21-10-2
2015 Playoff Record5-52-82-82-81-9
Best Bet Record11-8-18-12711-27-12-18-12
Unanimous Pick Record21-29
Majority Pick Record124-134-8
2014 Playoff Record10-15-69-24-79-2
2013 Playoff Record5-4-23-6-24-5-24-5-24-5-2
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-14-6-18-2-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-26-57-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-67-48-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-106-55-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-68-34-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-45-6N/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-14-6-1N/AN/A
2000 Playoff Record6-57-46-5N/AN/A
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8127-121-8121-127-8
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 no unanimous picks. We lost with the Patriots last week, dropping our YTD record to 21-29-1. We went 1-1 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 124-134-8.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonI guess I'm the square, because the general public seems to be on the Panthers too. At the start of the playoffs, the consensus was there were three dominant teams in the NFL, all residing in the NFC - Carolina, Arizona and Seattle. Carolina laid waste to both of them. The line on the AFC side was that every team there had its fleas. Denver has a great defense, but with Peyton Manning at quarterback, I think Carolina's defense is going to have a big day. I set my personal line at -7 before looking at the actual line, so I'm taking Carolina. I'm less confident on the total, but with two great defenses I will cheat towards the under.
PianowskiI still don't trust Peyton Manning at all, and Cam Newton's mobility (and physicality) could partially neutralize Denver's excellent pass rush.
LissElite defenses rarely lose in the Super Bowl and almost always cover. Denver grades out as elite, and far better than the Panthers defense when you adjust for strength of schedule. I am toying with hedging Panthers moneyline, though as Peyton Manning is terrible, and I could easily see them winning a close, low-scoring game.
StopaI've liked Carolina since the Conference title games ended but progressively less as the line has moved against them. I just hate being on the sucker side for the Super Bowl, as Vegas certainly isn't giving it away. But I can't bet on Peyton's noodle arm, particularly when I'm convinced Denver won't score in the 20s. That's actually my favorite Super Bowl bet - Denver under 20 points. I also like under 45.5 points and Cam for MVP. And make no mistake - unless there's a return TD, Newton will win MVP.
Del DonI've faded Carolina all season, so it will be fitting that I'll lose after betting heavily on them in the Super Bowl. The Panthers had an easy schedule, but their 6.2 YPA allowed was the same as Denver's, and Carolina forced 10 more interceptions and had a lower passer rating against. I don't love how heavy everyone is on Carolina, which is why I went moneyline more so than the spread that continues to climb, but I just don't see Denver scoring many points, which is why I also like the under. A blowout shouldn't be ruled out here.

The players:

• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015 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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