This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
I went 11-5 to continue my good start, but Pianow is within five games at 28-19. Both DDD and Erickson like the Chiefs as their best bets, and oddly Erickson and I differ on only one game - either I'm going to lift him up, or he'll drag me down to his level this week.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants +3.5 at Redskins | Giants | Redskins | Giants | Redskins | Redskins |
| Dolphins -4 vs. Raiders* | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Dolphins |
| Packers -1.5 at Bears | Packers | Packers | Packers | Packers | Bears |
| Bills +3 at Texans | Texans | Bills | Texans | Texans | Texans |
| Titans +7.5 at Colts | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans |
| Panthers +3 at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Panthers | Ravens |
| Lions -1.5 at Jets | Lions | Jets | Jets | Lions | Jets |
| Buccaneers +7.5 at Steelers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
| Jaguars +13 at Chargers | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars |
| Eagles +5 at 49ers | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | 49ers | Eagles |
| Falcons -3 at Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Falcons | Vikings |
| Saints -3 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys |
| Patriots -3.5 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Patriots | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Best Bet | Chiefs | Packers | Giants | Jaguars | Chiefs |
| Last Week's Record | 6-10 |
I went 11-5 to continue my good start, but Pianow is within five games at 28-19. Both DDD and Erickson like the Chiefs as their best bets, and oddly Erickson and I differ on only one game - either I'm going to lift him up, or he'll drag me down to his level this week.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants +3.5 at Redskins | Giants | Redskins | Giants | Redskins | Redskins |
| Dolphins -4 vs. Raiders* | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Dolphins |
| Packers -1.5 at Bears | Packers | Packers | Packers | Packers | Bears |
| Bills +3 at Texans | Texans | Bills | Texans | Texans | Texans |
| Titans +7.5 at Colts | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans |
| Panthers +3 at Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Ravens | Panthers | Ravens |
| Lions -1.5 at Jets | Lions | Jets | Jets | Lions | Jets |
| Buccaneers +7.5 at Steelers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
| Jaguars +13 at Chargers | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars | Jaguars |
| Eagles +5 at 49ers | Eagles | Eagles | Eagles | 49ers | Eagles |
| Falcons -3 at Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Falcons | Vikings |
| Saints -3 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys |
| Patriots -3.5 at Chiefs | Chiefs | Patriots | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Best Bet | Chiefs | Packers | Giants | Jaguars | Chiefs |
| Last Week's Record | 6-10 | 8-8 | 11-5 | 4-12 | 8-8 |
| 2014 Record | 23-24-1 | 28-19-1 | 33-14-1 | 26-21-1 | 25-22-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 1-2 | 1-2 | 3-0 | 3-0 | 0-3 |
| Majority Record | 31-16-1 | ||||
| Unanimous Pick Record | 8-4 | ||||
| 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, we all like the Titans, Buccaneers and Jaguars. Last week we went 2-1 on unanimous picks to go 8-4 on the year. And we went 7-9 on majority picks (three or more writers) to go 31-16-1.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I still don't know what the Colts are - they opened with tough matchups against the Broncos and Eagles (and were up big in the latter), then blew out a patsy. Tennessee isn't good, but they aren't terrible, either. I get the feeling that this is going to be one of those games where the Titans get a late score to get it to 7... The Saints favored on the road, Saints lose outright. Lather, rinse, repeat... Atlanta might be very similar to the Saints - great at home in their dome, mediocre on the road, outdoors. I'd give the Vikings more than a puncher's chance at winning this one outright. |
| Pianowski | Back to the well with the Jaguars (the opposite of fun), but at least Blake Bortles can make a play and get rid of the ball now and then. Chad Henne's pocket awareness left early to beat the traffic. The Pats seem like a sucker play as a road favorite, but then I thought about the head coaches and reversed course. |
| Liss | Kirk Cousins might be good, but he was terrible last year, and a shootout against the Eagles and a home game against the Jaguars aren't much of a test. I think the Giants win outright here. I suspect the Jaguars with Blake Bortles will be an entirely different team - fewer three-and-outs, more rest for the defense, the sense that the team is trying. Can't believe I'm taking the Cowboys, but until further notice, I'm auto-fading the Saints on the road. |
| Stopa | Apparently there's no such thing as momentum in Staff Picks. Sigh. I struggled with a best bet this week, and while it's probably dumb to put that 3-0 mark on the line with the Jaguars, San Diego is a ball control team, not a blow-em-out team, and Bortles can't be worse than Henne. |
| Del Don | I expect the Patriots to get it together eventually and become a contender, but they hardly look like one right now, so I can't see giving more than a field goal on the road on Monday night to a Chiefs team that's looked much better after laying an egg in Week 1. |
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.
