This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Defending champ Stopa is off to a one-game lead over Pianowski and me. DDD jinxed himself to 7-8, and Erickson has already destroyed any hope for himself this season by going 6-9.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Seahawks +14.5 at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Seahawks | Steelers | Seahawks |
| Ravens -5.5 at Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Ravens | Titans |
| Jaguars +9.5 at Jets | Jets | Jets | Jaguars | Jets | Jets |
| Cardinals +3.5 at Redskins | Redskins | Cardinals | Redskins | Redskins | Redskins |
| Raiders +3.5 at Bills | Raiders | Bills | Raiders | Bills | Raiders |
| Buccaneers +3 at Vikings | Vikings | Buccaneers | Vikings | Bucs | Vikings |
| Bears +7 at Saints | Bears | Saints | Bears | Bears | Bears |
| Packers -10.5 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Packers | Panthers |
| Browns -1.5 at Colts | Colts | Browns | Browns | Colts | Colts |
| Chiefs +9 at Lions | Lions | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Cowboys -3 at 49ers | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys | 49ers | Cowboys |
| Bengals +3.5 at Broncos | Broncos | Bengals | Bengals | Broncos | Broncos |
| Texans -3 at Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Texans | Dolphins |
| Chargers +7 at Patriots | Patriots | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers |
| Eagles -2 at Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons |
| Rams +6 at Giants | Giants | Rams | Rams | Giants | Giants |
| Best Bet | Redskins | Chargers | Raiders | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 2011 Record | 6-9-1 | 8-7-1 | 8-7-1 | 9-6-1 | 7-8-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 1-0 | 0-0-1 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 1-3 | ||||
| 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 |
Defending champ Stopa is off to a one-game lead over Pianowski and me. DDD jinxed himself to 7-8, and Erickson has already destroyed any hope for himself this season by going 6-9.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Seahawks +14.5 at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Seahawks | Steelers | Seahawks |
| Ravens -5.5 at Titans | Titans | Titans | Titans | Ravens | Titans |
| Jaguars +9.5 at Jets | Jets | Jets | Jaguars | Jets | Jets |
| Cardinals +3.5 at Redskins | Redskins | Cardinals | Redskins | Redskins | Redskins |
| Raiders +3.5 at Bills | Raiders | Bills | Raiders | Bills | Raiders |
| Buccaneers +3 at Vikings | Vikings | Buccaneers | Vikings | Bucs | Vikings |
| Bears +7 at Saints | Bears | Saints | Bears | Bears | Bears |
| Packers -10.5 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Packers | Panthers |
| Browns -1.5 at Colts | Colts | Browns | Browns | Colts | Colts |
| Chiefs +9 at Lions | Lions | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Cowboys -3 at 49ers | Cowboys | Cowboys | Cowboys | 49ers | Cowboys |
| Bengals +3.5 at Broncos | Broncos | Bengals | Bengals | Broncos | Broncos |
| Texans -3 at Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins | Texans | Dolphins |
| Chargers +7 at Patriots | Patriots | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers |
| Eagles -2 at Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons | Falcons |
| Rams +6 at Giants | Giants | Rams | Rams | Giants | Giants |
| Best Bet | Redskins | Chargers | Raiders | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 2011 Record | 6-9-1 | 8-7-1 | 8-7-1 | 9-6-1 | 7-8-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 1-0 | 0-0-1 | 0-1 | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 1-3 | ||||
| 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 |
Consensus Picks
This week we have one consensus pick: the Falcons. We went 1-3 on consensus picks in Week 1. We went 32-21-1 on consensus picks in 2010.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | The Cardinals got lucky to beat the Panthers at home last week, whereas the Redskins beat a banged-up-but-better Giants team. This line is treating them as near equals - I think that the Redskins are a much better team... The Bengals will start either an injured Andy Dalton or a healthy Bruce Gradkowski - as much as their defense prevented disaster last week, it could be coming this week. |
| Pianowski | The big number with the Pats and Chargers surprised me. I know it's partly a Belichick-Turner thing, but the Patriots get one less day to assemble their game plan. Remember, Chad Henne gashed the Patriots secondary, and he's nowhere close to Philip Rivers. . . I wanted to go against all the West Coast teams playing at 10 am body time (provided the lines played along), but I just couldn't spot 3.5 points with Rex Grossman. I need to see it in consecutive weeks, Rexy. |
| Liss | I don't like this slate at all and found myself picking dogs almost reflexively, except in cases like the Vikings, Browns and Redskins where no one believes in those teams anyway. |
| Stopa | Weird slate. I really like the Colts - getting points at home to the Browns? Come on; Bucs - better than the Vikes yet getting the full three; Falcons - home dog, should rebound, Philly over-hyped; Chiefs - buying KC low, selling high on Lions; Redskins - selling Cardinals high; and Bears - roughly equal to Saints yet getting full TD. But as much as I like those games, I really struggled with four games where I know I'm picking like a square - Steelers - convinced they'll bounce back big against lowly Seattle, but paying more than 14 is brutal; Packers - the defense will bounce back, and Cam Newton will return to earth, but giving double-digits on the road is tough to swallow; Ravens - I like home dogs but less than a TD isn't enough to make me take Titans; and Jets - they'll crush a Jags team that won't able to hide Luke McCown like they did last week, but every drunken idiot bets that way. Best bet is Chargers, who are rough equals to the Pats, maybe better, yet getting 7 because of the huge hype after Brady's big game. Chargers 31-27. |
| Del Don | I rarely pick a road favorite for best bet, and maybe I'm being a sucker here, but that line in San Francisco seems awfully low... The Packers are obviously legit, but that's a monstrous number to lay on the road... I get the Colts are doormats without Peyton Manning, but I'm still surprised to see Cleveland laying points in Indy... The Chiefs/Lions game is a perfect buy low, sell high opportunity... I struggled most with CHI/NO. and STL/NYG. |
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 East Coast Offense, Beating the Book and Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.
•Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010 Staff Picks Champ, 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.
