This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Erickson and I both went 3-1 last week to lead the playoff standings at 6-2. (It's hard to shake someone when he makes the exact same picks as you). This week, everyone likes the Pats except me, and all of us are on the Giants, even 49ers fan DDD.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens +7.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Ravens | Patriots | Patriots |
| Giants +2.5 at 49ers | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants |
| Best Bet | Patriots | Patriots | Ravens | Patriots | Giants |
| Last Week's Record | 3-1 | 1-3 | 3-1 | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Playoff Record | 6-2 | 4-4 | 6-2 | 4-4 | 5-3 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 2-0 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| 2011 Record | 121-128-7 | 134-115-7 | 124-125-7 | 123-126-7 | 127-122-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 7-9-1 | 8-8-1 | 10-7 | 10-7 | 7-9-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 30-24-2 | ||||
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 7-4 | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | 6-5 | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 8-3 | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | 6-5 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | 3-8 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 5-6 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | 4-6-1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 6-5 | N/A | N/A |
| 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 |
Erickson and I both went 3-1 last week to lead the playoff standings at 6-2. (It's hard to shake someone when he makes the exact same picks as you). This week, everyone likes the Pats except me, and all of us are on the Giants, even 49ers fan DDD.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens +7.5 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Ravens | Patriots | Patriots |
| Giants +2.5 at 49ers | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants |
| Best Bet | Patriots | Patriots | Ravens | Patriots | Giants |
| Last Week's Record | 3-1 | 1-3 | 3-1 | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Playoff Record | 6-2 | 4-4 | 6-2 | 4-4 | 5-3 |
| Playoff Best Bet Record | 2-0 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| 2011 Record | 121-128-7 | 134-115-7 | 124-125-7 | 123-126-7 | 127-122-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 7-9-1 | 8-8-1 | 10-7 | 10-7 | 7-9-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 30-24-2 | ||||
| 2010 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 7-4 | 8-3 |
| 2009 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 4-7 | 1-10 | 6-5 | 5-6 |
| 2008 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 5-6 | 5-6 | 8-3 | 4-7 |
| 2007 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 3-8 | 6-5 | N/A | 2-9 |
| 2006 Playoff Record | 7-4 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2005 Playoff Record | 5-6 | N/A | 3-8 | N/A | N/A |
| 2004 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2003 Playoff Record | 6-5 | N/A | 4-7 | N/A | N/A |
| 2002 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 5-6 | N/A | N/A |
| 2001 Playoff Record | 6-4-1 | 7-3-1 | 4-6-1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2000 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 6-5 | N/A | N/A |
| 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 Giants. We went 1-1 last week on consensus picks, to put us at 2-2 for the playoffs. We were 30-24-1 during the regular season. We went 32-21-1 on consensus picks in 2010.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I just don't believe in the Ravens, and especially Joe Flacco, on the road. They played like champs in Week 17 against the Bengals, but the previous road game, against the Chargers, is the one that sticks out in my mind. Maybe it was a letdown, or maybe it was a matchup of personnel? If it's the latter, and I think it is, they are in trouble... I've gone back and forth on the Niners and Giants, but I'm persuaded that the Giants defense isn't the same unit as early in the season, and that's the controlling factor. |
| Pianowski | The Baltimore win at New England in Jan. 2010 means little today. The Patriots didn't have Wes Welker (knee) that day, and Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez were still in college. Julian Edelman caught two touchdown passes in that game; today, he's a defensive back. I'll be very surprised if New England loses to the Ravens. |
| Liss | The Ravens-Pats line is an overreaction to last week's results. The Ravens have been as good as the Pats all year and have not been more than seven point dogs at any time in the Harbaugh/Flacco era. Moreover, teams that score 38-plus in a playoff game have covered the next week only four times in 24 games since 1994 (Hat Tip: RJ Bell). In other words, people overreact to big offensive showings, particularly in the playoffs. |
| Stopa | The Ravens leave me cold, especially on the road, where they were 4-4 and got shredded in December by Philip Rivers. Heck, they would have lost last week if they weren't facing rookie T.J. Yates. And what's with the Ray Rice disappearing act? If he's not the best player on the field when he's in the game, the Ravens have no chance whatsoever. Meanwhile, the Patriots defense has quietly started to come together, in no small part because Patrick Chung and Jerod Mayo are healthy. The Ravens defense, meanwhile, is overrated - Ed Reed and Ray Lewis have both lost a step. Pats 34-17... Everyone remembers the pass from Steve Young to Terrell Owens to beat the Packers in the playoffs several years ago, but does anyone remember that SF lost the following week? That's what Vernon Davis' catch feels like to me. That was the peak for SF, whereas the Giants are more balanced on both sides of the ball. Sure, Alex Smith looked good against NO, but can he do anything resembling that against NY? I think not. My only trepidation is if the Giants waste too many plays running the ball; we've seen enough of the SF defense, including against these Giants earlier in the year, to know that won't work. Giants 24-20. |
| Del Don | I obviously hope I'm wrong about the Giants, but I have a strong New York feel this week, so I'm going with head over heart. |
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 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 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.
