This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
This week, we all like the Giants, and Erickson and I both have the Steelers as our best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders +3.5 at Texans | Texans | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Texans |
| Lions +8 at Seahawks | Lions | Seahawks | Seahawks | Lions | Seahawks |
| Dolphins +10 at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Dolphins | Dolphins |
| Giants +4.5 at Packers | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants |
| Best Bet | Steelers | Seahawks | Steelers | Giants | Texans |
| Last week's Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 8-8 | 7-9 | 9-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 11-6 | 11-6 | 9-8 | 7-10 | 10-7 |
| 2016 Unanimous Pick Record | 27-21-2 | ||||
| 2016 Majority Pick Record | 131-120-5 | ||||
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | 2-9 | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 4-7 | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | 4-6-1 | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 6-5 | 7-4 |
| 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 |
| 2016 Record | 140-111-5 | 130-121-5 | 123-128-5 | 115-136-5 | 132-119-5 |
| 2015 Record | 134-114-8 | 120-128-8 | 114-134-8 | 127-121-8 | 121-127-8 |
This week, we all like the Giants, and Erickson and I both have the Steelers as our best bets.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders +3.5 at Texans | Texans | Raiders | Raiders | Raiders | Texans |
| Lions +8 at Seahawks | Lions | Seahawks | Seahawks | Lions | Seahawks |
| Dolphins +10 at Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Steelers | Dolphins | Dolphins |
| Giants +4.5 at Packers | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants |
| Best Bet | Steelers | Seahawks | Steelers | Giants | Texans |
| Last week's Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 8-8 | 7-9 | 9-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 11-6 | 11-6 | 9-8 | 7-10 | 10-7 |
| 2016 Unanimous Pick Record | 27-21-2 | ||||
| 2016 Majority Pick Record | 131-120-5 | ||||
| 2015 Playoff Record | 5-6 | 2-9 | 3-8 | 2-9 | 1-10 |
| 2014 Playoff Record | 10-1 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 4-7 | 9-2 |
| 2013 Playoff Record | 5-4-2 | 3-6-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 | 4-5-2 |
| 2012 Playoff Record | 4-6-1 | 5-5-1 | 6-4-1 | 4-6-1 | 8-2-1 |
| 2011 Playoff Record | 8-3 | 5-6 | 9-2 | 6-5 | 7-4 |
| 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 |
| 2016 Record | 140-111-5 | 130-121-5 | 123-128-5 | 115-136-5 | 132-119-5 |
| 2015 Record | 134-114-8 | 120-128-8 | 114-134-8 | 127-121-8 | 121-127-8 |
| 2014 Record | 123-128-5 | 140-111-5 | 135-116-5 | 124-127-5 | 128-123-5 |
| 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 have one unanimous picks, the Giants. We went 2-1 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Giants and Broncos and losing with the Rams to bring our season record to 27-21-2. We went 6-10 on majority (three or more writers) picks to bring our season record to 131-120-5.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | The seedings couldn't have worked out much better for the Steelers given the scenarios that could have happened. Their defense has improved considerably since the beginning of the season, and most of their key offensive players are healthy. If Ladarius Green can go, I see them putting up a big number... Texans-Raiders was my hardest call, but I've been underwhelmed by the Raiders for a while now. |
| Pianowski | Detroit was a smoke-and-mirrors team for weeks, will now be exposed. I'm not as down on Seattle as everyone else appears to be. |
| Liss | The Steelers are much better at home, and the Dolphins can't stop anyone. I expect the Steelers to push 40. I also like the Seahawks at home against a quarterback who wilts against better defenses. |
| Stopa | The favorites are simply getting too many points this week. Seattle's splits without Earl Thomas aren't good. Miami hasn't seen a downgrade from Tannehill to Moore. Best bet, though, is a Giants team that will win outright. They're a more complete team than Green Bay. |
| Del Don | These are all tight lines, and the Houston/Oakland game might be the ugliest ever when it comes to starting quarterbacks in the playoffs with what I'd imagine is the lowest over/under of the season. Give me the home team with a pretty good defense facing a QB making his first start ever. |
The players:
• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016 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.
