NFL Picks: Backing the Ravens

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Updated on January 2, 2019 6:36PM EST

Stopa actually won Week 17 at 12-4. It didn't move him out of last place, but it helped the majority (11-5) and unanimous picks (3-0). Pianowski and I both went 11-5, keeping the final margin at seven games.

This week, we have no unanimous picks, but three of us (Erickson, Pianowski and me) all made the Ravens our best bets.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Colts +2 at Texans	Texans	Texans	Texans	Colts	Texans
Seahawks +2 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Seahawks	Cowboys
Chargers +2.5 at Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Chargers	Ravens
Eagles +6 at Bears	Bears	Eagles	Bears	Bears	Bears
Best Bet	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Colts	Bears
Last Week's Record	8-8	11-5	11-5	12-4	9-7
2018 Record	125-122-9	134-113-9	141-106-9	117-130-9	120-127-9
Best Bet Record	12-5	11-6	10-7	8-8-1	7-9-1
2017 Best Bet Record	8-7-2	9-7-1	12-4-1	8-7-2	11-6
Unanimous Pick Record	26-21-1
Majority Pick Record	132-115-9
2017 Playoff Record	5-6	5-6	5-6	7-4	2-9
2016 Playoff Record	6-5	5-6	6-5	4-7	6-5
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

This week, we have no unanimous picks, but three of us (Erickson, Pianowski and me) all made the Ravens our best bets.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Colts +2 at Texans	Texans	Texans	Texans	Colts	Texans
Seahawks +2 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Seahawks	Cowboys
Chargers +2.5 at Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Chargers	Ravens
Eagles +6 at Bears	Bears	Eagles	Bears	Bears	Bears
Best Bet	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Colts	Bears
Last Week's Record	8-8	11-5	11-5	12-4	9-7
2018 Record	125-122-9	134-113-9	141-106-9	117-130-9	120-127-9
Best Bet Record	12-5	11-6	10-7	8-8-1	7-9-1
2017 Best Bet Record	8-7-2	9-7-1	12-4-1	8-7-2	11-6
Unanimous Pick Record	26-21-1
Majority Pick Record	132-115-9
2017 Playoff Record	5-6	5-6	5-6	7-4	2-9
2016 Playoff Record	6-5	5-6	6-5	4-7	6-5
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
2017 Record	117-125-14	128-114-14	117-125-14	119-123-14	98-144-14
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 no unanimous picks. Last week we went 3-0 on unanimous picks, winning with the Chiefs, Bears and Colts, putting our season record at 26-21-1. We went 11-5 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 132-115-9. Last year we went 23-28-4 on unanimous picks and 121-121-14 on majority picks.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	It kills me to make them my best bet because I hate them, but the Ravens should be giving the standard three points that home teams give. Not only did the Ravens go into LA and beat the Chargers two weeks ago, but they nearly beat the Chiefs on the road before that. I want no part of going against them.
Pianowski	I have zero confidence on any of these games.
Liss	The Sunday games were easier for me. The Chargers are a good team, but the Ravens at home in an early body-clock game are a tall order, and the Chargers haven't protected Philip Rivers very well of late. I'm rooting for the Nick Foles story, but at Chicago in January is likely to be an ugly chapter.
Stopa	I like Indy at 30:1, so Saturday is a necessary first step. They rival the Chargers as the AFC's most complete team.
Del Don	The Eagles have certainly surprised before, but my money is on the Bears rolling at home and then possibly making a deep run.

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, 2014 and 2017 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.

• Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2018 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.