NFL Picks: Backing the Redskins and Chiefs

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Updated on December 15, 2011 2:15AM EST

I won the week at 10-6 and find myself tied for second place with Stopa. But both of us are a lot closer to last than we are to first as Pianow's 9-7 keeps him comfortably nine games up with three weeks to go.

We have two consensus picks: the Redskins and Chiefs.

Enjoy the games.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Jaguars +12 at Falcons	Falcons	Jaguars	Falcons	Jaguars	Jaguars
Cowboys -7 at Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Cowboys	Buccaneers	Cowboys	Cowboys
Bengals -6.5 at Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams	Bengals	Bengals
Dolphins pick 'em at Bills	Bills	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins
Redskins +7 at Giants	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins
Titans -7 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Titans	Titans
Seahawks +3.5 at Bears	Seahawks	Bears	Seahawks	Bears	Seahawks
Packers -14.5 at Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs
Panthers +6.5 at Texans	Texans	Panthers	Texans	Panthers	Texans
Saints -7 at Vikings	Vikings	Saints	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings
Lions -0.5 at Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Lions	Lions
Browns +7 at Cardinals	Cardinals	Browns	Browns	Cardinals	Browns
Jets +2 at Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	Jets	Eagles	Jets
Patriots -7 at Broncos	Patriots	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Patriots
Ravens -2 at Chargers	Chargers	Ravens	Chargers	Ravens	Chargers
Steelers +3 at 49ers	49ers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	49ers
Best Bet	Eagles	Broncos	Chiefs	Ravens	49ers
Last Week's Record	7-9	9-7	10-6	9-7	7-9
2011 Record	99-104-5	111-92-5	102-101-5	102-101-5	101-102-5
Best Bet Record	6-8	7-6-1	9-5	10-4	5-8-1
Consensus Pick Record	24-22-1
2010 Record	129-122-5	134-117-5	126-125-5	136-115-5	134-117-5
2009 Record

We have two consensus picks: the Redskins and Chiefs.

Enjoy the games.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Jaguars +12 at Falcons	Falcons	Jaguars	Falcons	Jaguars	Jaguars
Cowboys -7 at Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Cowboys	Buccaneers	Cowboys	Cowboys
Bengals -6.5 at Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams	Bengals	Bengals
Dolphins pick 'em at Bills	Bills	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins
Redskins +7 at Giants	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins
Titans -7 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Titans	Titans
Seahawks +3.5 at Bears	Seahawks	Bears	Seahawks	Bears	Seahawks
Packers -14.5 at Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs
Panthers +6.5 at Texans	Texans	Panthers	Texans	Panthers	Texans
Saints -7 at Vikings	Vikings	Saints	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings
Lions -0.5 at Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Lions	Lions
Browns +7 at Cardinals	Cardinals	Browns	Browns	Cardinals	Browns
Jets +2 at Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	Jets	Eagles	Jets
Patriots -7 at Broncos	Patriots	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Patriots
Ravens -2 at Chargers	Chargers	Ravens	Chargers	Ravens	Chargers
Steelers +3 at 49ers	49ers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	49ers
Best Bet	Eagles	Broncos	Chiefs	Ravens	49ers
Last Week's Record	7-9	9-7	10-6	9-7	7-9
2011 Record	99-104-5	111-92-5	102-101-5	102-101-5	101-102-5
Best Bet Record	6-8	7-6-1	9-5	10-4	5-8-1
Consensus Pick Record	24-22-1
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 two consensus picks: the Redskins and Chiefs. We went 1-2 on consensus picks in Week 14 to put us at 22-20-1 on the year. We went 32-21-1 on consensus picks in 2010.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	My theory is that Dan Orlovsky makes the Colts at least semi-competent, and that because the Titans seem insistent on starting Hasselbeck at QB, the Colts can hang with them... Matt Moore really moves the needle in the MIA-BUF game, but whether or not Colt McCoy plays for CLE doesn't do the same for me... Really funny line in the PHI-NYJ - yes, I know it's a re-shuffle league and that the Jets are trending upward, but could anyone see this being the line for that game at the beginning of the year?... Yay, I finally got the Bengals game right last week - unfortunately, I picked the Texans to cover, and they did so in gut-punching fashion... I'm not an orinthologist, but are there any cardinals in Arizona? At any rate, this is a much better team than at the start of the season - their young defense has really started to jell.
Pianowski	really don't like the slate, but as many of us have discussed during the year, the presence of that feeling is not predictive.
Liss	Like the Chiefs, Colts, Seahawks and Chargers.
Stopa	I'm surprised the Bills aren't getting points from Miami, even at home. The Bills have lost six straight, and four of them weren't competitive, including to these Dolphins. If I knew Matt Moore were playing, I'd make the Dolphins my "best bet" for sure. My hesitation is that the possible downgrade to J.P. Losman is huge, as I know from his Bills days (Losman has a great downfield arm, but he makes John Beck look like he has good pocket presence)... I see no chance Ben doesn't play on Monday, and in what should be a low-scoring game, the three points might matter... The Bucs defense is worse than people realize, and Dallas should bounce back... My Broncos bet is less about Tebow than it is the defenses. I like what Denver is doing with Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil whereas the Pats are so bad that even long-time Patriot Rodney Harrison is ripping on them. I'd be surprised if Denver isn't unanimous among the staff... It's the right time to sell the Giants high. Grossman can score 20-24 on that defense, and that should be enough to cover. ... I like buying the Bears low, especially since the public is on Seattle, which is rare for a dog. It feels wrong, but Chicago is the sharp play... I like the Ravens as my best bet because the Chargers wins are all against doormats (except the Broncos pre-Tebow). That's the 2011 Chargers - they beat up the doormats but lack the heart, soul, or coaching to beat the good teams. The Ravens should be up for this game with Ray Lewis back, knowing they need to win to keep pace in the AFC.
Del Don	Picking this slate easily took me the most time of any this year. That reflects its difficulty more than any anticipated success on my part. I fully expect Big Ben to play, so we'll find out if SF is a fraud.

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.