This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
My season so far's been a disaster, but Stopa and Pianowski are doing pretty well, and consensus picks are still nine games over .500. No consensus picks this week.
Enjoy the games
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Patriots -7 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Patriots | Lions |
| Saints -3.5 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys |
| Bengals +9 at Jets | Jets | Bengals | Jets | Jets | Bengals |
| Vikings +2.5 at Redskins | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Redskins |
| Steelers -6.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Steelers | Steelers |
| Panthers +10 at Browns | Browns | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Titans +6.5 at Texans | Texans | Titans | Texans | Titans | Titans |
| Jaguars +7.5 at Giants | Jaguars | Jaguars | Giants | Jaguars | Giants |
| Packers +2.5 at Falcons | Packers | Packers | Falcons | Packers | Falcons |
| Chiefs -1 at Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Dolphins +3 at Raiders | Raiders | Dolphins | Dolphins | Raiders | Dolphins |
| Buccaneers +8 at Ravens | Ravens | Buccaneers | Ravens | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
| Eagles -3.5 at Bears | Bears | Bears | Bears | Eagles | Eagles |
| Rams +4 at Broncos | Broncos | Rams | Rams | Rams | Rams |
| Chargers +3 at Colts | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Colts |
| 49ers -1 at Cardinals | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals |
| Best Bet | Vikings | Jaguars | Jets | Chargers | Falcons |
| Last Week's Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 6-10 | 11-5 | 7-9 |
| 2010 Record | 81-74-5 | 84-71-5 | 73-82-5 | 86-69-5 | 79-76-5 |
| Best Bet Record | 3-7-1 | 5-5-1 | 5-6 | 7-3-1 | 6-4-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 24-15-1 | ||||
| 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 |
My season so far's been a disaster, but Stopa and Pianowski are doing pretty well, and consensus picks are still nine games over .500. No consensus picks this week.
Enjoy the games
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Patriots -7 at Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Patriots | Lions |
| Saints -3.5 at Cowboys | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys | Saints | Cowboys |
| Bengals +9 at Jets | Jets | Bengals | Jets | Jets | Bengals |
| Vikings +2.5 at Redskins | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Vikings | Redskins |
| Steelers -6.5 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Steelers | Steelers |
| Panthers +10 at Browns | Browns | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Titans +6.5 at Texans | Texans | Titans | Texans | Titans | Titans |
| Jaguars +7.5 at Giants | Jaguars | Jaguars | Giants | Jaguars | Giants |
| Packers +2.5 at Falcons | Packers | Packers | Falcons | Packers | Falcons |
| Chiefs -1 at Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Chiefs | Chiefs |
| Dolphins +3 at Raiders | Raiders | Dolphins | Dolphins | Raiders | Dolphins |
| Buccaneers +8 at Ravens | Ravens | Buccaneers | Ravens | Buccaneers | Buccaneers |
| Eagles -3.5 at Bears | Bears | Bears | Bears | Eagles | Eagles |
| Rams +4 at Broncos | Broncos | Rams | Rams | Rams | Rams |
| Chargers +3 at Colts | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Chargers | Colts |
| 49ers -1 at Cardinals | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals | 49ers | Cardinals |
| Best Bet | Vikings | Jaguars | Jets | Chargers | Falcons |
| Last Week's Record | 7-9 | 8-8 | 6-10 | 11-5 | 7-9 |
| 2010 Record | 81-74-5 | 84-71-5 | 73-82-5 | 86-69-5 | 79-76-5 |
| Best Bet Record | 3-7-1 | 5-5-1 | 5-6 | 7-3-1 | 6-4-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 24-15-1 | ||||
| 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 no consensus picks.
Last week we went 2-2 on consensus picks, putting us at 24-15-1 on the year. We finished 2009 at 19-23-1 on consensus picks, and were 24-19-2 on them in 2008.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I expect a good dead-cat bounce this week from the Vikes, now that the Chilly cloud has been lifted. |
| Pianowski | Another slate I hate with the intensity of 1,000 suns. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. |
| Liss | After being life and death with some average teams the last few weeks, I think the Jets roll at home on Thanksgiving against a Cincinnati squad that fell apart at home against the Bills. |
| Stopa | I don't have as strong a feel about this week as usual - maybe it's because I'm picking so early in the week, or maybe it's that three of the lines are "off" right now... Interesting how the lines moved in favor of the Patriots and Jets even though the public is on them. Did the sharps put money on the big favorites? It certainly seems so... The Jaguars are not going to win a playoff game, if they somehow make it, but they shouldn't be getting that many points from an injury-riddled Giants squad. The Giants haven't run well lately, and Eli Manning isn't good enough to carry a team with no-name WRs... I expect the Vikings to play better without Childress, similar to the Cowboys with Garrett... Bucs/Ravens is a lot like Bucs/Falcons from two weeks ago, and we saw the Bucs cover a similar line there and almost win outright... On the close lines (three points or less), I'm not over-thinking it. Forget "buy low," "sell high," fading the public, bouncing back, or even home/road. I'm picking the teams that I think are better. The Packers and Falcons are similar on offense, but the Packers give up 6.5 YPA on defense; the Falcons 7.5. The Chargers are the best team in the AFC right now (leading the NFL in total offense, total defense, passing offense, and passing defense), but it will be another 4-6 weeks before anyone realizes it because of their record. Meanwhile, quietly, Peyton Manning is having his worst season since he was a rookie. The Eagles and Bears have similar defenses, but the offenses are no comparison. If the Seahawks didn't have their victory total padded by playing in that division, would that line against a decent Chiefs squad be what it is? ... I struggled on the Steelers. The Bills haven't lost by more than 3 since Week 5, but I can't see their defense slowing down the Steelers, so taking 6.5 points means I think the Bills will score in the high 20s. I see that more like 34-20. |
| Del Don | Despite a full 16-game slate, this might qualify as my least favorite of the season when it comes to a "best bet," but I'll reluctantly take the Falcons. |
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 Beating the Book and Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.
•Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 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.
