This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Another full house on bets bets: three Packers, two Patriots. I'm the only one on the Falcons, and DDD is the only one on the Steelers.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers +4.5 at Falcons | Packers | Packers | Falcons | Packers | Packers |
| Steelers +6 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Steelers |
| Best Bet | Patriots | Packers | Patriots | Packers | Packers |
| Last week's Record | 3-1 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 13-6 | 12-7 | 10-9 | 8-11 | 12-7 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 5-3 | 3-5 | 4-4 | 2-6 | 5-3 |
| 2016 Unanimous Pick Record | 27-22-2 | ||||
| 2016 Majority Pick Record | 136-123-5 | ||||
| 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 |
Another full house on bets bets: three Packers, two Patriots. I'm the only one on the Falcons, and DDD is the only one on the Steelers.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers +4.5 at Falcons | Packers | Packers | Falcons | Packers | Packers |
| Steelers +6 at Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Steelers |
| Best Bet | Patriots | Packers | Patriots | Packers | Packers |
| Last week's Record | 3-1 | 1-3 | 2-2 | 2-2 | 3-1 |
| Best Bet Record | 13-6 | 12-7 | 10-9 | 8-11 | 12-7 |
| 2016 Playoff Record | 5-3 | 3-5 | 4-4 | 2-6 | 5-3 |
| 2016 Unanimous Pick Record | 27-22-2 | ||||
| 2016 Majority Pick Record | 136-123-5 | ||||
| 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 no unanimous picks. We had none last week, so our season record stands at 27-22-2. We went 3-1 on majority (three or more writers) picks to bring our season record to 136-123-5.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | Don't really feel that strongly about either pick, but I'll go with the chalk on the Pats for my lean. We all know that Pittsburgh's offense is much worse on the road - but they moved the ball pretty easily against the Chiefs. Still, I think the Pats might have been holding back some of their offense against the Texans, and we'll see that come out on Sunday. |
| Pianowski | The lack of upsets has given us a loaded Championship Week. |
| Liss | Hard not to take the Pats at home, especially given Ben Roethlisberger's road struggles which continued last week despite the win. More of a coin flip in ATL-GB, but ATL has the better defense at this point, and Jordy Nelson and Davante Adams are banged up. |
| Stopa | The NFC tilt strikes me as a 50/50 affair, with both teams having MVP QBs, unstoppable offenses, and no defense. Atlanta's home crowd and running game are offset by Green Bay's better run D and an offensive line that is so good at pass-blocking. 34-31 Packers, and the Over. In the AFC, Belichick's two extra days of prep time gives New England such an advantage. 24-16 Patriots, and the Under. |
| Del Don | I'm shocked the Falcons are giving more than a field goal, as I expected this line to be closer to a pick 'em than a touchdown. The total (around 60 points) is the highest ever for a Conference Championship or Super Bowl game (and the highest of this season as well), but it makes perfect sense, as this certainly looks like it should be a shootout. I'd be far less surprised if Green Bay wins outright than I would Atlanta covers this number... The Patriots played their "C" game last week and still covered a 16.5-point spread. They now essentially get two extra days to prepare compared to the road-weary Steelers, who are in a tough spot, and I'm sure I'll feel dumb betting against Brady/Belichick come Sunday, but I'm taking the points. |
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.
