This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Erickson won the week at 9-7, but Pianow still has a huge lead after going 8-8. This week, we have a record seven consensus picks, something I did not see coming when I was making my picks. Moreover, had Erickson not taken the Packers and Bucs, we would have had nine.
Pianow and I both like the Giants as our best bets, while two of the other best bets, the Texans and Bills, were consensus picks.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Eagles -3 at Seahawks | Eagles | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Eagles |
| Raiders +3 at Dolphins | Dolphins | Raiders | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins |
| Falcons -2 at Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans |
| Titans +1 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills |
| Chiefs +8.5 at Bears | Bears | Bears | Chiefs | Bears | Bears |
| Jets -3 at Redskins | Redskins | Jets | Redskins | Redskins | Jets |
| Bengals +7 at Steelers | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Broncos pick 'em at Vikings | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos |
| Panthers +3.5 at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Colts +20.5 at Patriots | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Ravens -7 at Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns |
| Cowboys -4.5 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cowboys | Cardinals |
| Packers -8 at Giants | Packers | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants |
| Rams +13.5 at 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Rams | Rams | 49ers |
| Lions +9.5 at Saints | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Chargers -2.5 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Chargers | Jaguars | Chargers | Chargers |
| Best Bet | Bills | Giants | Giants | Dolphins | Texans |
| Last Week's Record | 9-7 | 8-8 | 8-8 | 6-10 | 7-9 |
| 2011 Record | 86-85-5 | 92-79-5 | 83-88-5 |
Erickson won the week at 9-7, but Pianow still has a huge lead after going 8-8. This week, we have a record seven consensus picks, something I did not see coming when I was making my picks. Moreover, had Erickson not taken the Packers and Bucs, we would have had nine.
Pianow and I both like the Giants as our best bets, while two of the other best bets, the Texans and Bills, were consensus picks.
Enjoy the games.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
| Eagles -3 at Seahawks | Eagles | Seahawks | Seahawks | Seahawks | Eagles |
| Raiders +3 at Dolphins | Dolphins | Raiders | Dolphins | Dolphins | Dolphins |
| Falcons -2 at Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans | Texans |
| Titans +1 at Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills | Bills |
| Chiefs +8.5 at Bears | Bears | Bears | Chiefs | Bears | Bears |
| Jets -3 at Redskins | Redskins | Jets | Redskins | Redskins | Jets |
| Bengals +7 at Steelers | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals | Bengals |
| Broncos pick 'em at Vikings | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos | Broncos |
| Panthers +3.5 at Buccaneers | Buccaneers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Panthers |
| Colts +20.5 at Patriots | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts | Colts |
| Ravens -7 at Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns | Browns |
| Cowboys -4.5 at Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cardinals | Cowboys | Cardinals |
| Packers -8 at Giants | Packers | Giants | Giants | Giants | Giants |
| Rams +13.5 at 49ers | 49ers | 49ers | Rams | Rams | 49ers |
| Lions +9.5 at Saints | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions | Lions |
| Chargers -2.5 at Jaguars | Jaguars | Chargers | Jaguars | Chargers | Chargers |
| Best Bet | Bills | Giants | Giants | Dolphins | Texans |
| Last Week's Record | 9-7 | 8-8 | 8-8 | 6-10 | 7-9 |
| 2011 Record | 86-85-5 | 92-79-5 | 83-88-5 | 85-86-5 | 84-87-5 |
| Best Bet Record | 6-6 | 6-5-1 | 7-5 | 8-4 | 4-7-1 |
| Consensus Pick Record | 20-16-1 | ||||
| 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 a whopping seven consensus picks: the Texans, Bills, Bengals, Broncos, Colts, Browns and Lions. We went 1-3 on consensus picks in Week 12 to go 20-16-1 on the year. We went 32-21-1 on consensus picks in 2010.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
| Erickson | I'm wary of monster lines in the NFL, even if it's the Fighting Orlovsky's getting the points... We have to constantly check our perceptions at the door, and one of those that needs revisiting is that of the Cardinals. Recently they've had one stinker - at San Francisco, won twice on the road (PHI, STL), and gave Baltimore a huge scare in Baltimore. That secondary isn't good, but it's getting better. I'll take the points... Tennessee brings something different to the table every week, and I don't want to treat them as a favorite on the road... Toughest games for me were ATL-HOU, DET-NO, and CIN-PIT. |
| Pianowski | The line has jumped on the Giants and pushed it to a number where they're the obvious play. As unbalanced as New York is, this team still has the basic skill set (pass rush, pass offense) that allows you to challenge the Packers. |
| Liss | I'm shocked at the number of consensus picks, and I was almost sure at least one writer would be on the Patriots or Vikings. |
| Stopa | After last week, I feel like I just woke up on the logo of my high school's football field, the stadium is packed, and everyone is pointing and laughing at me because I'm naked. I'm looking for somewhere to hide but there's nothing but bright lights and open space. Anyway, I like Seattle as an underdog at home, as the Eagles may pack it in... It's interesting that the Lions and Giants swapped opponents from last week's games. Everyone will think the Packers will do what the Saints just did to the Giants, and that the Saints will do what the Packers just did to the Lions, so that has to make the Giants and Lions the right choices... I'm not laying 20-plus points in any NFL game. Ever. My best bet is the Dolphins, as I think they and the Raiders are more like .500 teams than their records currently reflect - the correction for each comes this week. It's worth noting I've picked incorrectly on eight straight Bills games, so I'd say to fade me, but did I inadvertently fade myself before picking? Honestly, I have no idea - it's hard not to think and overthink, like I have. I always try to remain objective, but with this kind of losing streak, and since the Bills are my team, that's easier said than done. |
| Del Don | The Falcons defend the run well, but this spread is an overreaction to Houston using its third-string quarterback. |
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.
