NFL Picks: Backing the Bucs

NFL Picks: Backing the Bucs

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Erickson continues to roll, with a 9-3 week, putting him eight games ahead of DDD and 12 games ahead of me. It's pretty odd that Erickson was 110-140 last year, while Stopa was 143-107, and this year Stopa's 27 games behind Erickson. Both Erickson and I have the Cardinals as our best bets, and everyone likes the Bucs this week.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Saints -9.5 at FalconsFalconsFalconsFalconsFalconsSaints
Buccaneers +9 at LionsBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneers
Jaguars +10 at TexansJaguarsTexansTexansJaguarsTexans
Vikings +5 at PackersPackersPackersVikingsVikingsPackers
Chargers +5 at ChiefsChiefsChiefsChargersChargersChargers
Panthers -4.5 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsPanthersDolphins
Steelers +2 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsSteelersSteelers
Bears +1 at RamsRamsRamsRamsBearsRams
Jets +3.5 at RavensRavensJetsRavensJetsJets
Titans +1 at RaidersRaidersRaidersTitansTitansRaiders
Colts +2 at CardinalsCardinalsCardinalsCardinalsColtsCardinals
Cowboys +2.5 at GiantsGiantsGiantsGiantsCowboysGiants
Broncos -2.5 at PatriotsBroncosPatriotsPatriotsBroncosPatriots
49ers -5.5 at RedskinsRedskinsRedskinsRedskinsRedskins49ers
Best Bet CardinalsJetsCardinalsVikingsGiants
Last Week's Record9-3-36-6-36-6-35-7-35-7-3
2013 Record88-66-874-80-876-78-867-87-879-75-8
Best Bet Record7-3-14-74-77-44-7
2013 Consensus Pick Record13-20-3
2012 Record110-140-6124-126-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7123-126-7127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5136-115-5134-117-5
2009 Record
Erickson continues to roll, with a 9-3 week, putting him eight games ahead of DDD and 12 games ahead of me. It's pretty odd that Erickson was 110-140 last year, while Stopa was 143-107, and this year Stopa's 27 games behind Erickson. Both Erickson and I have the Cardinals as our best bets, and everyone likes the Bucs this week.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Saints -9.5 at FalconsFalconsFalconsFalconsFalconsSaints
Buccaneers +9 at LionsBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneersBuccaneers
Jaguars +10 at TexansJaguarsTexansTexansJaguarsTexans
Vikings +5 at PackersPackersPackersVikingsVikingsPackers
Chargers +5 at ChiefsChiefsChiefsChargersChargersChargers
Panthers -4.5 at DolphinsDolphinsDolphinsDolphinsPanthersDolphins
Steelers +2 at BrownsBrownsBrownsBrownsSteelersSteelers
Bears +1 at RamsRamsRamsRamsBearsRams
Jets +3.5 at RavensRavensJetsRavensJetsJets
Titans +1 at RaidersRaidersRaidersTitansTitansRaiders
Colts +2 at CardinalsCardinalsCardinalsCardinalsColtsCardinals
Cowboys +2.5 at GiantsGiantsGiantsGiantsCowboysGiants
Broncos -2.5 at PatriotsBroncosPatriotsPatriotsBroncosPatriots
49ers -5.5 at RedskinsRedskinsRedskinsRedskinsRedskins49ers
Best Bet CardinalsJetsCardinalsVikingsGiants
Last Week's Record9-3-36-6-36-6-35-7-35-7-3
2013 Record88-66-874-80-876-78-867-87-879-75-8
Best Bet Record7-3-14-74-77-44-7
2013 Consensus Pick Record13-20-3
2012 Record110-140-6124-126-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7123-126-7127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5136-115-5134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3130-123-3126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10125-121-10130-116-10
2007 Record127-120118-129127-120N/A130-117
2006 Record118-129N/A139-108N/AN/A
2005 Record121-126N/A127-120N/AN/A
2004 Record124-124N/A130-118N/AN/A
2003 Record121-126118-129124-123N/AN/A
2002 Record113-136123-126141-108N/AN/A
2001 Record124-113117-120118-119N/AN/A
2000 Record123-117134-106141-99N/AN/A

Consensus Picks

This week we have one consensus pick: the Buccaneers. Last week we went 0-1-1 to put us at 13-20-3 on the season.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonThe line treats the Cards as less than equals to the Colts. And while I've done my share of ripping of Carson Palmer, I think the two teams are relatively equal. So I'll happily take less than three points here... The Jets have been a dumpster fire on the road all year (TEN, CIN, BUF come to mind) - I expected the Ravens to be favored by 5.5 to 6.5 points. They're my second best bet. ... If Aqib Talib can't play for NE, that hook for the Broncos is a gift.
PianowskiI hate this slate with the intensity of 1,000 suns.
LissMy second best bet is the Giants. Actually it's my best bet, but I didn't want to jinx it, and I'm biased so I went with the Cardinals.
StopaCall me the Iceman, as I'm ice cold with these picks. As much as I try not to, it's hard to not let it affect you mentally, too. Last week, for instance, I thought the Bucs as a home dog made perfect sense over a bad Falcons team. But then I thought I must be missing something, that it was too obvious, so I took Atlanta. That's what happens when you're cold - you no longer fade the public (one thing that helped me do so well in 2012), you subconsciously fade yourself. This week, I did my darndest to avoid that trap and tried objectively to take the side that I thought had the better value. That meant a lot of dogs, but hey, it's a dog-eat-dog world. I went with Minny as a best bet because the Packers need to prove they can win a game with their backup QBs before laying more than a field goal. I also like selling the Giants high and buying the Cowboys low away from Jerry's World.
Del Don I had the toughest time with the Panthers/Dolphins and Bears/Rams games, while my favorite bets of the week are the Giants and Patriots. I don't love it, but if you wanted to do a teaser, I'd go with the Saints and Texans.

The players:

Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008 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 and 2011 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.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Liss
Chris Liss was RotoWire's Managing Editor and Host of RotoWire Fantasy Sports Today on Sirius XM radio from 2001-2022.
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