NFL Picks: Backing the Chiefs and Rams

NFL Picks: Backing the Chiefs and Rams

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.


It was another rough week for me, and no one except Pianow did particularly well. Stopa's still a couple games ahead in first place, with Pianow in second. But take a look at our consensus pick record - despite a poor showing overall, we went 2-1 on those to run our season record to 21-12-1. This week's are the Chiefs and Rams.

Enjoy the games.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Ravens +1 at FalconsFalconsFalconsRavensRavensFalcons
Lions +3 at BillsLionsLionsLionsBillsLions
Jets -3 at BrownsBrownsJetsBrownsJetsBrowns
Panthers +7 at BuccaneersBuccaneersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthers
Bengals +7 at ColtsColtsColtsBengalsColtsColts
Titans -2 at DolphinsDolphinsTitansDolphinsTitansTitans
Vikings -1 at BearsBearsVikingsBearsBearsBears
Texans +1.5 at JaguarsTexansTexansTexansTexansJaguars
Chiefs -1 at BroncosChiefsChiefsChiefsChiefsChiefs
Rams +6 at 49ersRamsRamsRamsRamsRams
Seahawks +3 at CardinalsSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksCardinals
Cowboys +14.5 at GiantsGiantsCowboysCowboysGiantsCowboys
Patriots +5 at SteelersPatriotsPatriotsSteelersSteelersPatriots
Eagles -3 at RedskinsRedskinsEaglesRedskinsEaglesEagles
Best BetDolphinsRamsRedskinsRamsCowboys
Last Week's Record5-7-18-4-13-9-14-8-16-6-1
2010 Record66-59-568-57-560-65-570-55-564-61-5
Best Bet Record2-6-13-5-15-45-3-14-4-1
Consensus Pick Record21-12-1
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 Record127-120118-129127-120


It was another rough week for me, and no one except Pianow did particularly well. Stopa's still a couple games ahead in first place, with Pianow in second. But take a look at our consensus pick record - despite a poor showing overall, we went 2-1 on those to run our season record to 21-12-1. This week's are the Chiefs and Rams.

Enjoy the games.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Ravens +1 at FalconsFalconsFalconsRavensRavensFalcons
Lions +3 at BillsLionsLionsLionsBillsLions
Jets -3 at BrownsBrownsJetsBrownsJetsBrowns
Panthers +7 at BuccaneersBuccaneersPanthersPanthersPanthersPanthers
Bengals +7 at ColtsColtsColtsBengalsColtsColts
Titans -2 at DolphinsDolphinsTitansDolphinsTitansTitans
Vikings -1 at BearsBearsVikingsBearsBearsBears
Texans +1.5 at JaguarsTexansTexansTexansTexansJaguars
Chiefs -1 at BroncosChiefsChiefsChiefsChiefsChiefs
Rams +6 at 49ersRamsRamsRamsRamsRams
Seahawks +3 at CardinalsSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksCardinals
Cowboys +14.5 at GiantsGiantsCowboysCowboysGiantsCowboys
Patriots +5 at SteelersPatriotsPatriotsSteelersSteelersPatriots
Eagles -3 at RedskinsRedskinsEaglesRedskinsEaglesEagles
Best BetDolphinsRamsRedskinsRamsCowboys
Last Week's Record5-7-18-4-13-9-14-8-16-6-1
2010 Record66-59-568-57-560-65-570-55-564-61-5
Best Bet Record2-6-13-5-15-45-3-14-4-1
Consensus Pick Record21-12-1
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 two consensus picks: the Rams and Chiefs.

Last week we went 2-1 on consensus picks, putting us at 21-12-1 on the year. We finished 2009 at 19-23-1 on consensus picks, and were 24-19-2 on them in 2008.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonEverything points the Titans way (getting Moss, Dolphins switching QBs), but Miami still has a good team with a good defense, and they're at home... I'm pretty comfortable with the Colts pick, too, sadly enough.
PianowskiSt. Louis remains one of the best values of the season, and they were an easy pick for me here. Otherwise, I hate the slate.
LissI love the way the Skins game sets up - Monday night home dog, Donovan McNabb motivated after last week and facing his old team, Eagles coming off a big win over the Colts.
Stopa I almost always respect the lines Vegas creates - they're incredibly good at what they do. That said, I don't understand Rams/Niners at all. The Niners are 2-6, playing a backup QB, and they're laying nearly a TD against a Rams team that looks like an 8-8 type of team, maybe 9-7 in that division. I think that line is at least two points too high, so I see a lot of value with the Rams... I also like the Seahawks. The Cardinals are overrated, as they've been skating by with return TDs... Speaking of overrated, the Vikings are a whisker from being 1-7 like the Cowboys, the only difference between them being the Vikes edged the Cowboys at home a few weeks ago and got a lucky win at home against a bad Cardinals team last week. If not for the crazy Rams line, I'd make the Bears my best bet... I can't put the Falcons among the NFL's elite until they shore up their pass defense - 7.9 YPA is awful, exceeded only by the Cowboys, Texans and Jaguars. As long as the Ravens game-plan to exploit that weakness, they'll win... Speaking of the Texans and Jags, everyone knows the Texans pass defense has been awful, but the Jags yield an incredible 8.7 YPA (nobody else is above 8.2). This feels like a game that a back-and-forth team like the Texans should win... I like the Colts coming off a loss with the line having moved in their favor... I'll sell the Browns high and buy the Jets low... It feels off that the 0-8 Bills are laying a FG, but they're a different team with Fitzpatrick at QB. Granted, the wins haven't come yet, but their last three games have all been respectable, three-point losses to prospective playoff teams - the Ravens, Chiefs, and Bears. The defense is still terrible, but the team they are, right now, is more like a 6-10 type of team than 0-8... The Panthers is purely a "fade the public" play... Starting Chad Pennington reeks of desperation, and Chris Johnson should go nuts with Randy Moss keeping the safeties honest... The Broncos can't stop the run, and that's what the Chiefs do well... The Steelers are due for a strong performance, and the Patriots have a lot more problems than their record reflects. I wouldn't be surprised to see them miss the playoffs.
Del DonI was close to making Indy my best bet, but ultimately, I backed Dallas, as that's an awful lot of points in a divisional matchup. Maybe the coaching change helps, and with the Cowboys coming off an undressing in primetime while the Giants just destroyed the Seahawks in Seattle, expect some natural regression.

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.

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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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