This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
It was a brutal week for the Staff, other than Erickson who went 3-1. I went 1-3, and everyone else went 0-4. Erickson has at least a postseason tie locked up because he's two games ahead of me with three to play, and we both took the Patriots. In fact everyone took the Patriots, and four of us made them our best bet. Erickson's best bet is the Panthers.
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots -3 at Broncos | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Cardinals +3 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Cardinals | Panthers | Cardinals |
| Best Bet | Panthers | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Last Week's Record | 3-1 | 0-4 | 1-3 | 0-4 | 0-4 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 4-4 | 1-7 | 2-6 | 1-7 | 1-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 10-8-1 | 8-11 | 7-10-2 | 7-11-1 | 8-11 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 21-28-1 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 123-133-8 | ||||
| 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 |
| 2000 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 6-5 |
It was a brutal week for the Staff, other than Erickson who went 3-1. I went 1-3, and everyone else went 0-4. Erickson has at least a postseason tie locked up because he's two games ahead of me with three to play, and we both took the Patriots. In fact everyone took the Patriots, and four of us made them our best bet. Erickson's best bet is the Panthers.
Unanimous/Majority Picks
The players:
| Erickson | Pianowski | Liss | Stopa | Del Don | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots -3 at Broncos | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Cardinals +3 at Panthers | Panthers | Panthers | Cardinals | Panthers | Cardinals |
| Best Bet | Panthers | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots | Patriots |
| Last Week's Record | 3-1 | 0-4 | 1-3 | 0-4 | 0-4 |
| 2015 Playoff Record | 4-4 | 1-7 | 2-6 | 1-7 | 1-7 |
| Best Bet Record | 10-8-1 | 8-11 | 7-10-2 | 7-11-1 | 8-11 |
| Unanimous Pick Record | 21-28-1 | ||||
| Majority Pick Record | 123-133-8 | ||||
| 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 |
| 2000 Playoff Record | 6-5 | 7-4 | 6-5 | N/A | N/A |
| 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 one unanimous pick, the Patriots. We had no unanimous picks last week, either, and our YTD record stands at 21-28-1. We went 0-4 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 123-133-8.
Comments:
| Writer | Comment |
|---|---|
| Erickson | Once again, the line is treating the Panthers as if they are an even-rated team to their opponent. Last week, at least you could credit the Seahawks for their previous playoff experience for said credit. I'm not sure why Arizona is being given the same treatment. |
| Pianowski | I've been wrong all month so fade away, faders. That said, Peyton Manning does not scare me at all. |
| Liss | I expect the Patriots to exploit Denver's weaknesses, as the disparity in coaching could not be wider. Panthers-Cards is a coin flip to me, but I took Arizona on a hunch. |
| Stopa | The Chiefs have a good pass rush, but they barely touched Tom Brady. With their offensive line back to normal and the other weapons healthy, I don't see how the ghost of Peyton Manning can keep up. Pats 27-17. In the NFC, I'm a bit concerned Carson Palmer is due for a good game, and he certainly has the weapons around him to go off. But this has been Cam's season, and if Arizona is life and death with a mediocre Packers team at home, they won't change that here. Carolina 27-20. |
| Del Don | I actually expect New England to win in a blowout. I could see the NFC game going either way, so took the points. |
The players:
• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015 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.
