NFL Picks: Backing the Ravens

NFL Picks: Backing the Ravens

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Nearly everyone went 2-2 last week, which puts DDD at 6-2, two games up and in sight of the playoff crown as only Stopa differs with him on both games this week. Stopa also happens to be the only writer taking the Patriots.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
49ers -4 at Falcons49ersFalcons49ers49ersFalcons
Ravens +9 at PatriotsRavensRavensRavensPatriotsRavens
Best BetRavensRavens49ers49ersFalcons
Last Week's Record1-32-22-22-22-2
2012 Playoff Record2-64-44-44-46-2
Playoff Best Best Record1-11-12-01-11-1
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
Best Bet Record3-12-212-57-108-910-7
Consensus Pick Record23-30-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-26-57-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-67-48-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-106-55-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-68-34-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-45-6N/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-14-6-1N/AN/A
2000 Playoff Record6-57-46-5N/AN/A
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
Nearly everyone went 2-2 last week, which puts DDD at 6-2, two games up and in sight of the playoff crown as only Stopa differs with him on both games this week. Stopa also happens to be the only writer taking the Patriots.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
49ers -4 at Falcons49ersFalcons49ers49ersFalcons
Ravens +9 at PatriotsRavensRavensRavensPatriotsRavens
Best BetRavensRavens49ers49ersFalcons
Last Week's Record1-32-22-22-22-2
2012 Playoff Record2-64-44-44-46-2
Playoff Best Best Record1-11-12-01-11-1
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
Best Bet Record3-12-212-57-108-910-7
Consensus Pick Record23-30-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-26-57-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-67-48-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-106-55-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-68-34-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-45-6N/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-14-6-1N/AN/A
2000 Playoff Record6-57-46-5N/AN/A
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

Like last week, we have no consensus picks this week. We're 23-30-1 on the season. Last year we were 30-24-2 on consensus picks.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonI hate betting on the side in which the line has already moved from where it's opened, especially in the Niners game, where there had to be a ton of money to get a road No. 2 seed off the 3-point spread. It's really remarkable, to see a No. 1 seed being a home dog in the playoffs like this.
PianowskiHate, hate, hate picking the Falcons, but the number seems a little too high to me. The number is certainly too high in the second game, where I think Baltimore's winning chances are in the 35-40 percent range.
LissIf DDD's best bet isn't a hedge, there's no such thing as a hedge.
StopaI've been on the 49ers and Patriots all year, while repeatedly calling out the Ravens and Falcons as frauds, so I suppose it's ironic these are the teams to square off. I'm 100% comfortable sticking to my guns with the 49ers, who are vastly superior to the Falcons in every aspect, particularly in the trenches, and should win handily. Don't give me the "home dog" angle, either, as nobody's afraid of going into ATL. 49ers 38-17. The other game, however, gives me pause. My instinct/gut says the Patriots, as every metric says they're much better than the Ravens. My brain, though, tells me the Ravens usually play the Pats tough, and the Patriots offense, while still top-shelf, isn't the same without Gronk. I struggled with this all week - gut vs. brain - and ultimately went with my gut. I felt good about my picks this year, so I can't see changing the thought process now. Pats 34-20. Falcons and Ravens are frauds, so Pats vs. 49ers for the title.
Del Don The NFC Championship game spread has to be one of the craziest ever, with the No. 1 seed being as much as 5-point dogs in some places. Neither a Pats blowout nor a Ravens win outright would surprise me in the AFC game.

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 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 Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.

Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010 and 2012 Staff Picks Champ, Writes Working the Wire. Roots for the Bills.

Dalton Del Don: Fantasy Expert for Yahoo! Sports, 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the 49ers.

Want to Read More?
Subscribe to RotoWire to see the full article.

We reserve some of our best content for our paid subscribers. Plus, if you choose to subscribe you can discuss this article with the author and the rest of the RotoWire community.

Get Instant Access To This Article Get Access To This Article
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only NFL Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire NFL fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
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.
Streaming Defenses: Week 11 Fantasy Options for Team Defenses
Streaming Defenses: Week 11 Fantasy Options for Team Defenses
NFL Injury Analysis:  Tread Carefully With Collins
NFL Injury Analysis: Tread Carefully With Collins
NFL Waiver Wire: Week 11 Pickups
NFL Waiver Wire: Week 11 Pickups
Interview with a DFS Standout: How to Win DFS NFL Showdown Contests
Interview with a DFS Standout: How to Win DFS NFL Showdown Contests