NFL Picks: Backing the Seahawks

NFL Picks: Backing the Seahawks

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Last week I went 2-0, and everyone else went either 1-1 or 0-2, but either DDD or Erickson will win the playoff portion of the staff picks. That's because both are one game ahead of Stopa and me, and they're on opposite sides.

In fact, DDD is the only writer taking the Broncos and not by much as he has them winning by three, and they're 2.5-point favorites. Otherwise, it's all Seahawks with the margin of victory being the only difference. Pianowski has them by four, Erickson by seven, Stopa by 11 and I have them by 16. Erickson and DDD have the under (it's 48) while Pianowski, Stopa and I have the over.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Seahawks +2.5 vs. BroncosSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksBroncos
Final Score24-1727-2333-1731-2024-21
Last Week's Record1-11-12-00-20-2
Playoff Record4-4-22-6-23-5-23-5-24-4-2
Playoff Best Bet Record1-21-21-1-11-21-2
Best Bet Record9-7-15-129-89-86-11
Consensus Pick Record23-29-3
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-14-6-18-2-1
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/A4-7
Last week I went 2-0, and everyone else went either 1-1 or 0-2, but either DDD or Erickson will win the playoff portion of the staff picks. That's because both are one game ahead of Stopa and me, and they're on opposite sides.

In fact, DDD is the only writer taking the Broncos and not by much as he has them winning by three, and they're 2.5-point favorites. Otherwise, it's all Seahawks with the margin of victory being the only difference. Pianowski has them by four, Erickson by seven, Stopa by 11 and I have them by 16. Erickson and DDD have the under (it's 48) while Pianowski, Stopa and I have the over.

EricksonPianowskiLissStopaDel Don
Seahawks +2.5 vs. BroncosSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksSeahawksBroncos
Final Score24-1727-2333-1731-2024-21
Last Week's Record1-11-12-00-20-2
Playoff Record4-4-22-6-23-5-23-5-24-4-2
Playoff Best Bet Record1-21-21-1-11-21-2
Best Bet Record9-7-15-129-89-86-11
Consensus Pick Record23-29-3
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-14-6-18-2-1
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
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10111-135-10128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6143-107-6123-127-6
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 no consensus picks. We went 23-29-3 on consensus picks this year.

Comments:

WriterComment
EricksonDenver hasn't played any of the elite defenses all season long. What was the best defense that they faced? San Diego? So while acknowledging this is more than just a great offense facing a great defense - it's an historically great offense facing an historically great defense - I'm going with the group that faced a much tougher schedule.
PianowskiBroncos have an all-time offense, and Seattle obviously has a very good defense (the best of 2013). Maybe Denver has the edge there, maybe not. But I certainly think the venue and backdrop favor Seattle, and I also like the Seahawks offense against Denver's defense. X-factor: Russell Wilson's mobility.
LissI haven't felt this strongly about a Super Bowl since I can remember. Balanced teams with dominant defenses usually win over offensive juggernauts.
StopaI want to root for Peyton, and I've already explained how his 2013 season is on the short list for greatest individual seasons in sports history. But Seattle's roster is so much better than Denver's from 2-53, and I can't help but worry that playing outdoors in the cold (wind?) will impact Peyton just enough to prevent the perfect offensive execution he'll need to beat the Seahawks defense. I like Seattle, the over and Russell Wilson as MVP. I like any prop bets involving a Seattle blowout, too. Denver hasn't played a defense like this all year, and if the weather is bad and Peyton can't execute, it could get out of hand.
Del DonThere hasn't been a bigger PPG scored and allowed discrepancy between an offense and defense in a game since 1950, and this just so happens to be the Super Bowl. Put differently, this is arguably the greatest offense in NFL history versus one of the greatest defenses ever facing off on as big of a stage as it gets. I don't love that public money is all over Denver, and poor weather would obviously hurt a Broncos team that relies more on a passing attack. Moreover, Denver's defense has been demonstrably worse without Chris Harris in the lineup, and Percy Harvin looks good to go for Seattle. The coaching edge belongs to the Seahawks as well. On the other hand, Denver defends the run well, and Seattle is a much more vulnerable team when not playing at home. I wouldn't be surprised by either team winning, though I would be by a blowout. I'll say Broncos 24-21.

The players:

Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013 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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