NFL Picks: Backing the Steelers

Written by

Updated on November 15, 2017 4:39PM EST

I had another brutal week, and while I'm still in second place, it's a distant second, a full nine games behind Pianowski. Erickson and Stopa are one and two games behind me, respectively. DDD is on his own planet, and it's a hellscape.

This week, everyone likes the Steelers on Thursday night, and both Erickson and I have the Patriots as our best bets. Oddly, Stopa is the only writer to pick the Buccaners, and they're his best bet.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Titans +7 at Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers
Lions -3 at Bears	Bears	Bears	Bears	Lions	Lions
Chiefs -10.5 at Giants	Chiefs	Chiefs	Giants	Giants	Giants
Buccaneers +1 at Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Buccaneers	Dolphins
Ravens -2 at Packers	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Packers
Rams +2.5 at Vikings	Vikings	Rams	Rams	Vikings	Vikings
Cardinals +1 at Texans	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Texans
Jaguars -7.5 at Browns	Browns	Browns	Browns	Jaguars	Browns
Redskins +7.5 at Saints	Saints	Redskins	Redskins	Saints	Saints
Bills +4 at Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Bills
Bengals +2.5 at Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Bengals	Broncos	Broncos
Raiders +6.5 vs* Patriots	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots	Raiders	Patriots
Eagles -3.5 at Cowboys	Eagles	Cowboys	Cowboys	Eagles	Cowboys
Falcons +3 at Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Falcons	Seahawks
Best Bet	Patriots	Bears	Patriots	Buccaneers	Saints
Last Week's Record	6-8	7-7	4-10	6-8	7-7
2017 Record	68-73-5	78-63-5	69-72-5	67-74-5	57-84-5
Best Bet Record	5-5	5-5	7-3	4-4-2	5-5
Unanimous Pick Record	12-13-1
Majority Pick Record	71-70-5
2016

This week, everyone likes the Steelers on Thursday night, and both Erickson and I have the Patriots as our best bets. Oddly, Stopa is the only writer to pick the Buccaners, and they're his best bet.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Titans +7 at Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers
Lions -3 at Bears	Bears	Bears	Bears	Lions	Lions
Chiefs -10.5 at Giants	Chiefs	Chiefs	Giants	Giants	Giants
Buccaneers +1 at Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Buccaneers	Dolphins
Ravens -2 at Packers	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Packers
Rams +2.5 at Vikings	Vikings	Rams	Rams	Vikings	Vikings
Cardinals +1 at Texans	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Texans
Jaguars -7.5 at Browns	Browns	Browns	Browns	Jaguars	Browns
Redskins +7.5 at Saints	Saints	Redskins	Redskins	Saints	Saints
Bills +4 at Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Bills
Bengals +2.5 at Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Bengals	Broncos	Broncos
Raiders +6.5 vs* Patriots	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots	Raiders	Patriots
Eagles -3.5 at Cowboys	Eagles	Cowboys	Cowboys	Eagles	Cowboys
Falcons +3 at Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Falcons	Seahawks
Best Bet	Patriots	Bears	Patriots	Buccaneers	Saints
Last Week's Record	6-8	7-7	4-10	6-8	7-7
2017 Record	68-73-5	78-63-5	69-72-5	67-74-5	57-84-5
Best Bet Record	5-5	5-5	7-3	4-4-2	5-5
Unanimous Pick Record	12-13-1
Majority Pick Record	71-70-5
2016 Record	133-102-5	122-113-5	115-120-5	108-127-5	123-112-5
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 Steelers. Last week we were 0-2 on unanimous picks, losing with the Browns and Cowboys to put us at 12-13-1 on the season. We went 5-9 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 71-70-5. Last year we went 27-22-2 on unanimous picks and 138-124-5 on majority picks.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	This isn't in Oakland - it's a neutral field. The Patriots are on a roll, and even though the Raiders have the bye week to prepare, I don't think their defense can stop them.
Pianowski	I'm petitioning to have all Ravens and Dolphins games off TV. I can live with the Browns and the Giants, they are so bad there's actually some entertainment value there. I've been getting crushed with road dogs in the stand-alone games; maybe it's anecdotal, maybe there's something I need to reevaluate. Whatever Javert mission I go on, it's not going to happen this week. Pittsburgh is the classic team that mails it in against an obvious patsy, but shows up against real competition. I should have pounded the Colts last week. They're pretty easy in retrospect, eh?
Liss	I expect the Pats to crush the Raiders on a neutral site. I don't see how Oakland will stop them. I also like the Chargers at home against the road-challenged Bills who are starting a backup quarterback.
Stopa	Miami is last in the NFL in DVOA, even worse than the Browns (and, yes, worse than Liss' Giants). Fading the Dolphins and getting points has to be my best bet, and likely something I'll put my own $$ on. I also like the Chargers, who I expect to somehow sneak into the AFC's sixth seed in a conference full of misfits. Although I can't bet on it here, the under in the Oakland-New England game is interesting. After opening at 50, that line is up to 53.5 in some books, even though the Pats D has been holding everyone under 20 points in recent weeks. Fade the public.
Del Don	I'm all in on the Saints. They have a strong argument they're the best team in football right now, and the lines have yet to catch up... I also like the Seahawks, Broncos, Patriots and Cowboys this week.

The players:

• Jeff Erickson: RotoWire Senior editor, 2001, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2016 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.