NFL Picks: Erickson Goes Back to Back

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Updated on December 28, 2016 4:18PM EST

Congratulations to Erickson for winning the Staff Picks title for the second straight year. After a 10-6 week, he has a 10-game lead on DDD and 11 on Pianowski, and neither differs with him on enough games to catch up. Erickson also won in 2013, making it three of the last four seasons.

This week we all like the Giants, Rams and Broncos, and both Pianowski and Stopa have the Broncos as their best bets. Erickson and me both have the Jets as ours.

Like last week when Stopa blocked four would-be unanimous picks (they went 3-1), this week he's blocking the Jets, Colts, Eagles and Dolphins.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Texans +3 at Titans	Texans	Titans	Texans	Texans	Titans
Bills -3.5 at Jets	Jets	Jets	Jets	Bills	Jets
Ravens +2.5 at Bengals	Bengals	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Bengals
Jaguars +4.5 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Jaguars	Colts
Cowboys +4 at Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	Cowboys	Eagles
Bears +5 at Vikings	Vikings	Bears	Bears	Bears	Bears
Panthers +6 at Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers
Browns +6 at Steelers	Steelers	Browns	Browns	Steelers	Steelers
Patriots -9.5 at Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Patriots	Dolphins
Giants +8 at Redskins	Giants	Giants	Giants	Giants	Giants
Saints +6.5 at Falcons	Falcons	Saints	Saints	Falcons	Saints
Cardinals -6 at Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams
Chiefs -5.5 at Chargers	Chiefs	Chargers	Chargers	Chiefs	Chargers
Seahawks -9.5 at 49ers	Seahawks	Seahawks	49ers	49ers	Seahawks
Raiders +1.5 at Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos
Packers -3.5

This week we all like the Giants, Rams and Broncos, and both Pianowski and Stopa have the Broncos as their best bets. Erickson and me both have the Jets as ours.

Like last week when Stopa blocked four would-be unanimous picks (they went 3-1), this week he's blocking the Jets, Colts, Eagles and Dolphins.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Texans +3 at Titans	Texans	Titans	Texans	Texans	Titans
Bills -3.5 at Jets	Jets	Jets	Jets	Bills	Jets
Ravens +2.5 at Bengals	Bengals	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Bengals
Jaguars +4.5 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Jaguars	Colts
Cowboys +4 at Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	Cowboys	Eagles
Bears +5 at Vikings	Vikings	Bears	Bears	Bears	Bears
Panthers +6 at Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers
Browns +6 at Steelers	Steelers	Browns	Browns	Steelers	Steelers
Patriots -9.5 at Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins	Patriots	Dolphins
Giants +8 at Redskins	Giants	Giants	Giants	Giants	Giants
Saints +6.5 at Falcons	Falcons	Saints	Saints	Falcons	Saints
Cardinals -6 at Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams
Chiefs -5.5 at Chargers	Chiefs	Chargers	Chargers	Chiefs	Chargers
Seahawks -9.5 at 49ers	Seahawks	Seahawks	49ers	49ers	Seahawks
Raiders +1.5 at Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos
Packers -3.5 at Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Packers
Best Bet	Jets	Broncos	Jets	Broncos	Packers
Last week's Record	10-6	8-8	8-8	6-10	7-9
2016 Record	133-102-5	122-113-5	115-120-5	108-127-5	123-112-5
Best Bet Record	10-6	10-6	8-8	6-10	9-7
2016 Unanimous Pick Record	25-20-2
2016 Majority Pick Record	125-110-5
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 three unanimous picks, the Giants, Rams and Broncos. We went 1-2 on unanimous picks last week, winning with the Jaguars and losing with the Rams and Texans to bring our season record to 25-20-2. We went 8-8 on majority (three or more writers) picks to bring our season record to 125-110-5.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	Yikes, I'm making a really crappy, dysfunctional team my best bet. But the opposing team is almost trying to lose by benching its starting quarterback just to save theoretical money. Then again, there might be the "fired coach dead cat bounce." This is a crappy week, and trying to pick based on motivation is a dangerous business. Once the game starts, they're professionals playing football and not trying hard will get them killed out there. So I'm trying not to read too much into motivations, absent guessing which teams will not play their stars.
Pianowski	The Broncos defense is still elite, and now it's at home against a team that doesn't match it's record, plus a backup quarterback. I found myself oddly decisive in Week 17, not what I expected given the uncertainty of the week. But again, there's nothing necessarily predictive to that.
Liss	I know the Jets are bad, but getting 3.5 at home against EJ Manuel seems excessive. I also like the Colts, Ravens and Broncos.
Stopa	It's Week 17. Fade the teams that need to win, and take the points.
Del Don	Week 17 is such a crap shoot (even more so than usual), so I mostly just took the points... I do believe in the Packers at this point though.

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.