NFL Picks: Titans, Buccaneers and Jaguars

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Updated on September 24, 2014 7:49PM EST

The Staff came down to earth a bit this week with a 7-9 mark on majority picks, though unanimous picks still went 2-1, bringing the season total to 8-4. Mark Stopa had one of the worst week over week stretches in staff picks history going from 13-3 to 4-12. (I once sandwiched a 12-1-1 week in between 3-11 weeks in 2001.)

I went 11-5 to continue my good start, but Pianow is within five games at 28-19. Both DDD and Erickson like the Chiefs as their best bets, and oddly Erickson and I differ on only one game - either I'm going to lift him up, or he'll drag me down to his level this week.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Giants +3.5 at Redskins	Giants	Redskins	Giants	Redskins	Redskins
Dolphins -4 vs. Raiders*	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Dolphins
Packers -1.5 at Bears	Packers	Packers	Packers	Packers	Bears
Bills +3 at Texans	Texans	Bills	Texans	Texans	Texans
Titans +7.5 at Colts	Titans	Titans	Titans	Titans	Titans
Panthers +3 at Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Panthers	Ravens
Lions -1.5 at Jets	Lions	Jets	Jets	Lions	Jets
Buccaneers +7.5 at Steelers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers
Jaguars +13 at Chargers	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars
Eagles +5 at 49ers	Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	49ers	Eagles
Falcons -3 at Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Falcons	Vikings
Saints -3 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Saints	Cowboys	Saints	Cowboys
Patriots -3.5 at Chiefs	Chiefs	Patriots	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs
Best Bet	Chiefs	Packers	Giants	Jaguars	Chiefs
Last Week's Record	6-10

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Giants +3.5 at Redskins	Giants	Redskins	Giants	Redskins	Redskins
Dolphins -4 vs. Raiders*	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Dolphins
Packers -1.5 at Bears	Packers	Packers	Packers	Packers	Bears
Bills +3 at Texans	Texans	Bills	Texans	Texans	Texans
Titans +7.5 at Colts	Titans	Titans	Titans	Titans	Titans
Panthers +3 at Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Panthers	Ravens
Lions -1.5 at Jets	Lions	Jets	Jets	Lions	Jets
Buccaneers +7.5 at Steelers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Buccaneers
Jaguars +13 at Chargers	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars	Jaguars
Eagles +5 at 49ers	Eagles	Eagles	Eagles	49ers	Eagles
Falcons -3 at Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Falcons	Vikings
Saints -3 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Saints	Cowboys	Saints	Cowboys
Patriots -3.5 at Chiefs	Chiefs	Patriots	Chiefs	Chiefs	Chiefs
Best Bet	Chiefs	Packers	Giants	Jaguars	Chiefs
Last Week's Record	6-10	8-8	11-5	4-12	8-8
2014 Record	23-24-1	28-19-1	33-14-1	26-21-1	25-22-1
Best Bet Record	1-2	1-2	3-0	3-0	0-3
Majority Record	31-16-1
Unanimous Pick Record	8-4
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 all like the Titans, Buccaneers and Jaguars. Last week we went 2-1 on unanimous picks to go 8-4 on the year. And we went 7-9 on majority picks (three or more writers) to go 31-16-1.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	I still don't know what the Colts are - they opened with tough matchups against the Broncos and Eagles (and were up big in the latter), then blew out a patsy. Tennessee isn't good, but they aren't terrible, either. I get the feeling that this is going to be one of those games where the Titans get a late score to get it to 7... The Saints favored on the road, Saints lose outright. Lather, rinse, repeat... Atlanta might be very similar to the Saints - great at home in their dome, mediocre on the road, outdoors. I'd give the Vikings more than a puncher's chance at winning this one outright.
Pianowski	Back to the well with the Jaguars (the opposite of fun), but at least Blake Bortles can make a play and get rid of the ball now and then. Chad Henne's pocket awareness left early to beat the traffic. The Pats seem like a sucker play as a road favorite, but then I thought about the head coaches and reversed course.
Liss	Kirk Cousins might be good, but he was terrible last year, and a shootout against the Eagles and a home game against the Jaguars aren't much of a test. I think the Giants win outright here. I suspect the Jaguars with Blake Bortles will be an entirely different team - fewer three-and-outs, more rest for the defense, the sense that the team is trying. Can't believe I'm taking the Cowboys, but until further notice, I'm auto-fading the Saints on the road.
Stopa	Apparently there's no such thing as momentum in Staff Picks. Sigh. I struggled with a best bet this week, and while it's probably dumb to put that 3-0 mark on the line with the Jaguars, San Diego is a ball control team, not a blow-em-out team, and Bortles can't be worse than Henne.
Del Don	I expect the Patriots to get it together eventually and become a contender, but they hardly look like one right now, so I can't see giving more than a field goal on the road on Monday night to a Chiefs team that's looked much better after laying an egg in Week 1.

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.