Staff Picks: No Consensus Picks

My season so far's been a disaster, but Stopa and Pianowski are doing pretty well, and consensus picks are still nine games over .500. No consensus picks this week.

Enjoy the games

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Patriots -7 at Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Patriots	Lions
Saints -3.5 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Saints	Cowboys	Saints	Cowboys
Bengals +9 at Jets	Jets	Bengals	Jets	Jets	Bengals
Vikings +2.5 at Redskins	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Vikings	Redskins
Steelers -6.5 at Bills	Bills	Bills	Bills	Steelers	Steelers
Panthers +10 at Browns	Browns	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers
Titans +6.5 at Texans	Texans	Titans	Texans	Titans	Titans
Jaguars +7.5 at Giants	Jaguars	Jaguars	Giants	Jaguars	Giants
Packers +2.5 at Falcons	Packers	Packers	Falcons	Packers	Falcons
Chiefs -1 at Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Chiefs	Chiefs
Dolphins +3 at Raiders	Raiders	Dolphins	Dolphins	Raiders	Dolphins
Buccaneers +8 at Ravens	Ravens	Buccaneers	Ravens	Buccaneers	Buccaneers
Eagles -3.5 at Bears	Bears	Bears	Bears	Eagles	Eagles
Rams +4 at Broncos	Broncos	Rams	Rams	Rams	Rams
Chargers +3 at Colts	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Chargers	Colts
49ers -1 at Cardinals	Cardinals	49ers	Cardinals	49ers	Cardinals
Best Bet	Vikings	Jaguars	Jets	Chargers	Falcons
Last Week's Record	7-9	8-8	6-10	11-5	7-9
2010 Record	81-74-5	84-71-5	73-82-5	86-69-5	79-76-5
Best Bet Record	3-7-1	5-5-1	5-6	7-3-1	6-4-1
Consensus Pick Record	24-15-1
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

Consensus Picks

This week we have no consensus picks.

Last week we went 2-2 on consensus picks, putting us at 24-15-1 on the year. We finished 2009 at 19-23-1 on consensus picks, and were 24-19-2 on them in 2008.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	I expect a good dead-cat bounce this week from the Vikes, now that the Chilly cloud has been lifted.
Pianowski	Another slate I hate with the intensity of 1,000 suns. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Liss	After being life and death with some average teams the last few weeks, I think the Jets roll at home on Thanksgiving against a Cincinnati squad that fell apart at home against the Bills.
Stopa	I don't have as strong a feel about this week as usual - maybe it's because I'm picking so early in the week, or maybe it's that three of the lines are "off" right now... Interesting how the lines moved in favor of the Patriots and Jets even though the public is on them. Did the sharps put money on the big favorites? It certainly seems so... The Jaguars are not going to win a playoff game, if they somehow make it, but they shouldn't be getting that many points from an injury-riddled Giants squad. The Giants haven't run well lately, and Eli Manning isn't good enough to carry a team with no-name WRs... I expect the Vikings to play better without Childress, similar to the Cowboys with Garrett... Bucs/Ravens is a lot like Bucs/Falcons from two weeks ago, and we saw the Bucs cover a similar line there and almost win outright... On the close lines (three points or less), I'm not over-thinking it. Forget "buy low," "sell high," fading the public, bouncing back, or even home/road. I'm picking the teams that I think are better. The Packers and Falcons are similar on offense, but the Packers give up 6.5 YPA on defense; the Falcons 7.5. The Chargers are the best team in the AFC right now (leading the NFL in total offense, total defense, passing offense, and passing defense), but it will be another 4-6 weeks before anyone realizes it because of their record. Meanwhile, quietly, Peyton Manning is having his worst season since he was a rookie. The Eagles and Bears have similar defenses, but the offenses are no comparison. If the Seahawks didn't have their victory total padded by playing in that division, would that line against a decent Chiefs squad be what it is? ... I struggled on the Steelers. The Bills haven't lost by more than 3 since Week 5, but I can't see their defense slowing down the Steelers, so taking 6.5 points means I think the Bills will score in the high 20s. I see that more like 34-20.
Del Don	Despite a full 16-game slate, this might qualify as my least favorite of the season when it comes to a "best bet," but I'll reluctantly take the Falcons.

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 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.

•Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006 Staff Picks Champ, 2003, 2004 co-champ. Writes Beating the Book and Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.

•Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, Writes Working the Wire. Roots for the Bills.

•Dalton Del Don: RotoWire Senior Staff Writer. 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Writes the Game Capsules and the Barometer. Covers the Eagles and roots for the 49ers.