Staff Picks: Texans, Bills, Bengals, Broncos, Colts, Browns and Lions

Erickson won the week at 9-7, but Pianow still has a huge lead after going 8-8. This week, we have a record seven consensus picks, something I did not see coming when I was making my picks. Moreover, had Erickson not taken the Packers and Bucs, we would have had nine.

Pianow and I both like the Giants as our best bets, while two of the other best bets, the Texans and Bills, were consensus picks.

Enjoy the games.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Eagles -3 at Seahawks	Eagles	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Eagles
Raiders +3 at Dolphins	Dolphins	Raiders	Dolphins	Dolphins	Dolphins
Falcons -2 at Texans	Texans	Texans	Texans	Texans	Texans
Titans +1 at Bills	Bills	Bills	Bills	Bills	Bills
Chiefs +8.5 at Bears	Bears	Bears	Chiefs	Bears	Bears
Jets -3 at Redskins	Redskins	Jets	Redskins	Redskins	Jets
Bengals +7 at Steelers	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals	Bengals
Broncos pick 'em at Vikings	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos
Panthers +3.5 at Buccaneers	Buccaneers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers	Panthers
Colts +20.5 at Patriots	Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts	Colts
Ravens -7 at Browns	Browns	Browns	Browns	Browns	Browns
Cowboys -4.5 at Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cowboys	Cardinals
Packers -8 at Giants	Packers	Giants	Giants	Giants	Giants
Rams +13.5 at 49ers	49ers	49ers	Rams	Rams	49ers
Lions +9.5 at Saints	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions
Chargers -2.5 at Jaguars	Jaguars	Chargers	Jaguars	Chargers	Chargers
Best Bet	Bills	Giants	Giants	Dolphins	Texans
Last Week's Record	9-7	8-8	8-8	6-10	7-9
2011 Record	86-85-5	92-79-5	83-88-5	85-86-5	84-87-5
Best Bet Record	6-6	6-5-1	7-5	8-4	4-7-1
Consensus Pick Record	20-16-1
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

Consensus Picks

This week we have a whopping seven consensus picks: the Texans, Bills, Bengals, Broncos, Colts, Browns and Lions. We went 1-3 on consensus picks in Week 12 to go 20-16-1 on the year. We went 32-21-1 on consensus picks in 2010.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	I'm wary of monster lines in the NFL, even if it's the Fighting Orlovsky's getting the points... We have to constantly check our perceptions at the door, and one of those that needs revisiting is that of the Cardinals. Recently they've had one stinker - at San Francisco, won twice on the road (PHI, STL), and gave Baltimore a huge scare in Baltimore. That secondary isn't good, but it's getting better. I'll take the points... Tennessee brings something different to the table every week, and I don't want to treat them as a favorite on the road... Toughest games for me were ATL-HOU, DET-NO, and CIN-PIT.
Pianowski	The line has jumped on the Giants and pushed it to a number where they're the obvious play. As unbalanced as New York is, this team still has the basic skill set (pass rush, pass offense) that allows you to challenge the Packers.
Liss	I'm shocked at the number of consensus picks, and I was almost sure at least one writer would be on the Patriots or Vikings.
Stopa	After last week, I feel like I just woke up on the logo of my high school's football field, the stadium is packed, and everyone is pointing and laughing at me because I'm naked. I'm looking for somewhere to hide but there's nothing but bright lights and open space. Anyway, I like Seattle as an underdog at home, as the Eagles may pack it in... It's interesting that the Lions and Giants swapped opponents from last week's games. Everyone will think the Packers will do what the Saints just did to the Giants, and that the Saints will do what the Packers just did to the Lions, so that has to make the Giants and Lions the right choices... I'm not laying 20-plus points in any NFL game. Ever. My best bet is the Dolphins, as I think they and the Raiders are more like .500 teams than their records currently reflect - the correction for each comes this week. It's worth noting I've picked incorrectly on eight straight Bills games, so I'd say to fade me, but did I inadvertently fade myself before picking? Honestly, I have no idea - it's hard not to think and overthink, like I have. I always try to remain objective, but with this kind of losing streak, and since the Bills are my team, that's easier said than done.
Del Don	The Falcons defend the run well, but this spread is an overreaction to Houston using its third-string quarterback.

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 East Coast Offense, Beating the Book and Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.

•Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010 Staff Picks Champ, 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.