NFL Picks: Backing the Ravens

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Updated on January 17, 2013 11:41PM EST

Nearly everyone went 2-2 last week, which puts DDD at 6-2, two games up and in sight of the playoff crown as only Stopa differs with him on both games this week. Stopa also happens to be the only writer taking the Patriots.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
49ers -4 at Falcons	49ers	Falcons	49ers	49ers	Falcons
Ravens +9 at Patriots	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Patriots	Ravens
Best Bet	Ravens	Ravens	49ers	49ers	Falcons
Last Week's Record	1-3	2-2	2-2	2-2	2-2
2012 Playoff Record	2-6	4-4	4-4	4-4	6-2
Playoff Best Best Record	1-1	1-1	2-0	1-1	1-1
2012 Record	110-140-6	125-125-6	121-129-6	143-107-6	123-127-6
Best Bet Record	3-12-2	12-5	7-10	8-9	10-7
Consensus Pick Record	23-30-1
2011 Playoff Record	8-3	5-6	9-2	6-5	7-4
2010 Playoff Record	6-5	5-6	5-6	7-4	8-3
2009 Playoff Record	5-6	4-7	1-10	6-5	5-6
2008 Playoff Record	6-5	5-6	5-6	8-3	4-7
2007 Playoff Record	8-3	3-8	6-5	N/A	2-9
2006 Playoff Record	7-4	N/A	4-7	N/A	N/A
2005 Playoff Record	5-6	N/A	3-8	N/A	N/A
2004 Playoff Record	6-5	N/A	4-7	N/A	N/A
2003 Playoff Record	6-5	N/A	4-7	N/A	N/A
2002 Playoff Record	6-5	7-4	5-6	N/A	N/A
2001 Playoff Record	6-4-1	7-3-1	4-6-1	N/A	N/A
2000 Playoff Record	6-5	7-4	6-5	N/A	N/A
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

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
49ers -4 at Falcons	49ers	Falcons	49ers	49ers	Falcons
Ravens +9 at Patriots	Ravens	Ravens	Ravens	Patriots	Ravens
Best Bet	Ravens	Ravens	49ers	49ers	Falcons
Last Week's Record	1-3	2-2	2-2	2-2	2-2
2012 Playoff Record	2-6	4-4	4-4	4-4	6-2
Playoff Best Best Record	1-1	1-1	2-0	1-1	1-1
2012 Record	110-140-6	125-125-6	121-129-6	143-107-6	123-127-6
Best Bet Record	3-12-2	12-5	7-10	8-9	10-7
Consensus Pick Record	23-30-1
2011 Playoff Record	8-3	5-6	9-2	6-5	7-4
2010 Playoff Record	6-5	5-6	5-6	7-4	8-3
2009 Playoff Record	5-6	4-7	1-10	6-5	5-6
2008 Playoff Record	6-5	5-6	5-6	8-3	4-7
2007 Playoff Record	8-3	3-8	6-5	N/A	2-9
2006 Playoff Record	7-4	N/A	4-7	N/A	N/A
2005 Playoff Record	5-6	N/A	3-8	N/A	N/A
2004 Playoff Record	6-5	N/A	4-7	N/A	N/A
2003 Playoff Record	6-5	N/A	4-7	N/A	N/A
2002 Playoff Record	6-5	7-4	5-6	N/A	N/A
2001 Playoff Record	6-4-1	7-3-1	4-6-1	N/A	N/A
2000 Playoff Record	6-5	7-4	6-5	N/A	N/A
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

Consensus Picks

Like last week, we have no consensus picks this week. We're 23-30-1 on the season. Last year we were 30-24-2 on consensus picks.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	I hate betting on the side in which the line has already moved from where it's opened, especially in the Niners game, where there had to be a ton of money to get a road No. 2 seed off the 3-point spread. It's really remarkable, to see a No. 1 seed being a home dog in the playoffs like this.
Pianowski	Hate, hate, hate picking the Falcons, but the number seems a little too high to me. The number is certainly too high in the second game, where I think Baltimore's winning chances are in the 35-40 percent range.
Liss	If DDD's best bet isn't a hedge, there's no such thing as a hedge.
Stopa	I've been on the 49ers and Patriots all year, while repeatedly calling out the Ravens and Falcons as frauds, so I suppose it's ironic these are the teams to square off. I'm 100% comfortable sticking to my guns with the 49ers, who are vastly superior to the Falcons in every aspect, particularly in the trenches, and should win handily. Don't give me the "home dog" angle, either, as nobody's afraid of going into ATL. 49ers 38-17. The other game, however, gives me pause. My instinct/gut says the Patriots, as every metric says they're much better than the Ravens. My brain, though, tells me the Ravens usually play the Pats tough, and the Patriots offense, while still top-shelf, isn't the same without Gronk. I struggled with this all week - gut vs. brain - and ultimately went with my gut. I felt good about my picks this year, so I can't see changing the thought process now. Pats 34-20. Falcons and Ravens are frauds, so Pats vs. 49ers for the title.
Del Don	The NFC Championship game spread has to be one of the craziest ever, with the No. 1 seed being as much as 5-point dogs in some places. Neither a Pats blowout nor a Ravens win outright would surprise me in the AFC game.

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 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 Surviving the Week in addition to Staff Picks. Covers and roots for the Giants.

•Mark Stopa: Staff Writer, 2010 and 2012 Staff Picks Champ, Writes Working the Wire. Roots for the Bills.

•Dalton Del Don: Fantasy Expert for Yahoo! Sports, 2007 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the 49ers.