NFL Picks: Redskins, Lions and Cardinals

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Updated on December 19, 2018 12:27PM EST

I paced the field this week with an 11-4-1 mark, while Pianowski (9-6-1) remains in second place, six games back with two weeks to play. Erickson likely dropped out of contention with a 5-10-1 week.

One housekeeping note, I was looking over some of our old records and noticed I neglected to include Week 17 in the 2016 season. It doesn't change the overall result, but now those numbers add up to 256 games as they should.

This week, we all like the Redskins, Lions and Cardinals, Pianowski made the Redskins his best bet, and both DDD and I made the 49ers our best bets.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Redskins +10 at Titans	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins
Ravens +4.5 at Chargers	Chargers	Ravens	Ravens	Chargers	Ravens
Buccaneers +7 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Buccaneers	Buccaneers
Bills +12.5 at Patriots	Bills	Bills	Patriots	Bills	Patriots
Falcons +2.5 at Panthers	Falcons	Falcons	Falcons	Falcons	Panthers
Jaguars +4.5 at Dolphins	Jaguars	Dolphins	Dolphins	Jaguars	Jaguars
Giants +9.5 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Giants	Giants	Giants
Texans +2 at Eagles	Eagles	Texans	Eagles	Texans	Eagles
Vikings -5.5 at Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions
Packers pick 'em at Jets	Jets	Jets	Packers	Jets	Packers
Bengals +8 at Browns	Bengals	Browns	Bengals	Browns	Browns
Rams -14 at Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals
Bears -4 at 49ers	49ers	49ers	49ers	Bears	49ers
Steelers +5.5 at Saints	Saints	Saints	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers
Chiefs -2.5 at Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Chiefs	Seahawks
Broncos -2.5 at

I paced the field this week with an 11-4-1 mark, while Pianowski (9-6-1) remains in second place, six games back with two weeks to play. Erickson likely dropped out of contention with a 5-10-1 week.

This week, we all like the Redskins, Lions and Cardinals, Pianowski made the Redskins his best bet, and both DDD and I made the 49ers our best bets.

	Erickson	Pianowski	Liss	Stopa	Del Don
Redskins +10 at Titans	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins	Redskins
Ravens +4.5 at Chargers	Chargers	Ravens	Ravens	Chargers	Ravens
Buccaneers +7 at Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Cowboys	Buccaneers	Buccaneers
Bills +12.5 at Patriots	Bills	Bills	Patriots	Bills	Patriots
Falcons +2.5 at Panthers	Falcons	Falcons	Falcons	Falcons	Panthers
Jaguars +4.5 at Dolphins	Jaguars	Dolphins	Dolphins	Jaguars	Jaguars
Giants +9.5 at Colts	Colts	Colts	Giants	Giants	Giants
Texans +2 at Eagles	Eagles	Texans	Eagles	Texans	Eagles
Vikings -5.5 at Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions	Lions
Packers pick 'em at Jets	Jets	Jets	Packers	Jets	Packers
Bengals +8 at Browns	Bengals	Browns	Bengals	Browns	Browns
Rams -14 at Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals	Cardinals
Bears -4 at 49ers	49ers	49ers	49ers	Bears	49ers
Steelers +5.5 at Saints	Saints	Saints	Steelers	Steelers	Steelers
Chiefs -2.5 at Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks	Chiefs	Seahawks
Broncos -2.5 at Raiders	Raiders	Raiders	Broncos	Broncos	Broncos
Best Bet	Seahawks	Redskins	49ers	Bills	49ers
Last Week's Record	5-10-1	9-6-1	11-4-1	9-6-1	6-9-1
2018 Record	111-107-6	117-101-6	123-95-6	98-120-6	104-114-6
Best Bet Record	10-5	10-5	9-6	7-7-1	6-8-1
2017 Best Bet Record	8-7-2	9-7-1	12-4-1	8-7-2	11-6
Unanimous Pick Record	22-19-1
Majority Pick Record	113-105-6
2017 Record	117-125-14	128-114-14	117-125-14	119-123-14	98-144-14
2016 Record	140-111-5	130-121-5	123-128-5	115-136-5	132-119-5
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 all like the Redskins, Lions and Cardinals. Last week we went 1-2 on unanimous picks, winning with the 49ers and losing with the Bills and Rams, putting our season record at 22-19-1. We went 10-5-1 on majority picks (three or more writers) to bring our season record to 113-105-6. Last year we went 23-28-4 on unanimous picks and 121-121-14 on majority picks.

Comments:

Writer	Comment
Erickson	I set the KC-SEA line as a pick 'em and was actually concerned that I wasn't giving them enough credit at that. I think they win outright.
Pianowski	I have a lot of leans this week, none of them super strong. I could change a lot between now and the weekend. But that Washington line never made sense to me; the Redskins defense is reasonable and being down to a "fourth-string quarterback" isn't that big of a deal when the other three guys are problems, too.
Liss	I like the scrappy 49ers at home against a Bears squad that just wrapped up the NFC North by beating its long-time nemesis. I also like the Ravens getting that many points against virtually anyone now that Joe Flacco has been replaced by Lamar Jackson for good.
Stopa	When I set the line for Bills-Pats, I put it at 9.5. Over 10 is too high. Thirteen is nuts. The Bills D can hang with an aging Pats offense that suddenly looks slow. And unlike their prior meeting, when Derek Anderson couldn't make a play, Josh Allen can. I'd like it better if the Pats weren't coming off a loss, but that's subscribing to the notion that these are like the Patriots of old. Lately, they just look old. I also like the Redskins a lot, for similar reasons as last week. The Titans aren't good enough to lay double digits.
Del Don	I like buying the Panthers low this week, but give me the 49ers for my best bet, as that game feels like it should be a pick 'em. Nick Mullens has gotten 9.1 YPA at home, and the Bears are traveling with a shaky offense.

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, 2014 and 2017 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.