Staff Picks: Backing the Bills

Staff Picks: Backing the Bills

This article is part of our NFL Picks series.

Last week wasn't bad -- collectively we were above .500 and split on our unanimous picks. 

This week, we all like the Bills, both Erickson and I made the Saints our best bets, while Payne and Pianowski like the Packers. 

 EricksonPianowskiLissPayneDel Don
Rams +6.5 at PackersRamsPackersPackersPackersPackers
Ravens +2.5 at BillsBillsBillsBillsBillsBills
Browns +10 at ChiefsChiefsChiefsChiefsBrownsChiefs
Buccaneers +3 at SaintsSaintsBuccaneersSaintsBuccaneersBuccaneers 
Best BetSaintsPackersSaintsPackersChiefs
Last week's Record3-34-24-22-43-3
Best Bet Record1-00-11-00-10-1
RS BB Record8-8-15-11-15-128-7-25-12
Unanimous Pick Record18-24    
Majority Pick Record118-130-8    
2019 Playoff Record6-55-66-54-77-4
2018 Playoff Record4-6-12-8-13-7-1N/A3-7-1
2017 Playoff Record5-65-65-6N/A2-9
2016 Playoff Record6-55-66-5N/A6-5
2015 Playoff Record5-62-93-8N/A1-10
2014 Playoff Record10-15-69-2N/A9-2
2013 Playoff Record5-4-23-6-24-5-2N/A4-5-2
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-1N/A8-2-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-2N/A7-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-6N/A8-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-10N/A5-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-6N/A4-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A

Last week wasn't bad -- collectively we were above .500 and split on our unanimous picks. 

This week, we all like the Bills, both Erickson and I made the Saints our best bets, while Payne and Pianowski like the Packers. 

 EricksonPianowskiLissPayneDel Don
Rams +6.5 at PackersRamsPackersPackersPackersPackers
Ravens +2.5 at BillsBillsBillsBillsBillsBills
Browns +10 at ChiefsChiefsChiefsChiefsBrownsChiefs
Buccaneers +3 at SaintsSaintsBuccaneersSaintsBuccaneersBuccaneers 
Best BetSaintsPackersSaintsPackersChiefs
Last week's Record3-34-24-22-43-3
Best Bet Record1-00-11-00-10-1
RS BB Record8-8-15-11-15-128-7-25-12
Unanimous Pick Record18-24    
Majority Pick Record118-130-8    
2019 Playoff Record6-55-66-54-77-4
2018 Playoff Record4-6-12-8-13-7-1N/A3-7-1
2017 Playoff Record5-65-65-6N/A2-9
2016 Playoff Record6-55-66-5N/A6-5
2015 Playoff Record5-62-93-8N/A1-10
2014 Playoff Record10-15-69-2N/A9-2
2013 Playoff Record5-4-23-6-24-5-2N/A4-5-2
2012 Playoff Record4-6-15-5-16-4-1N/A8-2-1
2011 Playoff Record8-35-69-2N/A7-4
2010 Playoff Record6-55-65-6N/A8-3
2009 Playoff Record5-64-71-10N/A5-6
2008 Playoff Record6-55-65-6N/A4-7
2007 Playoff Record8-33-86-5N/A2-9
2006 Playoff Record7-4N/A4-7N/AN/A
2005 Playoff Record5-6N/A3-8N/AN/A
2004 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2003 Playoff Record6-5N/A4-7N/AN/A
2002 Playoff Record6-57-45-6N/AN/A
2001 Playoff Record6-4-17-3-14-6-1N/AN/A
2020 Record121-127-8128-120-8118-130-8115-133-8118-130-8
2019 Record126-124-6140-110-6127-123-6127-123-6134-116-6
2018 Record125-122-9134-113-9141-106-9N/A120-127-9
2017 Record117-125-14128-114-14117-125-14N/A98-144-14
2016 Record140-111-5130-121-5123-128-5N/A132-119-5
2015 Record134-114-8120-128-8114-134-8N/A121-127-8
2014 Record123-128-5140-111-5135-116-5N/A128-123-5
2013 Record132-114-10118-128-10123-123-10N/A128-118-10
2012 Record110-140-6125-125-6121-129-6N/A123-127-6
2011 Record121-128-7134-115-7124-125-7N/A127-122-7
2010 Record129-122-5134-117-5126-125-5N/A134-117-5
2009 Record123-130-3132-121-3131-122-3N/A126-127-3
2008 Record132-114-10128-118-10124-122-10N/A130-116-10
2007 Record127-120118-129127-120N/A130-117
2006 Record118-129N/A139-108N/AN/A
2005 Record121-126N/A127-120N/AN/A
2004 Record124-124N/A130-118N/AN/A
2003 Record121-126118-129124-123N/AN/A
2002 Record113-136123-126141-108N/AN/A
2001 Record124-113117-120118-119N/AN/A
2000 Record123-117134-106141-99N/AN/A

This week, we have one unanimous pick: the Bills. Last week we won with the Ravens, but lost with the Bills after going 17-23 on the regular season. We also went 4-2 on majority picks (three or more writers), after going 118-130-8 on the regular season. We were 23-17-1 on unanimous picks  and 130-120-6 on majority picks last year. 

WriterComment
EricksonOnce again, the biggest gap between my line and the actual one is in the Bucs game. My second pick is the Rams, but I'm only a half-point off there. I'm less confident about the other two picks.
PianowskiAs much as I love the Rams defense, you can only play "hide the quarterback" for so long. And even against a stout defense, a good team like the Packers is likely to score 20-plus points. You can't stop them all day. I dare injured Jared Goff (or inexperienced John Wolford) to keep up...  I also feel pretty good about Tampa Bay. The two earlier Tampa/New Orleans games are far enough away that I don't care about them much. I didn't think the Antonio Brown thing would work, but it has. The Bucs averaged 439 yards of offense over the last two months and went for five bills against a Washington defense that's very good. 
LissThe Saints are better defensively than the Bucs, they're at home and Drew Brees and Michael finally appear to be healthy. I also like the Chiefs off the bye week to crush the Browns. 
PayneI had the Packers line at 9.5. How are earth are the Rams going to score points? I trust Tom Brady more than Drew Brees at this point. This has to be a record for the combined ages of two starting quarterbacks in the playoffs, right?
Del DonAndy Reid is coming off a double-bye essentially, and the Browns just played Sunday night, so while I like their story, I see them getting blown out this week. 

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, 2017, 2019 and 2020 Staff Picks Champ. Roots for the Patriots.

• Chris Liss: RotoWire Managing Editor, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2018 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.

• Kevin Payne: Staff Writer, Writes our Waiver Wire column. Roots for the Bills.

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

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Liss
Chris Liss was RotoWire's Managing Editor and Host of RotoWIre Fantasy Sports Today on Sirius XM radio from 2001-2022.
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