Who to take in Week 2 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 2.

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The NFL survivor pool started off with an easy choice in Week 1 thanks to the Baltimore Ravens.

They easily outdid the Houston Texans 25-9 in Baltimore.

If you decided to save the Ravens and instead use our 2nd choice, you still picked up a “W” with the Washington Commanders. They defeated the visiting Arizona Cardinals 20-16, but it was a bit too close for comfort until the end.

Let’s hope we can get another easy victory this week and continue on.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

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The chalk: Dallas Cowboys

Who they play: Home vs. New York Jets – 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

I hate to take the low-hanging fruit, but Dallas looked great in a 40-0 victory at the New York Giants, while the Jets lost QB Aaron Rodgers for the season to a torn Achilles just 4 plays into their Monday night game.

The Dallas defense rattled Giants QB Daniel Jones all night Sunday and finished with 7 sacks in the shutout. Jets QB Zach Wilson will get the same treatment in Dallas while trying to remain upright against the pass rush of DE Micah Parsons and company.

WR Garrett Wilson had a TD for the Jets against the Buffalo Bills, but he will need to reconnect with Wilson while also taking on Trevon Diggs across from him at CB. This will be a challenging matchup for Wilson and with the front 7 of Dallas managing the offensive line of the Jets, it will be hard for the Jets to move the ball.

QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense will find it easier to move against a good, but not great, Jets defense. New York CB Sauce Gardner will be able to control one of the Cowboys wideouts. But whether it be CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks or Michael Gallup, one of the Cowboys receivers will make a play in the game and send this one in favor of the home team.

The Dallas offense is the 2nd-best unit in this game to the Dallas defense. This combination makes for a good chance that Dallas comes out with an easy victory for the home fans and former QB Tony Romo in the TV booth.

DALLAS is my FAVORITE CHALK PLAY this week for survivor pools.

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No. 2 option: Buffalo Bills

Who they play: Home vs. Las Vegas Raiders – 1 p.m. (CBS)

Bills QB Josh Allen played terrible Monday night. His 4 turnovers were the main reason the Jets were able to win despite losing Rodgers on the 4th play of the game. The 22-16 loss will need to be a marker for the Bills that they are not going to waltz through the division.

The Bills need to hope their home opener against the Raiders is the coming out party for Allen and the offense. Otherwise, this will be a long season in Western New York.

The Raiders held on to beat the Denver Broncos 17-16 on the road. While some were optimistic for the Broncos, I am not. I see the Raiders as the better team, making the opening win less impressive and gives me confidence that Buffalo will defeat an overmatched Las Vegas defense.

Behind Allen’s rushing ability to make plays, WR Stefon Diggs and a beefed up run game with Damien Harris and James Cook, Buffalo will be fine. Even if those aspects fail, Buffalo still has enough to pull out a victory vs. Las Vegas.

Either way, this is a good spot to take the BILLS before the season diverges in one direction or another.

Others to consider

Miami Dolphins: At New England Patriots — 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

New Orleans Saints: At Carolina Panthers — Monday, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN)

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

Week 1: WIN — Ravens 25, Texans 9

NO. 2 OPTION

Week 1: WIN — Commanders 20, Cardinals 16

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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Power rankings: Bills firmly in top-5, clocking as high as No. 2

The Buffalo Bills improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2008, so it’s fair to wonder how that might be reflected in the Week 5 NFL power rankings as other elite teams continue to keep pace. So how did the Bills fare in the pools around the …

The Buffalo Bills improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2008, so it’s fair to wonder how that might be reflected in the Week 5 NFL power rankings as other elite teams continue to keep pace.

So how did the Bills fare in the pools around the league? National media headlines this week would indicate the team is making its presence among the top teams known.

The Bills once more have been dominant on and off the field, appearing at the top of this week’s rankings. One of only four teams at 4-0, the Bills are undefeated and currently sitting 3rd in ESPN’s leaguewide NFL standings. While some have them in a similar position as last week, the team rests in most lists top-five, reaching as high as the 2nd spot in one list.

Here is this week’s power ranking poll roundup for the Bills as they head into Week 5:

USA TODAY

8. Bills (10)

Who was Buffalo’s starting QB last time it started *4-0? Answer: Trent Edwards, who went 7-7 in 2008. I suspect Josh Allen will finish stronger than Edwards did. (*With assist from officials.)

Touchdown Wire

2. Buffalo Bills (4-0. Last week: 3)

If you had said before the season that Bills quarterback Josh Allen would be a legitimate MVP candidate after the first four games, you would have seen more than your share of skepticism. But Allen’s out-of-nowhere hot streak continued unabated in a 30-23 win over the Raiders on Sunday. Allen, who completed 24 passes in 34 attempts for 288 yards, two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, and no interceptions, became the second quarterback in NFL history with at least two touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in three of his team’s first four games of a season.

The other guy? Steve Grogan, for the 1976 Patriots. Bet you didn’t expect that!

Also, Allen scored the 20th rushing touchdown of his career in his 32nd NFL game, and only Cam Newton (27 games) reached that mark more quickly.

Here’s Touchdown Wire colleague Mark Schofield with more on how Allen is taking it to every defense he faces. If the Titans can manage to get back on the horse, they are the next team to face this.

Sports Illustrated

4. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Last week: Win at Las Vegas 30-23
Next week: at Tennessee

Josh Allen’s growing, Stefon Diggs is balling, and Buffalo’s pulling on all cylinders right now. We’ll see if they get to show in Nashville this week—no certainty yet given the circumstances there.

NFL.com

4. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Previous rank: No. 6

Lost amidst the buzz over Josh Allen’s huge Year 3 leap: A suspect start by Buffalo’s defense, one of the league’s strongest units in 2018 and ’19. The defense struggled again early against the Raiders on Sunday before delivering a vintage second half — forcing a punt and two turnovers in an eventual 30-23 win. The Bills are 4-0 because they no longer need the defense to be perfect to win games. The Allen-led offense hums week after week, and Stefon Diggs proved again why he was the best offseason acquisition made by any team in 2020. His 49-yard catch, coming immediately after a Raiders turnover, set up the game-clinching score. There’s nothing fluky about this start.

Pro Football Talk

3. Bills (No. 4; 4-0)

The Josh Allen injury scare underscores how important he is to the team; his replacement is (checks notes) Matt Barkley.

Sporting News

4. Buffalo Bills 4-0 (5)

The Bills have now put together two impressive wins over the Rams and Raiders because of Josh Allen playing at an MVP level a notch below Wilson. The tests will keep on coming with the Titans and the Chiefs next.

Yahoo! Sports

4. Buffalo Bills (4-0, LW: 3)

The Bills have been good, but there is still room for improvement. The Raiders had more yards and first downs on Sunday, but the Bills forced some well-timed turnovers and made some big plays to get the win. This team is going to get better as the season goes on. There’s a lot of talent, a good coaching staff and they have a 4-0 start in their back pocket.

CBS Sports

4. Bills

Winning on the road the way they did at Las Vegas shows how good they are this season. Now they face another tough road test at Tennessee against the undefeated Titans.

Bleacher Report

6. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

High: 4

Low: 7

Last Week: 6

Week 4 Result: Won vs. Las Vegas Raiders 30-23

It’s been a long time since the Buffalo Bills were a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

But after watching them peel off four straight wins to open the 2020 season, it’s hard to view the Bills as anything else.

The driver of Buffalo’s hot start is undoubtedly quarterback Josh Allen, who has played at an MVP level over the first month of the season. Head coach Sean McDermott raved about the growth he’s seen from Allen in his third season.

“He’s a competitive sucker, and he loves to win,” McDermott told the media. “I can’t say enough about him. He loves to play the game, loves to win, and he puts his heart and soul and body into everything in this game. How could you not love him as a teammate?”

Allen has impressed our analysts as well.

“I never thought I’d find myself saying this,” Davenport said. “But Allen might be the best quarterback from the class of 2018—a class that includes the reigning MVP in Lamar Jackson. The arrival of Stefon Diggs has taken Allen’s development to a whole other level, and his decision-making has improved markedly. Russell Wilson has company in the MVP race.”

ESPN

5. Buffalo Bills (4-0)

Week 4 ranking: 5

FPI chance to make playoffs: 91.7%

This is about where it should be. The Bills are for real this season, with a high-octane offense powered by an early MVP candidate in Josh Allen. The only thing keeping this number from being even higher is Buffalo’s defensive struggles through four games, but that unit showed serious signs of life during a Week 4 win over the Raiders. The Bills have the seventh-hardest remaining schedule according to FPI, but if this defense can return to the top-three form we’ve seen from it each of the past two seasons, Buffalo will be contending for an AFC title — and possibly a Super Bowl.

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Power rankings: Woah, the Bills in the top-3?

Buffalo Bills in top-three in some national power rankings heading into Week 4.

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It’s easy to wonder where the Buffalo Bills list in NFL power rankings after going 3-0… Especially with other top teams competing for the top spots.

So how did this week’s standings look around national news outlets? Let’s say the Bills have continued to earn more attention.

It’s incredible to hear Buffalo mentioned among the league’s elite squads. The Bills and quarterback Josh Allen continue to be the talk of the NFL. Moving even further up from last week, the even has cracked the top-five of multiple lists.

Here’s this week’s power ranking poll roundup for the Bills as they head into Week 4:

USA TODAY

10. Bills (11)

QB Josh Allen’s growth has been impressive. But defense’s regression to date is startling. Buffalo didn’t beat Rams on Sunday, officials did.

Touchdown Wire

3. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 6)

Yes, Bills quarterback Josh Allen became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to rack up at least 700 passing yards, six touchdown passes, and zero interceptions in his team’s first two games of a season. And as the other guys to do that are Peyton Manning in 2013, Tom Brady in 2015, and Patrick Mahomes last season, that’s pretty impressive. But after two less than amazing seasons in 2018 and 2019, it’s fair to say that the world wanted to see something more from Allen — like, a comeback win against a defense that did not so much resemble 11 tomato cans.

Enter the Rams, the 28-3 lead the Bills opened up on the Rams, the Rams’ ability to come back and take a fourth-quarter lead (of course they did, down 28-3), and Allen’s subsequent ability to lead his team downfield under tremendous pressure )both literal and figurative) for the eventual win. Now, after that, Allen is the fourth quarterback with at least 1,000 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and a rating of 120 or higher through his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history, along with Peyton Manning in 2013, Ryan Fitzpatrick (no, really) in 2018, and Patrick Mahomes last season.

Their quarterback is starting to look like a For Real guy, and if that’s the case, the Bills are going to be a very tough out all season long.

Sports Illustrated

7. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

Last week: Win vs. Los Angeles Rams 35-32
Next week: at Las Vegas

Josh Allen has passed for more than 300 yards in each game, rattling off 10 TDs with only one interception. He’s sent a message to those skeptical of how big a leap forward he’d take in his third season—myself included—and the role Stefon Diggs has played in that leap has so far justified the draft capital Buffalo gave up to trade for an ace receiver.

NFL.com

6. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

It’s not often that a team gives up 29 unanswered points in a game and still wins, but this is 2020 and the Bills have a little bit of magic to them right now. Josh Allen played hero once again, accounting for five total TDs against the Rams, including the game-winner to Tyler Kroft with 15 seconds remaining on the clock. The Bills had watched a 28-3 lead turn into a 32-28 deficit by that point, but Buffalo avoided catastrophe with its 11-play, 75-yard drive aided by a bacon-saving fourth-down pass-interference call that directly preceded the Kroft score. The Bills are 3-0 and Allen has 12 total touchdowns (10 passing, two rushing) through three weeks, a team record.

Pro Football Talk

4. Bills (No. 5; 3-0)

They nearly fell victim to the most dangerous lead in football, in a stadium that knows a thing or two about the evaporation of a major second-half lead.

Sporting News

5. Buffalo Bills 3-0 (4)

Josh Allen wants in on the MVP conversation and proved to Jalen Ramsey and the Rams he’s far from “trash.” He should be more treasured as a clutch QB, locked with Stefon Diggs. A better traditional running game and closing defense would be nice, though.

Yahoo! Sports

3. Buffalo Bills (3-0, LW: 3)

The Packers almost grabbed the third spot. I still believe in the Bills, but nearly blowing a 28-3 lead in their first real test this season wasn’t a great sign (it’s also a reason they aren’t a spot higher this week). Still, Josh Allen continues to play well and even though they were lucky to get that pass interference call at the end, 3-0 is a great place to be.

CBS Sports

4. Bills (+1)

Josh Allen has the offense looking special, but the defense has had some issues. They have to play better on that side of the ball.

Bleacher Report

6. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

High: 4

Low: 7

Last Week: 6

Week 3 Result: Won vs. Los Angeles Rams 35-32

The Buffalo Bills are the real deal, y’all.

Now, if you’re the type who likes to rain on parades, the fact that Buffalo squandered a 28-3 lead Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams by allowing 29 unanswered points is cause for concern.

But the Bills also raced out to said 28-3 lead over a good Rams team in their first real test of the 2020 season. And when their backs were against the proverbial wall, the Bills answered the call, driving the length of the field for the game-winning score.

As he has all season long, Bills quarterback Josh Allen balled out against the Rams, topping 300 passing yards for the third time in as many games and throwing four more touchdowns. With rookie running back Zack Moss out, Devin Singletary racked up over 120 total yards.

All told, Gagnon was impressed the Bills gutted out a win in a game they would have lost in past years.

“The Bills generally cruised against inferior opponents in Weeks 1 and 2, and this was their first true challenge,” he said. “It’s discouraging that they blew a four-score lead, but it’s even more encouraging that they built that lead and that they responded to adversity with a game-winning touchdown drive. This was a character-building performance for an evolving team.”

ESPN

5. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

Week 3 ranking: 6

What we got wrong: Buffalo’s defense would lead the way again while its offense would be somewhere between good and competent.

Sound the buzzer; this take is dead wrong. Through three weeks, the Bills sport the fourth-best offense in the NFL and the second-best passing attack. Josh Allen has looked like an MVP candidate in his first three games, willing the Bills to victory with fourth-quarter comebacks in each of his past two. Conversely, Buffalo’s defense currently ranks 20th in yards allowed per game and 16th.

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