NFL survivor pool how to win NFL survivor pool – Page 2

Who to take in Week 1 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season kicks off with Week 1.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

In Week 1, it’s a clean slate. We have a brand new season of the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool. We can choose any team. My strategy is to play it safe, survive and advance. Remember, a team can only be picked once during the season.

Nothing is worse than getting bumped out in Week 1, whether it is in the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool — which is free to enter — or another pool.

A lot of entries like to save the marquee teams and roll the dice early on some teams that might not necessarily be picked any other time. That’s a slippery slope as you need to win and advance to be able to play those stashed marquee teams later in the season.

I’ll do my best to keep you afloat, hopefully through the holidays, and into the end of the regular season toward that giant payday in your NFL survivor pool.

PLAY TO WIN $5K!
USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool is free to enter. Sign up now!

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Cincinnati Bengals

Who they play: Home vs. Patriots – 1 p.m. (CBS)

Odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 4:15 a.m. ET.

Line: Bengals -8 / Moneyline (ML): Bengals -400 | Patriots +325

It still takes some getting used to, seeing the New England Patriots as the biggest underdog in the league for a weekend, but that’s where we’re at.

Coach Jerod Mayo takes over for the legendary Bill Belichick, and he named QB Jacoby Brissett as his starter over rookie QB Drake Maye. Mayo is heady and a game manager, so this could be a little dicey at first. RB Rhamondre Stevenson is a stud, too. If this is a tight game, the Cincinnati Bengals rush defense will have to contend with him.

However, QB Joe Burrow is back and healthy for Cincinnati, and he has WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at his disposal. The Bengals ground attack has a new look as RB Zack Moss replaces RB Joe Mixon, who was traded to the Houston Texans. Moss is younger, and a little more physical, while RB Chase Brown remains as a change-of-pace option. The offense still looks mighty dangerous and the team added red-zone threat TE Mike Gesicki (formerly of the Pats) to the mix. He just happens to be facing his former team in Week 1.

The Bengals look to get off to a hot start. They can’t afford to lose ground in the ultra-competitive AFC North, especially against a patsy at home in the opener.

CINCINNATI IS MY FAVORITE SURVIVOR PLAY FOR WEEK 1.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: New Orleans Saints

Who they play: Home vs. Panthers – 1 p.m. (FOX)

Line: Saints -4 / ML: Saints -225 | Panthers +180

If you don’t want to pick the Bengals in Week 1, the New Orleans Saints are my 2nd choice.

This pick goes a little more along the line of a team that might not be considered the cream of the crop, but it helps save some of the top-tier teams for later.

Last season, picking against the Carolina Panthers was a smart strategy as they had an NFL-worst 2-15 record, including a pair of losses to the Saints. TRIVIA: Who were the 2 teams the Panthers beat? Answer below

Carolina was 0-9 on the road last season. In Week 14, QB Bryce Young was a dismal 13-of-36 for just 137 yards — no TDs or picks — in a 28-6 loss in New Orleans Dec. 10, 2023. He was a little better in the 1st meeting in Week 2 in Charlotte, completing 22-of-33 passes for 153 yards, 1 TD and 0 INT.

Again, this game is in NOLA, where he was completely fooled by the Saints D and flustered by the raucous crowd.

While some will point to the fact that the Panthers’ last road win was, indeed, in New Orleans in the final week of the 2022-23 regular season. K Eddy Pineiro kicked a 42-yard FG as time expired for the win as the 2 NFC South rivals finished with identical 7-10 records. QB Andy Dalton started for the Saints; he is now the Panthers’ backup. QB Sam Darnold started for Carolina; he is now the starter in Minnesota.

A lot has changed since that afternoon, but one thing is a constant. Carolina struggles on the road. Until the Panthers can figure it out and look like an NFL-caliber team again, keep making them a priority to pick against.

TRIVIA answer: Houston and Atlanta

Coming out of their bye week, the Panthers upset the favored and visiting Texans 15-13 in Week 8 to send survivor pools into chaos — Carolina was a 3.5-point underdog. In Week 15, the Panthers claimed an ugly, low-scoring 9-7 win as 2.5-point home dogs vs. the Falcons.

Others to consider

Buffalo Bills: Home vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1 p.m. (CBS)

Line: Bills -6.5 / ML: Bills -300 | Cardinals +240

San Francisco 49ers: Home vs. Jets – Monday, 8:20 p.m. (ESPN / ABC)

Line: 49ers -4 / ML: 49ers -200 | Jets +165

WIN YOUR FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE!
The Huddle has been turning players like you into winners for over 25 years. This season, it’s your turn. Custom fantasy football rankings, sleepers and tools are just a click away. Save 25% off the Internet’s best-kept secret. Subscribe now!

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Who to take in Week 8 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 8.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

Week 7 brought us another winning selection in the NFL survivor pool. We had the Seattle Seahawks, who beat the visiting Arizona Cardinals 20-10.

Unfortunately, our No. 2 option went down the drain with the Washington Commanders losing at the New York Giants 14-7.

Now, on to Week 8.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Philadelphia Eagles

Who they play: At Washington Commanders – 1 p.m. (FOX)

Washington and Philadelphia routinely play exciting games. No matter the spread, close games have become more often in this series.

Philadelphia (6-1) won the season’s 1st meeting between these NFC East rivals 34-31 as a 10-point home favorite in Week 4. The Eagles have won 4 of the last 5 vs. the Commanders (3-4). They’ve also won their last 3 trips to Washington, including a 24-8 victory as 6-point favorites last season.

QB Jalen Hurts tweaked his knee in a 31-17 home victory against the Miami Dolphins last Sunday night, but he didn’t miss any practice time and is expected to play vs. the Commanders.

WR A.J. Brown is coming off another great game, pulling in 10 receptions for 137 yards and a TD on 15 targets vs. the Dolphins. TE Dallas Goedert, on National Tight End’s Day — who knew there was such as thing? — had a good game as well with 5 receptions for 77 yards and 1 TD.

Philadelphia has yet to hit its stride during the 1st part of the season. With a bye week ahead in Week 10 followed by a brutal schedule — at Kansas City vs. Buffalo, vs. San Francisco, at Dallas, at Seattle — this is the best time for the Eagles to get things going against a Washington team that allowed 5 sacks of QB Sam Howell in the 1st half of Sunday’s loss to the Giants. New York came into that game with just 5 sacks total on the season.

It was the 6th time in 7 games Howell was sacked at least 5 times. Howell is the first QB since David Carr in 2002 to be sacked at least 40 times in the first 7 games of a season. If the Giants were able to get to Howell with their limited pass rush last weekend, Eagles LB Haason Reddick, DL Jalen Carter and Co. shouldn’t have a problem getting to Howell for at least 5 more sacks Sunday.

The Eagles defense, which held the high-scoring Dolphins to just 17 points, will be key vs. the Commanders. With S Kevin Byard recently acquired from the Tennessee Titans to solidify an injured Eagles secondary, any ability the Commanders would have to throw the ball could be gone. Running the ball won’t be much easier as the Eagles rush defense ranks No. 1 in the NFL by allowing just 62.9 rushing yards per game (YPG).

All the signs point to another Philadelphia victory, which is why the EAGLES ARE MY TOP WEEK 8 SURVIVOR POOL PICK.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: Los Angeles Chargers

Who they play: Home vs. Chicago Bears – 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

The Chargers (2-4) are coming off a 31-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but the Bears (2-5) are not the Chiefs.

Yes, Chicago was able to beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7 by a score of 30-12 as a 2.5-point home underdog. But the Raiders defense was unable to put any pressure on Bears QB Tyson Bagent, who was only sacked twice for a total of 12 yards. With SS Derwin James Jr. in the secondary and Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack on the line, the Chargers, at home, will be able to put more pressure on the Bears rookie QB.

With QB Jimmy Garoppolo out, the Raiders turned to QB Brian Hoyer. vs. the Bears. Chicago won’t have such a luxury Sunday as Chargers QB Justin Herbert is at full health and is coming off a game against the Chiefs in which he was 17 for 30 for 259 passing yards with 1 TD and 2 interceptions.

The Bears defense will provide a much softer challenge than the Raiders. Chicago’s defense ranks 29th in pass defense, yielding 257.1 YPG.

The Chargers don’t want to run the ball. They average 111.8 rushing YPG, good for 16th in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Bears defense is tough against the run, ranking 5th in allowing 82.3 rushing YPG. yards and 2nd in yards per carry allowed (3.4).

This will be a game of strength against weakness. Chargers WRs Keenan Allen and Joshua Palmer will look to exploit a weak Bears secondary, and RB Austin Ekeler will also gain yards in the pass game from the backfield.

Both teams have been disappointing this season, but the Chargers are at home and are the better team. They will win this game. They are a solid secondary selection for your NFL survivor pool if you already used the Eagles or prefer to save them for later.

Others to consider

Kansas City Chiefs: At Broncos – 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

Baltimore Ravens: At Cardinals – 4:25 p.m. ET (CBS)

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

Week 1: WIN – Ravens 25, Texans 9
Week 2: WIN – Cowboys 30, Jets 10
Week 3: WIN – Dolphins 70, Broncos 20
Week 4: LOSS – Titans 27, Bengals 3
Week 5: WIN – Lions 42, Panthers 24

Week 6: WIN – Rams 26, Cardinals 9
Week 7: WIN – Seahawks 20, Cardinals 10

NO. 2 OPTION

Week 1: WIN: Commanders 20, Cardinals 16
Week 2: WIN – Bills 38, Raiders 10
Week 3: WIN – Chiefs 41, Jets 10
Week 4: WIN – 49ers 35, Cardinals 16
Week 5: LOSS – Steelers 17, Ravens 10

Week 6: WIN – Bills 14, Giants 9
Week 7: LOSS – Giants 14, Commanders 7

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Who to take in Week 7 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 7.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

Our Week 6 NFL survivor pool pick of the Los Angeles Rams won with a 26-9 home victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Now, it’s time to turn our focus on Week 7.

There are a lot of ugly matchups this week, but we will trudge through and find you a winner — sticking with the rule of not picking a team we already selected earlier in the season.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Seattle Seahawks

Who they play: Home vs. Arizona Cardinals – 4:05 p.m. (FOX)

Seattle (3-2) returns home after playing the last 2 on the road. The Seahawks lost last Sunday 17-13 as 3-point underdog at the Cincinnati Bengals. The week before, they easily beat the New York Giants 24-3 on Monday Night Football — Seattle was a 2.5-point favorite.

Arizona (1-5) will be playing a 2nd NFC West road game in a row after losing the already mentioned 26-9 defeat at L.A. — the Cardinals were 7.5-point underdogs. This will also be Arizona’s 3rd divisional road game in 4 weeks — it lost as a 14.5-point dog to the San Francisco 49ers 35-16 Oct. 1.

Arizona at least covered its first 3 games of the season, but hasn’t covered in the last 3. With this game being in Seattle, it’s not a good spot for the Cardinals and QB Joshua Dobbs.

RB James Conner, who injured his knee 2 weeks ago, is on IR. His absence was apparent in the loss to the Rams as the Cardinals were 0 for 3 inside the red zone and finished with 130 rushing yards.

Behind the home crowd noise as a 12th man, Seattle will grind down Arizona and win this divisional matchup. The Seahawks need this win if it wants to remain NFC playoff contenders.

SEATTLE IS MY TOP WEEK 7 SURVIVOR POOL PICK.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: Washington Commanders

Who they play: At New York Giants – 1 p.m. (CBS)

The Commanders (3-3) bounced back with a 24-16 victory as 1-point road underdogs at the Atlanta Falcons in Week 6. They were coming off a 40-20 embarrassing loss as 6-point home favorites to the Chicago Bears in the Week 5 Thursday Night Football game.

Washington now play a 2nd straight road game as it heads to Met Life Stadium to battle division foe New York in a crucial game for both teams.

The Giants (1-5) enter on a 4-game losing streak, recently suffering a heartbreaking 14-9 loss — as 15.5-point underdogs — at the Buffalo Bills last Sunday when questionable calls cost New York the chance to record a major upset.

RB Saquon Barkley returned after a 3-game absence (sprained ankle) and proved himself healthy, carrying the ball 24 times for 93 yards. He also was caught 4 of 5 targets from QB Tyrod Taylor, although this only led to 5 receiving yards. His health is a major key to the Giants offense. The other is the return of QB Daniel Jones behind center.

Jones missed last Sunday’s game with a neck injury. If he is able to return this week, it will add another dimension to the offense and allow Barkley more space to operate with a mobile QB beside him.

With QB Sam Howell, Washington has been able to not just find a passing game, it has also been able to find a renewed run game. RB Antonio Gibson was able to find the end zone — a 1-yard TD reception — against Atlanta. With Gibson and Brian Robinson Jr. in the backfield, the Commanders will be a difficult team to defend.

Washington still has playoff hopes. The Giants have lost most of their hopes during their current 4-game skid — a streak which looks to grow to 5 after Sunday.

TAKE WASHINGTON in your NFL survivor pool for Week 7 if you already used the Seahawks — or don’t feel as confident with them.

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

NO. 2 OPTION

Week 1: WIN – Commanders 20, Cardinals 16
Week 2: WIN – Bills 38, Raiders 10
Week 3: WIN – Chiefs 41, Jets 10
Week 4: WIN – 49ers 35, Cardinals 16
Week 5: LOSS – Steelers 17, Ravens 10
Week 6: WIN – Bills 14, Giants 9

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Who to take in Week 6 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 6.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

After taking a loss in Week 4 with the Cincinnati Bengals, we got back on the winning track in Week 5 with the Detroit Lions, 42-24 victors over the Carolina Panthers.

If you’re still alive in an NFL survivor pool, you can definitely feel good about it, but there’s still a long way to go.

There are a few great options in Week 6.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Los Angeles Rams

Who they play: Home vs. Arizona Cardinals – 4:25 p.m. (FOX)

The Rams (2-3) are coming off a 23-14 loss as 4-point home underdogs to the Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, the same day the Cardinals (1-4) lost as 3-point home underdogs to the Cincinnati Bengals 34-20.

Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs had his worst game of the season, getting picked off twice while throwing for just 166 passing yards (15 of 32) and 2 TDs. The Cardinals also took a big hit as RB James Conner left the game with a knee injury and landed on IR for a minimum of 4 weeks.

Although the Cardinals have played teams tough this far, the injuries are piling up and they could be hitting the proverbial wall.

In the loss to the Eagles, the Rams got a major piece of their offense back as WR Cooper Kupp made his season debut with 8 receptions for 118 yards — he missed the first 4 games with a hamstring injury. The return of Kupp and the emergence of WR Puka Nacua — 7 catches for 71 yards and a TD vs. the Eagles — will make the Rams and QB Matthew Stafford harder to defend.

Even without Kupp for 4 games, the Rams have averaged 270.0 passing yards per game. This week they go up against a Cardinals defense allowing 251.4 passing YPG (26th in the NFL), so the Rams will put up points in this NFC West matchup.

With Kupp starting to take off and Dobbs returning to earth after a solid 1st month, the RAMS ARE MY TOP WEEK 6 SURVIVOR POOL PICK.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: Buffalo Bills

Who they play: Home vs. New York Giants – 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

The Giants (1-4) are terrible, but this is more a bet on the Bills (3-2) bouncing back from a lackluster performance in a 25-20 loss — as 5.5-point favorites — in London to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It cost the Bills the AFC East lead as the Miami Dolphins (4-1) took over 1st following their 31-16 victory over the Giants — Miami covered as a 13-point home favorite.

New York comes in looking like the walking wounded. QB Daniel Jones (neck) and OLs Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) didn’t practice Thursday it’s possible all 3 might not play in Buffalo. At least RB Saquon Barkley (ankle) saw limited practice Thursday, improving his chance of playing Sunday.

The Bills, after 3 consecutive wins by 28 or more points, laid an egg overseas vs. the Jaguars. The team decided to fly to London on Friday for the Sunday game and it took a toll as the Bills looked like they were stuck in cement until the 4th quarter.

Being back home and resting in their own beds, the 14.5-point favored Bills will get back on track. (BetMGM Sportsbook line last updated Friday at 6:30 a.m. ET.)

Other to consider

Philadelphia Eagles: At New York Jets – 4:25 p.m. (FOX)

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

NO. 2 OPTION

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Who to take in Week 5 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 5.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

Unfortunately, we suffered our 1st loss of the season by selecting the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4 of our NFL survivor pool. Cincinnati was a total disappointment, losing at the Tennessee Titans 27-3 as a 2.5-point favorite.

For those who went with our 2nd option in the San Francisco 49ers — who easily handled the visiting New England Patriots 38-3 as 6-point favorites — or with a different winning team entirely, we’ll continue to move forward and select the best teams to pick to advance in a survivor pool.

Plus, some survivor contests allow for 2 or 3 losses before elimination.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Detroit Lions

Who they play: Home vs. Carolina Panthers – 1 p.m. (FOX)

Carolina and the Chicago Bears are the remaining winless teams – both 0-4 –entering Week 5. In last Sunday’s 21-13 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina jumped out to a 10-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter. It was an early tease for those who took 4-points with the Panthers.

Rookie QB Bryce Young has yet to take hold of the Panthers offense. With just 204 passing yards (25 of 32 attempts), the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was unable to take advantage of a Vikings defense which had struggled to start the season.

Detroit, which will have an extra 3 days of rest after beating Green Bay 34-20 as a 2.5-point road favorite last Thursday, returns home looking to remain in 1st place in the NFC North.

Already having suffered a 37-31 home loss to Seattle as 5-point favorites in Week 2, the Lions will not want to drop a 2nd home game this early in the season.

The Panthers traded away RB Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco last season. They later traded their top WR in D.J. Moore to Chicago to gain the No. 1 draft pick – which they used on Young. This could work well in the future if Young proves to be what the Panthers hope, but coming into this game, winless and hoping to beat the better team in Detroit, is not a safe bet.

DETROIT, with QB Jared Goff leading the way, is my BEST PICK for NFL survivor pools in Week 5.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: Baltimore Ravens

Who they play: At Pittsburgh Steelers – 1 p.m. (CBS)

Baltimore comes in after dismantling Cleveland 28-3 – the Ravens were 1-point road favorites vs. the Browns, who were without QB Deshaun Watson.

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh was dismantled as a 3-point favorite by rookie QB C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans 30-6. The loss was made worse by a knee injury to QB Kenny Pickett. The 2nd-year QB, who was coming off the first 2-passing TD game of his career vs. the Raiders in Week 3, is expected to practice this week, but it’s uncertain if he’ll play this Sunday.

If he’s is unable to go, the Steelers will turn to QB Mitch Trubisky. Plus, Pittsburgh is still without WR Diontae Johnson, who is on the Injured Reserve list with a hamstring injury suffered against Cleveland Sept. 18.

While Pittsburgh will be missing its top wideout and could be without its No. 1 quarterback, Baltimore will have QB Lamar Jackson and TE Mark Andrews. Both Ravens could be the best players on the field in the game.

While Jackson isn’t known as an elite passer, he completed 15 of 19 attempts for 186 yards and 2 TDs, both to Andrews (5 receptions, 80 yards), in the win vs. Cleveland.

This should be another close AFC North battle, but when the game is close, I will take K Justin Tucker over any other kicker in the league.

Other to consider

Miami Dolphins: Home vs. New York Giants – 1 p.m. (FOX)

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

Week 1: WIN – Ravens 25, Texans 9

Week 2: WIN – Cowboys 30, Jets 10

Week 3: WIN – Dolphins 70, Broncos 20

Week 4: LOSS – Titans 27, Bengals 3

NO. 2 OPTION

Week 1: WIN – Commanders 20, Cardinals 16

Week 2: WIN – Bills 38, Raiders 10

Week 3: WIN – Chiefs 41, Jets 10

Week 4: WIN – 49ers 35, Cardinals 16

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Want to win your NFL survivor pool? Who to take in Week 4

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 4.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

Two upsets trimmed NFL survivor pool fields in Week 3. The Dallas Cowboys lost 28-16 as 11-point favorites at the Arizona Cardinals, and the Baltimore Ravens suffered a 22-19 overtime defeat as 7.5-point home favorites vs. the Indianapolis Colts.

Lucky for us, we went with the Miami Dolphins, who gave us a “rocking chair” win — a victory that was never in doubt. The Fins put on one heck of a show, cruising to a 70-20 rout as 6-point home favorites vs. the Denver Broncos.

Let’s move on to Week 4 as we look to continue our NFL survivor pool run.

There are a number of difficult games to choose from, starting with the Detroit Lions (2-1) at the Green Bay Packers (2-1) Thursday night. Two other key matchups involve he Dolphins (3-0) at the rival Buffalo Bills (2-1) and the Cleveland Browns hosting the Ravens in a battle of 2-1 AFC North foes.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Cincinnati Bengals

Who they play: At Tennessee Titans — 1 p.m. (FOX)

Cincinnati finally claimed its 1st win of the young season, beating the Los Angeles Rams 19-16 Monday night. While QB Joe Burrow didn’t look great, he will this week facing a Titans team which ranks 28th against the pass, allowing 275.3 passing yards per game. However, the Titans are 4th in the NFL against the run, yielding just 69.3 rushing yards a game.

Burrow will be able to find WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd early and often against a bad Titans pass D.

On the other side of the ball, Tennessee’s offense has been terrible. QB Ryan Tannehill has thrown for 182.7 yards a game with only 1 TD vs. 3 interceptions. RB Derrick Henry is also feeling the strain of the offensive woes as the O-line has been unable to protect its star running back. Henry had only 20 yards on 11 carries Sunday in a 27-3 loss at the Browns. The faltering of this team, which is 1-9 in its past 10 games dating back to last season, has trickled into the running production of Henry.

Tennessee doesn’t have the horses to stand up to Cincinnati, which after starting 0-2, will gain its 2nd victory in as many games.

The BENGALS are my BEST NFL SURVIVOR POOL PICK for Week 4.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: San Francisco 49ers

Who they play: Home vs. Arizona Cardinals 4:25p.m. (FOX)

Yes, the Cardinals just beat the Cowboys, but this is exactly why this is the spot to bet against them.

The 49ers have been rolling in the early season. Their latest win, a 30-12 win over the New York Giants on Thursday was just the latest in a line of blowouts for the 49ers.

A close 30-23 win over the Rams in Week 2 could have been expected — the NFC West rivals often play close games,. The 49ers have scored exactly 30 points in all 3 of their games. Expect the offense to continue to put up points, while the impressive defense will likely hold the Cardinals under 17 points — if that. San Francisco held the Pittsburgh Steelers to 7 points in Week 1.

QB Joshua Dobbs and the Cardinals playing hard is a nice story, but it fails to compare to what San Francisco has in store for Arizona Sunday.

The 49ERS are a solid 2ND OPTION IN SURVIVOR POOLS this week.

Others to consider

Kansas City Chiefs: At New York Jets — 8:20 p.m. (NBC)

Philadelphia Eagles: Home vs. Washington Commanders — 1 p.m. (FOX)

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

Week 1: WIN — Ravens 25, Texans 9

Week 2: WIN — Cowboys 30, Jets 10

Week 3: WIN — Dolphins 70 Broncos 20

NO. 2 OPTION

Week 1: WIN — Commanders 20, Cardinals 16

Week 2: WIN — Bills 38, Raiders 10

Week 3: WIN — Chiefs 41 Bears 10

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Who to take in Week 3 in your NFL survivor pool

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season continues into Week 3.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

We went with another easy selection in Week 2 of the NFL survivor pool with the Dallas Cowboys, our 2nd week with a comfortable win after the choosing Baltimore Ravens in Week 1.

We will have to look at teams who are likely to be involved in closer games in Week 3. The San Francisco 49ers are a great play if the Thursday Night Football game is available in your pool, but in case it’s not, let’s look at who you should take Sunday in Week 3.

Follow the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Miami Dolphins

Who they play: Home vs. Denver Broncos – 1 p.m. (CBS)

The Broncos continue to search for their 1st win of the season after dropping their 1st 2 games at home.

Miami finally gets its home opener after topping the Los Angeles Chargers 36-34 and the New England Patriots 24-17 on the road in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.

QB Tua Tagovailoa has been stellar so far in 2023 with 715 yards and 4 touchdowns through 2 games. Coach Mike McDaniel will always utilize a run-first offense, and despite Tagovailoa playing at an MVP level out of the gate, he has still used RB Raheem Mostert to the tune of 28 carries for 158 yards and 3 TD through the first 2 games.

Miami has thrived despite OL Terron Armstead missing both games as OL Austin Jackson has provided a much-needed lift for the offensive line. If Tagovailoa remains healthy, the Dolphins are looking like the team to beat in the AFC East.

The Broncos and QB Russell Wilson are still struggling. After blowing a 17-point lead in a 35-33 home loss to the Washington Commanders in Week 2, the Broncos will need to find consistency on both sides of the ball to have a chance against the Dolphins Sunday.

Miami is the better team and despite Denver losing its 2 games by a combined 3 points, this game will show how much better the Dolphins are — and how far coach Sean Payton must go with Denver.

MIAMI is my TOP SURVIVOR POOL SELECTION for Week 3.

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: Kansas City Chiefs

Who they play: Home vs. Chicago Bears – 4:25 p.m. (FOX)

Courtney Cronin of ESPN reports that Bears QB Justin Fields was not happy with his play in a 27-17 Week 2 loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fields reportedly compared his play to being too robotic. This does not bode well for a team in Chicago that has less talent than most teams in the NFL and will be facing the most talented player in the league, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes.

While Kansas City has struggled in going 1-1 to start the season, Mahomes will overwhelm a disappointing Bears defense. Chicago allowed 6 receptions for 171 yards and 1 TD to WR Mike Evans as well as 5 receptions for 58 yards to WR Chris Godwin in Week 2.

The Chiefs limited the Jacksonville Jaguars to just 9 points in Week 2 and get to return home for this matchup — this time with TE Travis Kelce healthy and ready to play. RB Isiah Pacheco missed practice Wednesday, but his absence will not be the difference in a win here. Instead, this will just add more fuel to the “Mahomes to Kelce” fire.

The Bears will not go winless this season, but this will not be the week to take them to win a game.

Others to consider

Buffalo Bills: At Washington Commanders — 1 p.m. (CBS)

Seattle Seahawks: Home vs. Carolina Panthers — 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

2023 survivor game log

NO. 1 OPTION

Week 1: WIN — Ravens 25, Texans 9

Week 2: WIN — Cowboys 30, Jets 10

NO. 2 OPTION

Week 1: WIN — Commanders 20, Cardinals 16

Week 2: WIN — Bills 38, Raiders 10

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

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.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

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.

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

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.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

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

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]

Want to win your NFL survivor pool? Who to take in Week 1

Breaking down the best strategies of how to win your NFL survivor pool as the season gets underway with Week 1.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″ ]

NFL survivor pools are a fun way to enjoy football. They don’t take a lot of time, but the payout can be big — depending on the number of entries in your contest.

Last season, this column suggested the top options each week. Well, we’re going to do things a bit different this time around where my “chalk” selection will be my play in the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool — which is free to enter.

Unlike last season, I won’t list a “chalk” team more than once. It only seems fair as you won’t be able to take the same team twice in your contest — though some survivor games allow up to 3 losses.

However, I might suggest an already used team later in the season as my “No. 2 option” for those who might still have that team available, but a team will not be the “chalk” pick more than once.

PLAY TO WIN $10K!
USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool is free to enter. Sign up now!

– All games Sunday and ET unless noted

The chalk: Baltimore Ravens

Who they play: Home vs. Houston Texans – 1 p.m. (CBS)

In the past 2 head-to-head meetings, Baltimore won by a combined score of 74-23. The Ravens cruised to a 41-7 home rout in 2019 and won 33-16 in Houston 3 seasons ago.

With the running ability of Baltimore, the Ravens will control the clock and keep the Texans and rookie QB C.J. Stroud off the field. When the Texans do get on the field, it will have a banged up offensive line attempting to keep Stroud upright. This could be futile as the Ravens will get to him early and often.

Houston offensive linemen Kenyon Green, Tytus Howard, Scott Quessenberry and Juice Scruggs are out. This will leave Stroud vulnerable.

For the Ravens, QB Lamar Jackson is back … and potentially happy. His talent will make it difficult for a young Texas defense, which includes CB Derek Stingley Jr. the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Even if Stingley Jr. and Co. succeed in shutting down the Ravens passing game, Jackson and RB J.K. Dobbins will have a field day on the ground. Stopping them will not just be less than easy, it may be impossible.

There is not much to go on in Week 1 besides feelings. Well, my feeling here is the RAVENS are the safest bet to get your survivor pool stated.

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3012″ ]

No. 2 option: Washington Commanders

Who they play: Home vs. Arizona Cardinals – 1 p.m. (FOX)

Washington is not a world beater of a team, but it is better than Arizona, which has made trades to look like a team preparing for the next season.

While Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon came over from the Philadelphia Eagles — where he was the defensive coordinator — and knows to trust the process, a difficult season is in store for Arizona fans in 2023.

Washington has some talent on offense. With Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, the Commanders have a solid base at the WR position. With RBs Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson coming out of the backfield, new QB Sam Howell will have options to check down to when needed.

Washington will look to win its 1st game under new ownership.

While the Cardinals are heading in the wrong direction in hopes of returning to the playoffs in future seasons, the Commanders are hoping the future is now. A win against the Cardinals will be the 1st step in making this happen.

Other to consider

Philadelphia Eagles: At New England Patriots — 4:25 p.m. (CBS)

FOOTBALL NEVER STOPS
Live games, analysis and more 7 days a week: Get ESPN+

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″ ]

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

Follow Dominick Petrillo on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NFL coverage:

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1367]