One of the fun — and most challenging — aspects of NFL gaming is the Survivor pool. When it seems like a game is a lock, boom, you have been eliminated. Here’s an early look at navigating your way through the challenging gauntlet
Week 1
The season opens and all one can do is hope to survive to the second week. The Lions would seem to be a reasonable pick, but they are the Lions. And on the road, despite it being at Arizona. Pick them at your own peril. One game jumps out: Bengals at Seahawks. Russell Wilson and Seattle at home against a dull Cincinnati team seems like a solid play. Zac Taylor starts his coaching career in a venue he is familiar with for the Bengals. The Rams did have success against Seattle, but, this is Cincinnati not the Los Angeles Rams. The call: Seattle
Week 2
Assuming Seattle has delivered, it is time to look for another solid pick. While staying away from the Lions at Arizona, there is reason to look strongly at where the Cardinals are after their opener. This was the worst team in the league in 2018 and it has a rookie coach and likely QB going across the country. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens should be too much of a test for Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury. One thing that is obvious already. The schedule is quite testing for anyone who hopes to survive in their contest. The call: Baltimore
Week 3
Finally, a week with a few options. Josh Allen and Bills come home to face the Bengals, a team we have suggested is flawed. The Lions are at the Eagles and they should be overmatched. Vic Fangio and the Broncos go to Green Bay and the Jets travel to Foxborough to face Tom Brady & Co. Take your pick of any in that quartet. The call: Philadelphia
Week 4
One game jumps off the schedule page: Raiders at Colts. Hard to believe Oakland will be able to improve enough to compete, let alone win against Andrew Luck and Indianapolis. The call: Indianapolis
Week 5
Another rough week with tough choices. Play the Bengals at home against the Cardinals at your own risk. It is tempting to use a weak team but those teams can also sink your season. The Bears are at the Raiders in a game that figures to have Khalil Mack fired up. That’s a solid-looking play. The call: Chicago
Week 6
This week should lead to a quick pick with the first game on Thursday being the Giants at the Patriots. Tom Coughlin’s Giants gave Bill Belichick fits. No one should confused Pat Shurmur with Coughlin. Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champs could have a field day against Big Blue. Lesser options are the Niners at the Rams and Lions at the Packers. Ponder those if you want to save the Pats for later in the season. The call: New England
Week 7
Couple options involving AFC West teams. The Chiefs kick off the week at Denver. Might shy away from this game because the games the teams played in 2018 resulted in a KC sweep but by a combined 11 points. Hate to keep picking on the Raiders — not really — but Oakland at Green Bay begs for using Aaron Rodgers & Co. The call: Green Bay
Week 8
If there were a week to take a risk on the Lions, this could be it as the Giants come to town. However, there are better options as the Bengals meet the Rams at the Coliseum and the Cardinals travel to New Orleans to face the Saints. Gonna go with New Orleans on the slimmest of chances the Bengals rise up with a big game as Zac Taylor faces his former team. The call: New Orleans
Week 9
Halfway there, and livin’ on a prayer if you are alive and picking in a survivor pool. Talk about a tough week. Wow, close matchups abound. Used the Seahawks long ago in the opener so can’t go with them against Tampa Bay. Florida provides another option as the Jets head to South Beach to face the Dolphins. Miami has to be pumped for its chance to level Adam Gase. Sam Darnold vs. Josh Rosen feels like a USC-UCLA rivalry match. Ugh…having to pick the Fish in a brutal week with few options. Another option could be Kansas City against Minnesota. The call: Miami
Week 10
This is where being able to use a team once make life tricky and finding a safe play more and more difficult each week. There is another revenge game, if you want to call it that, as the Cardinals journey to Tampa Bay to face Bruce Arians and the Bucs. Impossible to place your faith in Jameis Winston, as tempting as Tampa Bay looks. Instead, going to tab the Browns, who are home to the Bills. Hopefully, Cleveland has built on the success it had in 2018 and presents a strong home foe against a Bills team that should be taking baby steps toward success. The call: Cleveland
Week 11
Decisions, decisions. Looking at the Cowboys, who play a road game against the Lions, and the Vikings, who play host to the Broncos. The Lions likely will be out of it by this time and it is entirely possible Drew Lock will have displaced Joe Flacco in Denver. The safer play is Minnesota at home. The call: Minnesota
Week 12
The picking process is becoming torture as you try and stay alive with your eyes on the big prize. No gimmes this week. The Lions are at the Redskins, no bargain with either of those teams. Matt Ryan and the Falcons have not been mentioned to date. With any luck, Atlanta has shaken the Super Bowl hangover that has lasted a couple years. Tampa Bay comes to the ATL and with the Dirty Birds in gear provides the perfect foe. The call: Atlanta
Week 13
Three games on Thanksgiving and one is appetizing, because the Cowboys play host to the Bills, have been used already. The major concern is not the Bills. It is how Dallas will rebound after playing New England the previous Sunday. Still, it is Dallas against the Bills. The call: Dallas.
Week 14
Getting down to the nitty-gritty. The Titans are at the Raiders. Love Mike Vrabel but there is no way of knowing if Marcus Mariota will stand the test of a full season and not picking on the chance it is Ryan Tannehill. Figure the Steelers to be in the thick of the AFC North race and they go to the desert to face the Cardinals, who figure to be in a battle for the top pick in the draft. Ben Roethlisberger & Co. catch a nice game late in the season. The call: Pittsburgh
Week 15
Can’t go the entire season without using Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Avoided the first AFC West matchup with the Denver Broncos because KC was the road team. Will not do the same here. Have to go with Mahomes against either Flacco or Lock. The call: Kansas City
Week 16
Down to the final two weeks if you have managed to survived. Most — if not all — of the strong teams have been used. Would have loved to have banked someone but it isn’t easy to find one winner every week let alone to save for the rainy Sunday at the end of the season. And then, suddenly, after studying the picks you have made and options you have left you realize you have not used the Los Angeles Chargers. Philip Rivers and his Lightning Bolts catch a late-season home game against the Oakland Raiders. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth and the Chargers are just that. The call: Los Angeles Chargers
Week 17
It all comes down to one pick — unless others alive decide to play it safe and split the pot. However, you are going to go for broke … or be broke. The tricky part of the final week of the season is one never knows who will have playoffs and position locked up and not have to use their starters. Another element to weigh. The Houston Texans are home to the Tennessee Titans. J.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, DeAndrew Hopkins hopefully will be playing for playoff position or an AFC South title. The other options are the Broncos at home against the Raiders and the Bills at home against the Jets. The Texans are the pick, unless they have nothing to play for in the finale. If that is the case, the Bills are a far better choice than Denver. The call: Houston
