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NFL Survivor Pools Expert Advice and Predictions for Week 8


by - 10/23/2019

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady

Another week, and other very easy set of survivor pool picks last week. This has been the oddest season I have ever seen for survivor pools. There have been strange and shocking results in the NFL for sure this year, but they mostly haven't come in the most obvious of games. The bad teams have been really bad, and the good teams have been doing their jobs. I looked back out of interest, and by this stage of the season the large survivor pool I have been in for years had ended three times in the last eight seasons. Now it's like it barely even started. Even people who are really bad at these pools - and I won't name any names - are still alive and kicking. Last week, for fun, I came up with a simple formula that could be used for brainless survivor pool pick making. And it worked perfectly. And it will probably work again in Week 8. So, let's not overthink things and just apply the same formula again.

1. Take the Patriots: I'm all but certain that you can't possibly have the Patriots available as a pick anymore. They are 7-0. They have played a collection of cupcakes. The offense has been fine, but the defense has been truly stellar. There have been at least five games that were all but automatic picks for them so far. This Week 8 game is perhaps not quite as automatic, but it's close. Cleveland has lost their last two and three of their last four. Their last road game was against a pretty good San Francisco team, and Cleveland got humiliated. The Cleveland offense has not been able to get out of their own way all season, and that sure doesn't feel like it will change this week against this defense. New England added a much-needed receiver this week, which will only help. And the Browns are going to be very badly outcoached in this one. If you could make the New England pick, then you could very comfortably do so.

2. Take whoever is playing Miami: This one is playable this week, because betting against Miami is a pretty solid idea at any time. Their game against Washington was an example of just how far this team will go to secure the first overall pick - going for two instead of kicking the extra point for the tie late, even though everyone in the world knew they wouldn't get the two. This team is making an artform of tanking, and it should continue all year. Why stop now when there are so many bad teams in the league this year? The only cause for minor concern is that the Steelers just aren't any good They can't protect a quarterback, they are not playing with any cohesiveness, and they are tough to trust. They are still the dramatically better team here for Week 8 Monday Night Football , and I would pick them if I had to, but it's not necessarily a dream scenario.

3. Take whoever is playing Washington: This one works, too. Washington remains a mess. And that isn't going to change. And Minnesota seems to have turned a corner of late. They have won three games in a row, and Kirk Cousins is finally looking like a real-life NFL quarterback after such a rough start for the first 20 games of his time in Minnesota. Washington is awful, and this is the Thursday night game for Week 8 . Less practice time is certainly not going to help the problems the underdogs have here. The Vikings would have to work very hard to find a way to lose this game, and it is much easier to trust them to do the right thing now than it was a month ago. Minnesota is the top pick available here this week.

Also playable: If you weren't happy with any of those picks, or you couldn't pick Washington or New England, then there are a couple more options. You could take the Rams over the Bengals because Cincinnati is just awful, but the fact it is in London - a very long way from L.A. - and the Rams have some issues of their own, makes this only a B-level pick. A better selection would be the Seahawks over the Rams. Atlanta is yet another team that is a total mess, and they just aren't going to get out of their own way. Seattle has won all three games on the road this year, is playing mostly pretty well, and is clearly superior in this spot. I don't love picking road teams as a primary option in survivor pools, but in spots like this it becomes that much more acceptable.

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