Well, my entries are eliminated in my Survivor Pools this season. Thanks to Tom Brady and his lack of interest this year, the Bucs were upset by the Steelers. That loss ended my run. Not my best season, but I finished near the top, so I will take it.

Let’s get into the picks for this week.

Patriots over Bears

Since Bailey Zappe took over under center, the Patriots are 2-1, with their lone defeat coming in OT against the Packers. It’s still up in the air whether it will be Zappe or Mac Jones starting for New England on Monday, but either way, the Patriots should have no issues with the reeling Bears. Falling to the Commanders last Thursday, the Bears have struggled to generate any offense this season save for a few decent games by RBs David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert. Justin Fields has regressed significantly this year, ranking at the bottom in all categories for starting QBs. No head coach performs better against young QBs than Bill Belichick, and you can be sure he will dial up the pressure on defense. The Patriots sit at -7.5 favorites as of this publication, and while the number may seem daunting, it may not be high enough.

Raiders over Texans

Both teams enter this contest with one win, but there’s no question the Raiders’ roster is filled with more depth and talent. Las Vegas began the season with a tough schedule with losses to the Chargers, Cardinals, Chiefs, and Titans. It should get easier for Josh McDaniels’ squad starting with a matchup against the Texans. While the Texans have shown grit and covered the spread in most of their contests, they won’t be able to keep up with the Raiders’ offense even if Davante Adams is suspended for this game. Houston may hang in and play Vegas close, but ultimately, this should be a win for the Raiders. It may also be the only time you can confidently pick Vegas to win this season.

Bucs over Panthers

The Bucs may have eliminated me last week, but they square off against the worst team in the league this weekend. The Panthers have been a mess all season, and it only got worse against the Rams last Sunday when WR Robbie Anderson was dismissed to the locker room and traded the next day. All indications are that this team is not in rebuild mode and will secure the No. 1 draft pick come April. If the Bucs somehow lose this game, heads will roll.

Ravens over Browns

Many lost their pick last week when the Giants upset the Ravens. While Baltimore has struggled lately, they have an easier opponent in the Browns on Sunday. Still, without QB Deshaun Watson, the Browns have been mediocre at best and were blown out at home by the Patriots. This is a division rivalry game, so be mindful that anything can happen, but it’s hard to see the Ravens dropping this one at home.

Dolphins over Steelers

Tua is back after suffering a frightening head injury three weeks ago. There’s no question his presence makes the Dolphins significantly better when he is under center. Meanwhile, the Steelers will turn again to Mitch Trubisky after their rookie QB Kenny Pickett suffered a concussion last week against the Patriots. While Trubisky performed admirably and led Pittsburgh to a remarkable win, don’t forget his inconsistency throughout his career. The Dolphins still have an underrated defense and should put the brakes on Pittsburgh’s optimism moving forward.