I would bet a hefty sum that the Packers and Bucs are responsible for eliminating the majority of remaining entries the past two weeks. By far, the Bucs upset many fans over the weekend, losing to the worst team in the league, the Carolina Panthers.
There are few perfect Survivor Pools left, so let’s get down to the picks.
Falcons over Panthers
The Panthers, as mentioned above, ruined many brackets over the weekend, but if you’re still alive in your pool, this is a great week to pick against them. Before Sunday, Atlanta was a perfect 6-0 ATS before opposing the defending AFC Champions – the Cincinnati Bengals. The Falcons have been a pleasant surprise thus far with a 3-4 record, including upsetting the 49ers two weeks ago. They have a star RB in Tyler Allgeier, and Marcus Mariota has somewhat of a revitalized year in Atlanta. Hosting the Panthers this weekend, the Falcons should bounce back and defeat their division opponent at home. Remember that this Carolina team is tanking and could predictably make a few extra moves before the trade deadline on November 1st to secure more picks in April’s draft. Strategically, this will likely be the only week you can rely on Atlanta. The Falcons are a solid pick.
Cowboys over Bears
The Bears shocked the Patriots in New England on Monday night, defeating the Patriots 33-14. However, New England was responsible for four turnovers, enabling Chicago to capitalize on critical mistakes and win comfortably. That won’t happen this week against a Dallas defense that is among the top in the league. After holding Detroit’s offense to a mere six points, the Cowboys will rally behind Dak Prescott as he continues to get healthier and hand the Bears another loss. Chicago is also playing on a short week. It’s an excellent time to pick against them.
Eagles over Steelers
Fresh off of a bye, Philadelphia will host the upstart Steelers on Sunday. Pittsburgh was a nice story after defeating the Bucs, but the Steelers came back down to earth on Sunday night, losing to the Dolphins 16-10. Unfortunately for the Steelers and rookie QB Kenny Pickett, the Eagles’ defense is far superior to the Dolphins’ mediocre defensive unit. Expect Pittsburgh to struggle to move the ball and for the Eagles to force multiple turnovers. Stay safe, and select the only undefeated team this weekend.
Patriots over Jets
I know this is a stretch, but the Jets’ offense relied solely on the legs of rookie RB Breece Hall during their improbable win streak. In their win against Denver on Sunday, Hall suffered a season-ending injury, meaning the Jets will look to second-year QB Zach Wilson to pick up the slack. Since returning from an injury of this own, Wilson has been mediocre at best. Even though the Jets acquired James Robinson from the Jaguars to replace Hall, he is nowhere near the level of the former Iowa State back.
The Patriots are dealing with their own issues at QB after Mac Jones was benched for Bailey Zappe against the Bears. While Zappe had an explosive first half, he faltered in the second half, tossing two interceptions. It is unclear who will get the start, but this Patriots’ defense should be able to apply plenty of pressure on Wilson and force him to make multiple mistakes. It’s a gamble, but if you used up some of the better teams in the league, this is a good alternative.
Bengals over Browns
The Bengals finally look like the team that defied expectations and reached the Super Bowl last season. Expect more of the same this weekend when they oppose a Browns squad trying to hang on until Deshaun Watson returns from suspension. While Jacoby Brissett has done a decent job in his place, he has yet to score an impressive win, and the Browns’ defense has been a disappointment all year. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are finally on the same page again. Add Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd to the mix, and the Bengals’ offense should easily rack up the points in this contest.
