Week 12 of the NFL season is here, and Thanksgiving Football is upon us. This is always one of the best weeks of the NFL season, as we get a three-pack of Thursday games in addition to the normal Sunday slate. There are a bunch of games with playoff implications, and for survivor we have a difficult slate to choose from. Last week, we saw a handful of upsets, which took out a lot of remaining teams. So if you are still alive, the finish line may be in sight, and the Browns and Seahawks could be your NFL survivor picks if you haven’t already used them.
What is a Survivor Pool?
There are several variations of the Survivor Pool format, but the most basic and common one is each week everyone in the pool has to select one team to win a game straight up, not against the spread. If the team wins, you survive the week and move on, and if the team you pick ties or loses, you are eliminated from the pool. The twist is that you can only use any team once, so anyone you pick is no longer available for weeks in the future, making it increasingly difficult as the season goes on. The pool ends when there is one player left, and usually that player will take home a big pay day depending on the pool and the structure.
Week 12 NFL Schedule
Thursday |
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Texans (-3) at Lions | Washington at Cowboys (-3) | Ravens at Steelers (-4.5) |
Sunday |
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Raiders (-3) at Falcons | Chargers at Bills (-5.5) | Giants (-5.5) at Bengals |
Titans at Colts (-3.5) | Panthers at Vikings (-4) | Cardinals (-2.5) at Patriots |
Dolphins (-6.5) at Jets | Browns (-6.5) at Jaguars | Saints (-6) at Broncos |
49ers at Rams (-7) | Chiefs (-3.5) at Buccaneers | Bears at Packers (OTB) |
Monday |
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Seahawks (-5.5) at Eagles |
Week 11 NFL Survivor Picks RecapÂ
Chargers
Los Angeles was 47% owned across Yahoo leagues last week, and it didn’t disappoint against the winless Jets. The Chargers led throughout the game, and even though things got a little tight at the end, they were able to hold on for the 34-28 victory. The strategy of fading the Jets has paid off every week this season, and that’s going to continue to be a popular choice as the season rolls on.
Vikings
This was a big upset that took out 31% of remaining teams, which is a sizeable number. Minnesota was unable to extend its winning streak to four games, as it was beaten at home 31-28 by the Dallas Cowboys. It was a critical loss for a team hoping to make a playoff run. As for Dallas, it was just what they needed to get back in the NFC East race. Seeing how Dallas looked last week is going to cool the strategy of picking against them going forward, as they are a much better team with Andy Dalton under center.
Steelers
Only 10% of teams went with Pittsburgh, and that was most likely due to not having them available. They played the Jaguars and were double-digit favorites, so on paper this was one of the best spots to target. Pittsburgh steamrolled the Jags to keep its perfect record intact. If you chose them last week, you got to relax while others were having to sweat out their selections.
Week 12 NFL Survivor Pool Picks
Browns
The Jaguars pulled off an upset against Indianapolis to start the season, but since then they have struggled mightily. They are 1-9 and have lost nine straight. Even a home matchup against Cleveland might not break that streak. Cleveland comes in with a 7-3 record and a winner of two straight, which is why it is a 6.5-point road favorite. The Browns cannot afford to slip up against a team like Jacksonville, and they have the advantage on both sides of the ball. Cleveland is most likely available to you, which is a huge benefit this late in the season. The Browns figure to be the most popular selection of Week 12.
Seahawks
This week doesn’t have any two-touchdown favorites, so we are forced to look at games like the Seahawks – Eagles, where the spread is 5.5 points. The Seahawks are trying to hold onto the NFC West, while Philadelphia is desperately looking for a win to cling to life in the NFC East. Carson Wentz is in the midst of a terrible 2020 campaign with 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and even against Seattle’s weak defense this offense could struggle. In weeks with bigger blowout spots, this type of game wouldn’t even be considered. Given Week 12 is very competitive, we have to take a look at this Seahawks team on the road against the struggling Eagles.
Dolphins
This is another situation where the biggest problem is most people have already used the Dolphins this season. Miami is coming off a disappointing loss against Denver, but they draw the ideal matchup with the winless Jets. Vegas has this spread at 6.5 points for the visiting Dolphins, and they have to find a win here to remain in the playoff hunt. Miami already blanked the Jets 24-0 earlier this season, which is why most people don’t have them available here in Week 12.
My Week 12 NFL Survivor Pool Pick: Browns
Teams I’ve already used: Colts (L), Buccaneers (W), Eagles (T), Rams (W), Cowboys (W), Dolphins (W), Chargers (W), Chiefs (W), Steelers (W), Packers (W), Vikings (L)
When you are 11 weeks in, you have crossed off a lot of the premier teams in the league, which leaves us with limited options. Fortunately, a few teams that we haven’t used draw quality matchups this week, specifically the Browns, who look like they are ready to finally to take some steps forward in being a contender. They have a two-headed monster in the backfield with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, who will be busy against a defense as weak as Jacksonville. With the Jaguars having lost nine straight, it’s as good of a spot as we could ask for this deep into the season, and I expect the Browns to find a way to grab this road win.
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