NFL Week 14 Survivor Pool Picks + Strategy | Titans or Seahawks?

Week 14 of the NFL is upon us, and that means each team only has a handful of games left. Each week a few more teams will be eliminated from playoff contention, while others are punching their ticket to the postseason. More and more we will hear about tanking and motivation as factors depending on matchups, and we are likely going to get lopsided spreads to close out the year. On the NFL survivor side, we almost have half the league unavailable, which makes the task to pick a winner that much more difficult. Let’s get into some of the top NFL survivor picks, including the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.

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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 14 NFL Schedule

Week 13 NFL Survivor Picks Recap 

Raiders

Forty-three percent of Yahoo teams most likely accepted that Week 13 would be the end of the road, as the Raiders were basically drawing dead against the Jets and needed to convert a Hail Mary to find a victory. Fortunately for them, it’s the Jets on the other side, who decided to all-out blitz and add to the blooper reel that is their 2020 season. It was one of the most improbable wins of the year in a game that the Raiders absolutely needed to have. Survivor teams now get a new lease on life after the miracle win, and picking on the Jets still hasn’t produced any losses on the season.

Vikings

The Raiders were the miracle finish of the week, but Minnesota wasn’t far behind. Thirty-eight percent of survivor teams went to the Vikings against the one-win Jaguars, and it took overtime for them win. Minnesota looked in control at various points of the game, but they also were extremely fortunate to force overtime and pull out a crucial victory. Week 13 was all about survive and advance, and both the Raiders and Vikings pushed that theory to the limit with their close calls.

Seahawks

Not everyone could survive with a late rally, as the Seahawks were upset as double-digit favorites at home by the Colt McCoy–led Giants. This knocked out 13% of Yahoo leagues, and it probably would have been more if the Seahawks were more widely available to remaining teams. They certainly do not look like the same team that was on fire to begin the season, but a matchup with the Jets this week will have them back as a popular choice in Week 14.

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Week 14 NFL Survivor Pool Picks

Seahawks

Assuming you have Seattle left, this is the spot to use against the Jets. I already talked about how inexplicable the Jets loss was last week, and coming off a bad showing of their own, Seattle should be ready. They are 13.5-point favorites at home, and the only thing keeping everyone from choosing this spot is the fact most will not have the Seahawks available. This is as simple as it gets if you have yet to use them, and if not, you get to root for the miracle upset that would surely be the final knockout punch in a lot of survivor pools.

Titans

Assuming you do not have Seattle left, the next best spot is to target the one-win Jaguars. They get an AFC South matchup with the Titans, looking to rebound after getting steamrolled by Cleveland last week. Tennessee is tied with Indianapolis at 8-4, and they cannot afford to lose to Jacksonville.

I expect a heavy dose of Derrick Henry on the ground, and Tennessee getting back to leaning on the running game should translate to a win. On the Jaguars side, Mike Glennon has been serviceable in his two starts (three touchdowns, two interceptions), and unlike the Jets, this Jacksonville team has competed in a handful of games in recent weeks. Still, the Titans are 7.5-point road favorites and have the advantage on both sides of the ball, so they must be considered as a top survivor choice this week.

Saints

We still aren’t positive who will be under center for New Orleans, but regardless, the Saints are 7-point road favorites heading into Philadelphia. Drew Brees is eligible to return after a few weeks off with the rib injury, but Taysom Hill has proven he can lead an effective Saints offense on his own. With the playmakers and a strong defense around them, either quarterback is going to cause the Eagles defense a ton of problems, and that is before we talk about their situation on the other side of the ball.

It looks like the Eagles are either looking to the future or so desperate for a spark that they are giving Jalen Hurts his shot. He certainly provides a different skillset then Carson Wentz, but behind their shaky offensive line, it could be a tough situation to be thrown into. The Saints defense is not who I would want to face in my first start, and I don’t believe Hurts will have much success given the situation around him.

My Week 14 NFL Survivor Pool Pick: Seahawks

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), Browns (W), Raiders (W)

I am lucky to have the Seahawks still available, so that is where I will be going. Not only do they get the Jets, but they are at home coming off a disappointing loss to the Giants. They are tied at the top of the NFC West with the Rams, and this is a game that cannot be overlooked for a variety of reasons. Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense should have a field day against this secondary, and I don’t see them needing any Raiders magic to add another loss to the Jets season.

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