The Survivor Pool hit once again in week 10, rattling off another win during a season that saw its fair share of struggles earlier this year.
Now that I’m back on the Survivor Pool win-wagon, there are some games to pay attention to this week. Here’s the week 11 Survivor Pool picks.
Best Bet
Kansas City Chiefs
I had to do a double-take just to make sure I hadn’t taken the Chiefs yet this season. Surprisingly I hadn’t, so that may mean they haven’t been a popular pick in the early going for the majority of Survivor Pool players.
If you haven’t taken the Chiefs, week 11 is the best time. Andy Reid is 16-2 straight up in his career as a head coach coming off a bye week. As the Chiefs coach, he’s 3-1 straight up, with his only loss coming in his first season at the helm in 2013, against Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos, which just happened to go to the Super Bowl that year.
This week, Reid won’t face a team heading to any kind of bowl at the end of the season. The Giants are horrendous. They’ve showed that on a weekly basis this season and it’s only getting worse.
Even if New York hasn’t completely quit for the season, neither side of the ball will be able to do much against the Chiefs. The defense is allowing more than a yard per play more than the Chiefs in the last three games.
An already overrated pass defense also is getting worse, giving up 10.7 yards per pass attempt in the last three games, by far the worst number in the NFL.
That doesn’t match up well against Kansas City’s high-powered offense. New York can’t move the ball and it can’t stop anybody. Kansas City deserves to be a double-digit favorite in this game and this one is the most lopsided matchup in week 11.
Sleeper Pick
Jacksonville Jaguars
I’m sick of backing Cleveland. I swore I would never bet Cleveland again, and then there I was last week, putting them in my best bets column. That backfired in a major way with a Cleveland-esque fourth quarter en route to another loss.
The Browns are terrible and it won’t get any better in week 11 against an improving Jacksonville team. The Jaguars offense is getting better. It’s still not great, but it’s not the liability it was in the early portion of the season. The passing game is averaging almost a yard more per attempt in the last three games than the season average, and the defense is somehow getting better.
Teams still can’t pass on them and the Jaguars are making it even more difficult for the opposition to run the football, giving up less yards per carry in the last three games than their season average.
The Browns are going to bring a good rush defense, but the offense isn’t good enough to sustain anything, especially against the Jaguars defense. Cleveland’s turnover-prone offense will face one of the NFL’s best at creating turnovers. Get ready for some sloppy football once again in Cleveland.
Be Careful
New England Patriots
Many of you have probably already used the Patriots, but if you haven’t and believe this is the week to use them — don’t.
New England is once again playing like the team many predicted in the preseason. Despite the resurgence, the defense still isn’t that good. They’re giving up too much still in the rushing game, which could open up some avenues for the Raiders to take advantage of at home.
Oakland’s offense is showing improvement and the defense is pretty comparable to New England’s. On paper, this is a fairly even statistical affair. Many people are overvaluing New England based on their name.
That’s a sound strategy on several occasions, but the Patriots are still human, and this is a west coast trip after already playing a road game in week 10 at Denver. The Raiders still have enough talent on the offensive side of the ball that they could give the Patriots serious issues.
I’d stay away from this one in the Survivor Pool.
