You’ve brushed up on your NFL Survivor Pool contest strategy but don’t want to spend all day researching your Survivor picks this week. No problem – we’ve got you covered. Have a look at a pair of teams that our TB News squad feels are good picks, along with which teams to avoid for Week 5 of the 2020 season. Good luck!
NOTE:Keep an eye out for any possible game postponements or cancellations due to Covid-19 teamoutbreaks.It’s a good idea to steer clear of picks from games that may be postponed or canceled.Consult your NFL survivor contest rules on how postponed or canceled games are dealt with.Also keep an eye out for late-week injuries that may affect your pick as these strategy articles are generally written early in the week.
The Houston Texans, while winless on the year, are the healthiest team currently in the NFL.They opened the year against the Chiefs, Ravens and Steelers, losing all three of those extremely difficult matchups plus a loss vs the Vikings last week.Houston fired GM/Head coach Bill O’Brien on Tuesday, and Romeo Crennel will be taking the reins from here.Texans QB DeShaun Watson historically responds to adversity by putting the team on his back, and we expect no different this time against the weak Jaguars defense. Take Houston at home this week.
“Cooking with Baker“
Browns (3-1) vs Colts (3-1), Sunday
Opening line: Colts, -1.5 points
We don’t understand the line on this game, as Cleveland looked good in a trouncing of the Cowboys in Dallas last week, and the Colts are led by the jello-armed QB Philip Rivers who has a penchant for snatching defeat from the hands of victory. This Cleveland defense is young and has been decimated by injuries to start the year, but they are getting healthy now and looking good in the process.Cleveland lost RB Nick Chubb to injury for4-6 weeks, but backup Kareem Hunt is almost 100% healthy now and is fully qualified to take control of the backfield as evidenced by his 1,327 2017 rushing yards while with Kansas City. Put your faith in Browns QB Baker Mayfield and WR Odell Beckham Jr. at home this week.
NFL Survivor Pool Week 5 Advice: Who to Avoid
“Seeing Red”
Jets (0-4) vs Cardinals (2-2), Sunday
Opening line: Cardinals, -7.0 points
Let’s fade the Cardinals this week at the New York Jets, for a cascade of reasons we refer to as “red flags.”The game is a flight east for Arizona to New York, crossing three time zones and losing 3 hours in the process.Flights to the West coast are easier because teams flying that direction gain hours instead of losing them.The turf at MetLife stadium has become a huge issue to visiting teams, to the point where the NFLPA is investigating and their grievance includes a call for all teams to move to natural grass.The offense is being carried by QB Kyler Murray himself, as the backfield tandem of Kenyan Drake and Chase Edmonds has failed to produce anything of substance, while all WRs not named DeAndre Hopkins have seemingly vanished into the dry desert air. The sophmore star is a great quarterback, but not yet great enough to consistently win games on his own a la Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Lamar Jackson.We can’t endorse the Jets of course, but their defense is adequate and Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams can game plan well enough to put at least some doubt into this game’s outcome.Take a pass on this one.
“Not-Lanta”
Falcons (0-4) vs Panthers (2-2), Sunday
Opening line: Falcons, -2.5 points
We were prepared to roll the dice with the Falcons at some point this season, as their offense could have made up for their atrocious pass-funnel defense, but things have changed recently because all-world Julio Jones cannot stay on the field.Jones’ week 5 future (and ultimately possibly his entire season if a re-aggravation occurs) is in doubt with a fragile hammy, and WR Calvin Ridley cannot shoulder the entire receiving load. Witness week 4 as QB Matt Ryan managed to target persons named Olamide Zaccheaus, Christian Blake and Keith Smith a combined 12 of 28 total targets while getting beat-down by the Packers in a fourth consecutive loss to start the year.RB Todd Gurley’s stat lines are a mirage, as anyone watching the games can tell the ex-superstar and his arthritic knee are clearly washed up, forcing his sub-par backfield mates Ito Smith and Brian Hill to take on work they certainly haven’t earned.I think the point is we just can’t take on risk with Atlanta when both the offense and defense are failing, especially against an upstart Panthers team who has proven twice already this year that it is capable of winning games.
