NFL Survivor Pool Picks Week 15 Expert Predictions and Analysis

I’m actually going to be glad when the regular season ends in a few weeks. I have enjoyed starting this blog and writing every week, but I had an early exit in my NFL Survivor Pools this season (as did most of America) and my betting picks haven’t been great, either. This has been one of the crazier seasons I can remember, and I am looking forward to getting back on the right path next season. Every handicapper has a down year, and this was mine. But I am confident I will be in the running in my pools next year like I have been almost every year.

Last week we looked at some under-the-radar teams that I expected to win, and two of my top picks came in, including my top play on Kansas City. Since our traffic has dropped to almost nothing I am guessing there aren’t many NFL Survivor Pool players left out there looking for advice, but I will still write this article through Week 17.

Here in this space I will offer some NFL Survivor Pool picks for Week 15 for some off-the-radar teams that may not have been used yet.

NFL Survivor Pool Picks Week 15

Top Play: Jacksonville over Atlanta

The Jags are no longer a fade team for NFL Survivor Pools. The last four years it has been nearly an automatic win to play against them, but I said at the start of this season that they would be a lot better and they have improved a lot this year and still have an outside chance to win their horrible division and possibly advance to the playoffs (and host a game!). Atlanta, after a hot start, has lost six straight and seven of their last eight (the only win was a slim one over Tennessee). There is no team in the NFL playing worse right now, and I think the Chargers would even beat this squad at the moment. Last week they were a sexy pick to upset the Panthers and end their undefeated season. They were shut out, 38-0, in one of the worst performances of the season in the NFL. It looks like this team has quit. Jacksonville has a lot to play for here, and this game doesn’t mean a whole lot to Atlanta. Even if the Falcons have some pride they are probably looking more towards next week’s rematch against Carolina and not really focused on this out-of-conference foe.

Pick No. 2: New York Jets over Dallas

Dallas is another team that seems to have given up on the season. When Dallas QB Tony Romo went out for the season that seems to have deflated this squad. Yes, they did get a win over the Redskins, but that is a rivalry where the teams always come to play no matter what the talent level disparity. But they were blown out last week at a Green Bay team that has not looked very good lately. They also embarrassed themselves at home against Carolina recently. I am a big Kansas City Chiefs fan, and Dallas QB Matt Cassel was our starter for a few years. So I know firsthand how much this guy stinks. And he is old now and not even nearly as good as he was in KC. Dallas is lacking in a lot of areas, and they face a real tough task here to get an upset win. The Jets are one of the most veteran teams in the NFL this year. They play great defense and can do enough on offense to win games. They come into this one having won three straight, and they have looked good doing it. This team is in the thick of the playoff race in the AFC, and we expect them to take care of business here on the road. The oddsmakers have this game at -3 or -3.5, but I have this game handicapped at Jets -6.5, so I like them even more than the oddsmakers do.

Pick No. 3: St. Louis over Tampa Bay

I normally don’t like picking from the Thursday night games for my NFL Survivor Pool picks. But when you are alive this late in the season you have to do what you can to advance. I avoid these games because the short turnaround time and lack of preparation normally makes for some crazy outcomes. But the short turnaround also normally favors the home team. This will be the third home game in a row for St. Louis, so they should be very comfortable here and the Thursday game won’t affect them that much. They come into this game with some confidence after getting a big win last week. They have won three in a row in this series as well. Tampa Bay has lost two of the last three, with the only win coming over an Atlanta team that might be the worst squad in the NFL right now. They have had a pretty manageable schedule, and maybe this is a bit too early to say this team has turned the corner. We expect a heavy dose of Rams RB Todd Gurley in this game and think St. Louis will play it conservatively. We expect them to get the win here on Thursday.