Week 17 is here, and it brings a different feeling than it has in any previous NFL season. For the first time ever, Week 17 does not signal the final week of the season. If you’re still alive in your survivor pool, you’ll still have to make it through both this week and the unprecedented Week 18. Having already used half the teams in the league, your options are limited. But no matter what cards you still have in your hand, there are still some quality options you can take.
Pickswise Survivor Recap
To give you an idea of what teams we’re choosing between, and what cards we still have left to play, here’s how our general recommendations have fared since the start of the season (again, we’re not repeating any teams!)
In order — from Week 1 through last week — Pickswise has parted ways with the 49ers, Buccaneers, Broncos, Bills, Vikings, Colts, Cardinals, Bengals, Cowboys, Steelers, Titans, Patriots, Rams, Chiefs, Dolphin,s and Chargers. We lasted until Week 8 without a miss.
Who to pick in a Week 17 NFL survivor pool
GENERAL PICK: Seattle Seahawks (-300) over Detroit Lions (+235).
Everything that could have possibly gone wrong for the Seattle Seahawks this season did. It was a year to forget for the one-time NFC powerhouse, and they can’t even justify it by getting a good draft pick, as they don’t have a first-rounder in 2022. But because of that, they’re less likely to throw in the towel for their last 2 meaningless games — especially as they’re facing the team that’s just a half-game out from the top overall selection.
The Lions are a better team than their 2-12-1 record would suggest, but at this point in the season everyone in their organization knows that a loss would be much more useful than a win. Detroit is 0-7 on the road in 2021, and while Russell Wilson has looked nothing like his old self ever since coming back from a finger injury last month, he’ll still be able to lead his team to victory against Detroit. You’ve been smart not to play Seattle yet, as this squad hasn’t been worth playing at all this year. But if you’ve used the same cards we have until now, this is the time to put the Seahawks into the center of the table.
ALTERNATIVE PICKS
Buffalo Bills (-1000) over Atlanta Falcons (+650). The Bills faced elimination from the AFC East last week in New England, but their win over the Patriots not only saved them but also put them in the driver’s seat to clinch the division. All that separates them from a 2nd straight division title are home games against the Falcons and Jets. If you still have Buffalo, don’t hesitate.
New England Patriots (-900) over Jacksonville Jaguars (+600). New England lost control of its own destiny last week, but they’ll stay alive in the division race until the final week of the season by disposing of the Jaguars — a team whose season has been derailed by locker room issues and over-hype of first-year quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville could turn into a contender within a few years, but it is not a good football team now. Two more losses will lock up another first overall pick.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-675) over New York Jets (+475). Need I say more?
End Game Strategy
While you should never lock into a pick more than a week in advance, once December arrives (and certainly January) you should have a good idea about your plays for the rest of the season. We’ve gone 17 weeks and played more than half the league without using the 12-3 Packers and likely MVP Aaron Rodgers.
The Packers finish their season in Detroit — a game they should have no business losing if it counts for them. They’ll clinch the top seed in the NFC with a win and a Cowboys loss this week, but if that doesn’t happen they should be a no-brainer for the final week of the season. If it does happen, you’ll have to evaluate your options at that point. But the Packers may still end up being the play.
How Does an NFL Survivor Pool Work?
For those of you who have never played survivor or are unfamiliar with how it works, the concept is simple: last as long as you can without incorrectly picking the outcome of a game. You just need to select one game per week, and if you pick the winner correctly you move on to the next week. The ultimate goal is to be the last player standing in your pool.
There’s just one catch: you can only pick each team once per season. This is where strategy comes in; it would be easy enough to pick the Chiefs every week, but you’re only allowed to go with them once and need to find 17 other winners throughout the season to finish a perfect 18-0.
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