Hopefully you made it through the Week 1 disaster that was the Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately, we didn’t as we had the Bengals in the USA TODAY NFL Survivor Pool. Cincinnati was upset as a 7.5-point favorite by the New England Patriots 16-10 last Sunday.
Our strategy was to play it safe, going with the largest favorite on the board, but it wasn’t meant to be.
It’s no surprise there was a good number of entries bounced by the Pats. Heading into the new season, 10,356 entrants had high hopes of winning the $5K prize in the USA TODAY NFL Survivor contest. Heading into Week 2, 5,379 entries remain.
At least our 2nd option, the New Orleans Saints, were able to rout the Carolina Panthers 47-10 to easily move on — the Saints were 3.5-point home favorites as 686 entries rode the Saints into Week 2.
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The pick: Philadelphia Eagles
Who they play: Home vs. Falcons – Monday, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of NFL odds. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:20 a.m. ET.
- Line: Eagles -6.5 / Moneyline (ML): Eagles -300 | Falcons +240
OK, let’s get on track in Week 2. The Eagles went down to Brazil and got the job done against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, winning 34-29 as a 1-point favorite. Was it pretty? No.
Philly managed 144 rushing yards and 266 passing yards, but it also lost a fumble while QB Jalen Hurts tossed 2 INTs. If the Eagles have a minus-2 turnover margin at home, it won’t fare very well.
The Eagles were also just 3-for-6 in red-zone efficiency, while committing 7 penalties for 57 yards. That’s good news heading into the home opener.
The Falcons lost at home as 4-point favorites to the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-10. Atlanta didn’t give up a touchdown, but the Falcons turned the ball over 3 times and couldn’t outscore 6 Pittsburgh field goals.
Philadelphia will be looking to add to the Monday Night Football woes of Falcons QB Kirk Cousins. He is just 3-10 in his career on MNF and has a cumulative record of just 12-20 in prime-time action for a .375 winning percentage.
Conclusion: PHILLY IS MY TOP SURVIVOR PLAY IN WEEK 2.
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No. 2 option: LA Chargers
Who they play: At Carolina Panthers – 1 p.m. (CBS)
- Line: Chargers -6 / ML: Chargers -275 | Panthers +220
The Chargers racked up a 22-10 home victory as 3-point favorites against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, as coach Jim Harbaugh won his 1st Game in his return to the NFL.
The Bolts were good for 176 yards on the ground, while adding 140 yards through the air. The defense did its part, too, picking off 1 interception and recovering 2 fumbles, going for a plus-3 in the turnover margin. That’s a good recipe for success, regardless of the opponent.
For the Panthers, we’ve picked on them time and time again the past 2 seasons. Using the Chargers on the road is risky business, but the Panthers are horrific. As mentioned, they had their doors blown off in New Orleans, losing 47-10. To make matters worse, Carolina lost its best defender in DL Derrick Brown to a season-ending knee injury.
Look for QB Justin Herbert and the Bolts to go on the road and get a victory. Plus, using the Chargers will help you burn a team you might only consider a few times a season, saving some of the big-name teams for later.
Other(s) to consider
Baltimore Ravens: Home vs. Las Vegas Raiders – 1 p.m. (CBS)
- Line: Ravens -8.5 / ML: Ravens -450 | Raiders +350
Washington CoMMAnders: Home vs. New York Giants – 1 p.m. (FOX)
- Line: Commanders -1.5 / ML: Commanders -125 | Giants +105
2024 survivor game log
NO. 1 OPTION
Week 1: LOSS – Patriots 16, Bengals 10
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NO. 2 OPTION
Week 1: WIN – Saints 47, Panthers 10
For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
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