NFL Survivor Pool Picks (Week 14) - Targets and Avoids

December 13, 2020

Betting expert Seth I. Finkelstein gives you his top NFL survivor pool picks for Week 14 of the NFL season and your 2020 survivor leagues.

You think you've seen it all in the NFL, but then you realize the league continues to amaze. Teams find different ways to lose like the Jets blitzing the house and Mitchell Trubisky getting strip-sacked when all they needed was to run. And then there was the remarkable play of Tyreek Hill not even realizing he caught a touchdown. Other sports like the NBA have the same type of highlight plays and crazy endings. Whether its an alley-oop or a buzzer beater, we've seen plenty of those before. But NFL games continue to end in ways you can't believe and haven't seen.

As for Week 13, underdogs went 9-5 against the spread. There were six outright upsets, none bigger than the Giants beating the Seahawks as 11-point dogs. That was the second double-digit dog to win outright this year.

Week 14 kicks off with the Patriots at Rams. There are no more bye weeks for any team.

Survivor League Week 14

Teams favored by a touchdown or more in Week 14; Seahawks -13.5 vs. Jets, Packers -7.5 @ Lions, Titans -7.5 @ Jaguars, Chiefs -7 @ Dolphins, and Saints -7 @ Eagles.

Lines are from Tuesday. Check the current spreads and see how the line moved.

I also give out my three top plays against the spread. That can be found at the bottom of the column.

Top Survivor Picks for Week 14

Seahawks -13.5 vs. Jets

No-brainer play here if you haven't taken Seattle yet. Seahawks are off a loss and Jets are off a heartbreaking loss which seemed like their last good chance to get a win this year.

Seahawks 38 - Jets 20

Chiefs -7 @ Dolphins

Miami's offense is really struggling the last couple of games against mediocre competition. They've averaged five yards per play against the Broncos, Jets, and Bengals. They scored four offensive touchdowns in those games averaging 17 points a game. As good as their defense is playing, the offense will need to get to at least 24 to beat the Chiefs. Kansas City's defense isn't too good of late; they've given up the second-most yards per play the last three games, and rank 29th in third-down defense.

Kansas City's offense has been great but their red zone struggles won't continue.

Chiefs 33 - Dolphins 17

Top Survivor Picks to Avoid 

Packers -7.5 @ Lions

Aaron Rodgers will get his 30 or so points in this game. The Lions Defense is not good. They've given up the third most yards per play in the last three games. However, their third-down defense has been improving which will be very important as the Packers are fourth in third downs in the last three.

Detroit though will hang in this one. It's a division rivalry. They seems to want to win for Darrell Bevell. Matthew Stafford is a fighter and will keep giving his all even when they're down late.

Titans -7.5 @ Jaguars

Jacksonville has lost 11 in a row after winning their season opener. But they fight each and every week. Mike Glennon is starting to mesh more with the team and he's throwing the ball better. With the way the Titans Defense looked this past Sunday and the fact that they're 28th in the league in opponent passing yards per game, I'll take these points every week.

I will say the Titans should bounce back. If they get ahead, it's going to be hard to stop Derrick Henry. But like I said, I don't trust this Titans defense to cover a touchdown and hook.

Titans 34 - Jaguars 28

Saints -7 @ Eagles

If Jalen Hurts starts Sunday, this is one of my best bets. I've been waiting for weeks for them to take out Carson Wentz and give this offense a spark. It finally happened Sunday. Hurts wasn't great but he was good enough to get the Eagles right back in the game with a chance to even tie it up. Their defense has been playing too well this season to have a quarterback who can't hit a target. They rank sixth in both opponent yards per play and third-down defense. Philly has had a shot in their last four games, all losses, to the Giants, Browns, Seahawks, and Packers.

New Orleans knows how to win, they don't do anything crazy. They're average in yards per play but top-10 in third downs and red zone touchdowns. The offense won't pop with Taysom Hill but somehow, someway, they win consistently. The defense though has bene phenomenal. In their last three games, they're second in yards per play, third-down defense, and red zone defense.

New Orleans should win this one, but Jalen Hurts's ability to scramble will cause any defense headaches. New Orleans won't be able to pour it on because their offense isn't built that way.

Saints 24 - Eagles 20

Best Bets for Week 14

• Eagles +7 vs. Saints
• Chiefs -7.5 @ Dolphins - If this line remains 7.5, please by the half-point. You always always always want to buy a half point so you don't lose by that margin.
• Seahawks -13.5 vs. Jets

Running Totals

• Last week: 0-3
• 2020 season total: 19-20
• 2019 season total: 23-26-2

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