Survivor Pick Week 6 for 2024 NFL Season
Week Six of the 2024 NFL season is here. As always, I will start by discussing the rules for a survivor pool. It is a weekly contest where people select one team per week, straight up, to win their game. If a chosen team wins, they advance to the next week but remember that the selected team can't be used for the rest of the season. If a team they chose for that week loses, they are eliminated from the pool.
Now that the rules are set, it is time for me to give my top three options, a risky pick, a trap pick, and a survivor pick that I would have made if I were still alive in Survivor. It would have been nice for Cincinnati to prepare for their first regular season game.
Philadelphia Eagles (vs Cleveland Browns)
This game checks every mark on the survivor choice list. The Eagles are home, coming off of a bye week, got healthier with AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and Lane Johnson returning, and they're facing a Browns squad that still has Deshaun Watson as the QB. This is a free money bet and an easy selection to make in Survivor. If Philadelphia loses this game, Nick Sirianni needs to be fired because he's starting to get on many fans' nerves.
Houston Texans (At New England Patriots)
New England got screwed last week and should have beaten the Miami Dolphins. The Patriots are now starting Drake Maye, but it doesn't matter, with how bad this offensive line is. The Texans have a really strong defense, and it would not be a surprise if Maye looked horrible in his first start. The Texans offense should take care of business and expose the Patriots' bad secondary. This should be a strong game for Nathanial "Tank" Dell with Nico Collis going on IR with his injury. Houston would be another safer pick to make in Survivor.
Detroit Lions (At Dallas Cowboys)
The Lions are an option to consider in Survivor. Especially with Parsons and Lawrence sidelined, the Lions outclass the Cowboys at every position including coaching. Dallas is a really bad team and that defense is an absolute mess. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are going to have a big game against a terrible run defense. The Cowboys' offensive line has not been great, and Detroit's defense put pressure on Dak Prescott. It's too bad Dallas's running game is terrible because there will be no help there for Dallas's offense. Don't be surprised if the Cowboys lose by 20 points in this game.
Risky Pick of the Week - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at New Orleans Saints)
There are many risky options this week in Survivor, but from the bunch, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the riskiest. Tampa Bay is coming off of extra rest as they previously played on Thursday Night Football in Week 5. The Saints starting Spencer Rattler is a downgrade and Tampa's defense should take care of business against him.
This game is also a divisional game, and the Buccaneers are not the home team. That is what makes this pick scary in Survivor. If you want to roll the dice and pick a divisional game, Tampa would be the best bet, with the Saints now starting Spencer Rattler.
2024 Risky Survivor Pick History (3-2) - Week 1: Minnesota Vikings, Week 2: Washington Commanders, Week 3: San Francisco 49ers, Week 4: Tennessee Titans, Week 5: New England Patriots
Trap Pick of the Week - Buffalo Bills (At New York Jets)
The Jets are a dysfunctional franchise that just fired Robert Saleh as their head coach, 1 year too late. A lot of players in pools have started to select Buffalo in Survivor. There are 3 signs of why taking the Bills this week is a trap.
First, backing teams following coach firings has a strong successful track record in the NFL. Especially in the Jets case, as it sends a message that they need to win now with jobs at stake. Robert Saleh's firing should be a wake-up call to everyone in that organization.
Second, the Bills defense is missing some key pieces. Along with the Jets changing the play-calling duties from Nathaniel Hackett (Why is he still employed again?) to Todd Downing. Buffalo's pass rush has been solid, but their run defense could be without Ed Oliver who is dealing with an injury.
Third, and most importantly, Josh Allen is playing with a concussion. Allen showed concussion-like symptoms in the Bills' last game against the Houston Texans. There is a real possibility that the Bills may be in trouble for the concussion protocol, and Allen may not play this game. If he doesn't, Mitchell Trubisky will start, and he is one of the worst backup quarterbacks in the NFL today.
This being a division game and the Jets being the home team, it's for the best to not take them in Survivor this week.
2024 Trap Survivor Pick History (2-3) - Week 1: Buffalo Bills, Week 2: Indianapolis Colts, Week 3: Seattle Seahawks, Week 4: Philadelphia Eagles, Week 5: Chicago Bears
Who I Would Have Taken in Survivor - Philadelphia Eagles
Just take the Philadelphia Eagles this week. It's the no-brainer pick and while the Texans are intriguing, the AFC South sucks and they can be used later in the season. Detroit Lions have plenty of weeks to be used in Survivor and should be saved for either Tennessee in Week 8 or Jacksonville in Week 11. Tampa Bay is a risky pick, but Tampa has many easy games in the 2nd half of the season and it's best to wait on them. Philadelphia may have Carolina in Week 14, but this week is the best spot to take them.
2024 My Survivor Pick History (2-3) - Week 1: Cincinnati Bengals, Week 2: Los Angeles Chargers, Week 3: Las Vegas Raiders, Week 4: Tennessee Titans, Week 5: New England Patriots