2012 Survivor Pool Picks For The Entire Year

I’m starting to do some homework for my 2012 NFL Survivor Pool so I printed out the 2012 schedule, crossed off the games to avoid, highlighted the games to look at, and tried to narrow down my list. Here are the games on tap for you to choose from each week for your survivor pool.

The strategy here, look to see when the Browns (1-7), Dolphins (2-6), Colts (0-8), Vikings (2-6), Rams (1-7), Seahawks (3-5), Jaguars (1-7), Cardinals (2-6), and Buccaneers (1-7) are playing on the road and pick against them. Home team is in CAPS. Picks are in bold and underlined.

Week 1

Eagles over BROWNS
SAINTS over Redskins
TEXANS over Dolphins
LIONS over Rams
BEARS over Colts

Explanation: I have the Texans, Lions, and Bears appearing several times on my list so I want to save those picks. The Saints have a tough schedule playing the Falcons and Panthers twice. They have the Eagles, Chargers, and Broncos at home, which are by no means locks. Other than their home game in week 15 against the Bucs, this could be the best opportunity to take the Saints at home. The Saints were 8-0 at home last year. I don’t have the Eagles appearing on my list later this year due to their tough schedule, so it may be a good opportunity to take them, but I don’t want to take them on the road in week 1 of my survivor pool.

Update (9/1): I previously had the Saints, but I want to stay away due to the coaching situation and the Redskins may surprise some people with RGIII. Texans over the Dolphins is the biggest lock this week and I’ll play it safe to start out the year.

Week 2

PATRIOTS over Cardinals
GIANTS over Buccaneers
BENGALS over Browns

Explanation: I have the Giants on my list twice. The other option is week 5 at home against the Browns. I don’t want to pull the trigger on the Patriots yet who have tons of better matchups later in the season.  I’ll also avoid an early divisional game in the AFC North to give the Bengals a chance to show me how they look so I can take the Bengals in week 5 over the Dolphins.

Week 3

COWBOYS over Buccaneers
BEARS over Rams

Explanation: The Bears look like the play here over the Rams. Cowboys at home in week 11 over the Browns is where I may want to pull the trigger on the Cowboys.

Week 4

RAVENS over Browns
LIONS over Vikings

Explanation: This is the best opportunity to take the Ravens this year and I want to hold onto the Lions who appear on my list several times later in the year.

Week 5

GIANTS over Browns
BENGALS over Dolphins
PANTHERS over Seahawks
49ERS over Bills

Explanation: We used the Giants in Week 2 over the Bucs. I want to save my 49ers pick when they have weaker opponents at home with the Seahawks in Week 7, Rams in Week 10, or Dolphins in Week 14. This is a toss up between the Bengals and Panthers. I’ll have to evaluate this toss up after have have four weeks of football under our belt. For now, I’ll go with the Panthers since I had to use the Bengals in week 12.

Week 6

FALCONS over Raiders
JETS over Colts
Patriots over SEAHAWKS

Explanation: We’ll see what the Colts are made out of with Andrew Luck through the first 5 weeks, if they are struggling and their run defense is weak, I’ll be on the Jets this week. Luck should struggle against the Jets corners and Shonn Green should be able to pound the rock against the Colts soft run defense.

Update (9/1): I have no faith in the Jets this year and I haven’t taken the Falcons at any other spot this year. At home against the Raiders is a good spot to take them in.

Week 7

49ERS over Seahawks
Packers over RAMS

Explanation: I’ll save my Packers pick for when they’re at home in two easy matchups in the next two weeks. It’s time to take the 49ers at home who should dominate the Seahawks.

 Week 8

JETS over Dolphins
STEELERS over Redskins
PACKERS over Jaguars
LIONS over Seahawks

Explanation: I’ll take the Packers in a safe pick against the Jaguars. The Cardinals may have a strong offense to keep up with them and I can take the Lions at home when they play the Colts in Week 13.

Update (9/1): I’m doing some shifting around. I’m going to pull the trigger on the Steelers this week so I can take the Packers next week and the Lions in week 13.

Week 9

PACKERS over Cardinals
TEXANS over Bills
Ravens over BROWNS

Explanation: We can’t take the Ravens who we used against the Browns when they played in Baltimore. I can’t take the Packers here. Looked for the strongest home team this week and that is the Texans.

Update (9/1): We took the Texans in Week 1 during the update so we’ll go with the Packers at home over the Cardinals.

Week 10

RAVENS over Raiders
49ERS over Rams
PATRIOTS over Bills

Explanation: Since we used the Ravens and 49ers pick, it’s time to pull the trigger on the Patriots.

Week 11

PANTHERS over Buccaneers
FALCONS over Cardinals
PATRIOTS over Colts
COWBOYS over Browns

Explanation: Cowboys over Browns is the easy call this week.

Week 12

BENGALS over Raiders
BEARS over Vikings

Explanation: We’ll go with the Bengals here at home over the Raiders. The bonus here, it’s a 1:00 game and west coast teams struggle when playing east at 1:00.

Week 13

LIONS over Colts
BEARS over Seahawks
PACKERS over Vikings
JETS over Cardinals

Explanation: I’ve been waiting to take the Lions and this is the week.

Week 14

49ERS over Dolphins
Eagles over BUCCANEERS

Explanation: The only game I initially liked this week was the 49ers, but we used that pick. Of the games remaining games to take are the Titans on the road over the Colts or the Eagles on the road over the Bucs. The Eagles play great football in December and should be making a playoff push. I’m an Eagles fan, so this is certainly bias here, but this game is being taken out of necessity.

Week 15

TEXANS over Colts
BILLS over Seahawks 

Explanation: We’re at Week 15 and things are getting tough. The only game I liked was the Texans at home over the Colts. After going back to the board, we have a tough week to pick from. Out of the home teams, the Bills over the Seahawks is the only one here that makes sense.

Week 16

TEXANS over Vikings
BRONCOS over Browns

Explanation: We haven’t used the Broncos pick yet and this is a great opportunity to do so.

Week 17

STEELERS over Browns
PATRIOTS over Dolphins
BILLS over Jets
TITANS over Jaguars 

Explanation: We haven’t used the Steelers yet, but we’ve used the Patriots. It’s time to take the Steelers.

Update (9/1): We used the Steelers earlier so we’ll take the Titans this week. The Titans have a chance to compete for a wild card this season, the Jaguars won’t. This game could have possible playoff implications for the Titans.