Bills have an unfair advantage, bet against Bo Nix

For the second week in a row, survivor pools have been decimated by the unpredictable and chaotic nature of the NFL.

The Cincinnati Bengals dominated the survivor picks as the heavy favorites in Week 1. When they lost to the New England Patriots, they took nearly 50 percent of the survivor picks with them. Things didn’t get much better in Week 2 of the season. The Baltimore Ravens received about 30 percent of all picks as the most popular option in Week 2, but their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders further reduced the number of survivor picks. In total, eight underdogs emerged victorious in Week 2.

If you followed the advice in last week’s column, you might still be in the running. The Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans were the top two picks recommended in last week’s column, and both teams won. The two teams we recommended avoiding, the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, both lost. The Ravens were the third and final recommended pick on the list, but hopefully you simply trusted one of the top two suggestions.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Confrontation: Denver Broncos vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Location: Raymond James Stadium
Weather report: 88°F — isolated thunderstorms
Propagated: -7.0

After Tom Brady retired, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have become a small-market team that barely flies under the radar again. This week, they shouldn’t be overlooked.

Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield has 474 passing yards and five touchdowns with just one interception. Mike Evans is continuing his Pro Football Hall of Fame career in typical fashion, while Chris Godwin has already surpassed 200 receiving yards. Add in Rachaad White in the backfield, and the result is 28.5 points per game, fourth-highest in the NFL.

The Denver Broncos, by comparison, have only managed to score an average of 13 points per game. To say the Broncos have struggled is an understatement. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix has struggled to get the ball past the line of scrimmage. The rookie has completed just 11 of 36 passes for more than five yards, while throwing four interceptions on those attempts. The running game isn’t doing him any favors either. Nix became the first quarterback to lead his team in rushing yards in his first two career starts since 1950.

2. Buffalo Bills

Confrontation: Jacksonville Jaguars vs Buffalo Bills
Location: Highmark Stadium
Weather report: 62°F — slight chance of rain showers
Propagated: -5.5

While it may seem like a good idea to save the Buffalo Bills for a better matchup, there may be no better opportunity to pick them. The Bills are about to enter a tough stretch of their schedule with three straight road games against the Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans and New York Jets. Between now and when they face the Tennessee Titans in Week 7, there will be other equally enticing picks.

Buffalo beat the Miami Dolphins on Thursday and won’t play its Week 3 game until Monday. The Bills will face the Jaguars on Monday Night Football, in front of their cheering fans in Buffalo, after 10 days of rest and preparation. The Bills are tough enough to beat in a normal week, but this advantage is arguably unfair.

3. Seattle Seahawks

Confrontation: Miami Dolphins vs Seattle Seahawks
Location: Lumen field
Weather report: 17°C — rain likely
Propagated: -4.5

After leading Baltimore to a top-ranked defense in 2023, Mike Macdonald is building another defensive powerhouse with the Seattle Seahawks.

While the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots aren’t the best teams to measure defensive prowess against, the Miami Dolphins won’t be much better. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in Miami’s Week 2 loss to Buffalo, and they’ll now have to start Skylar Thompson in Week 3.

Seattle isn’t an ideal place to play for a team with a new starting quarterback. Lumen Field, arguably the loudest stadium in the NFL, is known for causing communication problems for opposing offenses. The Seahawks defense has managed to generate the second-highest pressure rate through the first two games of the season, which could mean Thompson is in for a long day.

1. The Las Vegas Raiders

Confrontation: Carolina Panthers vs Las Vegas Raiders
Location: Allegiant Stadium
Weather report: dome
Propagated: -5.5

It’s entirely possible that winning a survivor pool is as simple as picking which team plays the Carolina Panthers each week. That would explain why the Las Vegas Raiders are the most popular pick in Week 3.

Carolina has certainly looked like the worst team in the league this season, but it’s important to remember that Bryce Young is no longer the starting quarterback. With Andy Dalton promoted to the starting role, the Panthers could prove unpredictable.

For the superstitious, it might also be important to consider that the most popular pick of the week has yet to win this season. Regardless, the Raiders are a supposedly safe pick with minimal upside. If you pick the Raiders and they win, your survivor pool likely won’t decrease much. If you don’t pick them and they lose, you’ll likely see a lot fewer survivors on your side for Week 4.

2. The Kansas City Chiefs

Confrontation: Kansas City Chiefs vs Atlanta Falcons
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Weather report: dome
Propagated: -3.5

The Kansas City Chiefs should win this game, and they should. Either way, there will be better opportunities to pick the defending Super Bowl champions. For now, it’s best to wait for Kansas City to resolve its early-season struggles.

The Chiefs’ running game may not be as effective for a few weeks. Isiah Pacheco is expected to miss six to eight weeks with a fibula injury. Undrafted rookie Carson Steele received plenty of praise in training camp, even though he averaged just 3.0 yards per carry, didn’t catch a single pass and fumbled one of his nine touchdowns.

The Chiefs’ passing game also raises plenty of questions. Tight end Travis Kelce has been held to fewer than 45 yards in five straight regular-season games. At 35, he may not be able to run the offense the way he once could. Rookie receiver Xavier Worthy had a stellar debut, but he still has just four receptions this season.

The Atlanta Falcons, meanwhile, head into the home game with some confidence. Their comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles proved Kirk Cousins ​​isn’t done yet.