NFL 2025 Survivor Pool Journey - Mapping Out The Season And Your Week 2 Pick(s)
Welcome back. Week 1 in the books and it turned out that pretty much no one lost. But if you rode with me I don't need to tell you we lost a couple months of our lives sweating both out at the same time.
Juwan Johnson drops a game-tying touchdown pass and the Steelers have to rally late and depend on Chris Boswell's career long 60-yard field goal to pull this out. I knew going into this we were in for some waves, but didn't imagine this. But the good news is we used two teams unlikely to be used later on the season. That was the reward for our risk.
Let's get our Week 1 scouting report. This is how things shook out in my pool which is pretty freaking huge so probably similar to yours:
Chalk city. Top-seven taken teams all won leaving just a little over 2 percent of entries out. I was soooo hoping Tennessee would pull off the upset. Not to be. The Bengals going down would have been nice too. Commanders and Jags were really the only teams that cruised of these top-taken.
Let's get to Week 2. Here are the few options I have with my picks.
RAVENS vs Browns
Divisional games are always tricky and frowned upon by survivor pool hardos. But this one might be hard to pass up. Joe Flacco played well but the Browns just don't have much going for them on offense when you consider the fact they played the Bengals defense. Although the Ravens didn't look super amazing themselves, at least it was vs Josh Allen.
Let's see if we can find an alternative here. Anything else worth taking?
COWBOYS vs Giants
Well. Another divisional game, I guess. But the Cowboys looked very good in Philly and the Giants looked very much the Giants even with washed up Russell Wilson as an improvement for their quarterback situation (don't look at what Daniel Jones did this week). I've been eyeing the Giants as a go-to "play whoever's playing them" to pair with the Saints, but was worried Russ would bring some competence. Doesn't appear that'll be the case. This one is another possibility.
49ERS at Saints
This one looked a lot better before Sunday's games. Purdy is looking iffy which means Mac Jones time. Kittle going down was not good at all either. And Spencer Rattler looked like the little train that could. He's not talented, but you could tell the dude has worked his ass off in how he played. Juwan Johnson needed to make a tough catch to bring the game to overtime on a perfectly placed ball too.
Holy shit are the Saints a sneaky pick here???
NO.
I still think the 49ers take care of business, but I'm still eyeing Week 15 for the Niners when their early season plague is over in an otherwise tough week. The Bills play the Patriots which would be a play if I didn't need them in Week 4 for a tough week there.
So this one is officially out.
BILLS at Jets
This would still looks pretty good despite the resurgence of Justin Fields. But another divisional game is tough. Perhaps not as much of one when you consider the Jets having a new quarterback, but I guess that means the Jets get a bit of an advantage knowing more about Josh Allen than the Bills know about Fields. But the Bills defense looks sketch. I can't do it.
BRONCOS at Colts
This one was supposed to be a potential pivot, but since Daniel Jones just turned into Joe Montana I'm going to need to wait a little longer for the Irsay magic spirit to ware off.
PACKERS vs Commanders
Green Bay looked very good. Jordan Love is still not as good as people seem to think, but with the team around him this is a Super Bowl contender. But I was also wondering about the Lions this year. I thought there really was a good chance they shrivel back to their pre-Ben Johnson form and it sure looked it so far. That's why I had them in my Bench Squad last week, having no plans of using them in the pool this season, and for now there they will remain.
Meanwhile, Jayden didn't quite look fantastic and if the Commanders are going to be a top-team in the league he has to play at his ceiling. Anything is possible with him though in the upper tail of potential outputs.
WEEK 2 PICKS!
Entry 1/2: COWBOYS vs Giants
Really liked what I saw with Dallas. And for purposes of this pick, what I saw from the Giants. Russell Wilson is a one moon ball pony and Dak is looking like a pro-bowl quarterback. I haven't seen him look this good and this sure of himself since Tony Romo was still on the squad. Yes - it's a division game. But sometimes you have to do it.
I did make a few changes in the above road map vs Week 1. We now have Pittsburgh over the Patriots in Week 3 in place of Seattle over the Saints. Just didn't see enough from Darnold to be convinced he is still no longer Sam Darnold. We'll see how Week 2 goes. Plus the Saints looked better than expected. Then Week 4 we're going Chargers over Giants in place of Bills over Saints so we can move Bills to Week 5 in Foxborough in order to kick the Giants the FUCK out of the win column.
Entry 2/2: RAVENS over Browns
Yep. We're diversifying our divisional pick with yet another divisional pick. Thought about just doing both Ravens, but I can't let this blog series die in Week 2. Not sure this one needs much explaining either. The Ravens have to be ready to let out some frustration and - yes - I am well aware they absolutely shat the bed in Week 2 vs the Raiders last year. But I'm in on this.
Probably going to be a lot of people on these two games. I just don't see great zig. 49ers might get some love, but I'd like to wait for Kittle to show me he's healthy again before trusting that offense.
I'll be on a cruise next week so if this all wins pray the internet allows me to blog my Week 3 picks. If you don't hear from me, I might just stick with Pittsburgh, unless Maye looks good vs the Dolphins.
See you on the other side. Or maybe not.