Will the Broncos beat the banged-up Raiders to earn their third consecutive win? Will the Seahawks take care of business against the Giants following their first loss of the season? And will the Jags pick up their first victory of 2024? Check out our NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Picks.
NFL Week 4 Survivor Pool Recap
For the first time in 2024, my NFL Survivor Pool picks were 3-0. That said, it certainly wasn’t easy. The Texans rallied late to beat the Jaguars and the Chiefs had all sorts of issues versus the banged-up Chargers. Kansas City, as it often does, was able to emerge with a late score and a 7-point victory. The Niners, perhaps the chalkiest pick, rolled against the overmatched Patriots.
Let’s see if we can’t duplicate that success today.
NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Pick: Denver Broncos
I don’t know why the spread for this game is so low. The Broncos have one of the best defenses through four weeks of the season. They rank second in yards allowed, third in points allowed, second in sacks and are among the top three teams in several other defensive metrics.
The Raiders, meanwhile, are a mess. Gardner Minshew is coming off a game in which he completed a season-low 58 percent of his passes. Those passes went for only 130 yards and 5.4 yards per pass attempt. The Browns have a good defense, but Minshew will face an even stronger “D” today in Denver.
Making matters worse for the Raiders, Davante Adams isn’t expected to play. He’s been subject to trade rumors and he’s also dealing with a hamstring injury. Three starters along Las Vegas’ offensive line are also dealing with injuries. The Raiders are in trouble and the Broncos have won back-to-back games, thanks in large part to Bo Nix’s confidence growing within Sean Payton’s offense.
NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Pick: Seattle Seahawks
The Giants have been more competitive in recent weeks, but the Seahawks are expected to be heathier along their defensive front, which is huge. Geno Smith and the offense put on a show Monday night in Detroit, but the defense was shredded by Jared Goff, largely because they were missing several pieces in their front seven. With those pieces back, I doubt the Seahawks will have issues today against the reeling Giants.
NFL Week 5 Survivor Pool Pick: Jacksonville Jaguars
If the Jaguars don’t win today, I wonder if Doug Pederson is handed his pink slip in the morning. The Jaguars have owned the Colts, winning four out of the last five meetings between the two teams. Jacksonville swept the season series against Indianapolis last year and desperately need a victory.
The Jags played hard last week in Houston before falling 24-20 to the Texans. Everyone remembers how they were hammered by the Bills on Monday Night Football two weeks ago, but Jacksonville is closer to a win most would think. I believe that victory will come today versus Indy.
