It’s almost Halloween and the spookiest of the holidays has horror movies on steady rotation for fans of frightening flicks.
A common theme in those macabre movies: survival.
Be it a zombie apocalypse, teens terrorized by a masked killer, or holding off a horde of vampires until sunrise, October is all about “staying alive”.
The same strategy stands for NFL survivor pools.
Truth be told, this month has been pretty tame in terms of body count for poolies, at least compared to September, which slashed its way through survivor pools like Michael Myers at a sleepover.
I avoided an abrupt end by banking on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7 and sit among the 40 remaining entries in Covers’ 10K Pro Football Survivor Contest.
Here’s my NFL survivor pool pick for Week 8 odds, as well as the “safest” NFL picks according to the NFL odds.
(Teams used: Buffalo, L.A. Chargers, Seattle, Houston, Chicago, Green Bay, Cincinnati)
Best survivor pool bets for Week 8
Click on each pick to read the full analysis.
Covers Week 8 survivor pool picks
Denver Broncos
Opponent: vs. Carolina Panthers
Moneyline odds: -425 (80.95% implied win probability)
The Denver Broncos shouldn’t be this big a favorite. They clearly boast advantages against the putrid Carolina Panthers, but I’m not rushing to lay -8 with Bo Nix and the Broncos in Week 8.
That said, I do think Denver can win outright against Carolina, and that’s all that matters.
This is a strategic play, as taking Denver prevents us from burning heavyweights like the Chiefs, Ravens, or Lions too soon — while also avoiding the Jets. Nobody trusts Gang Green.
The Broncos beat up on a broken New Orleans team last Thursday, giving them momentum as well as extra time to prep for the Panthers. While Denver’s offense isn’t much better than the Panthers, the defense continues to play at a high level (3rd in DVOA) and hopes to have CB Patrick Surtain back from a concussion.
Carolina is coming off its worst performance of the year, which is saying something. It got absolutely boat-raced by Washington, and even Jayden Daniels’ injury didn’t slow the Commanders from cruising. Now the injury-plagued Panthers have to climb the mountain and tackle the thin air at Mile High in their second straight road game.
Safest Week 8 survivor pool pick
Detroit Lions
Opponent: vs. Tennessee Titans
Moneyline odds: -575 (85.19% implied win probability)
The Detroit Lions are getting hot and coming off a massive divisional win at Minnesota in Week 7. Detroit does have some concerns on defense, but when you consider the Tennessee Titans can’t throw the football, those hang-ups quickly melt away.
Fourth quarters continue to be a breaking point for the Titans, as Brian Callahan's team has been outscored 12-57 in the final frame this season.
Oddsmakers have made Detroit the “biggest” of the big favorites in Week 8, priced a little juicer than the likes of Kansas City (-525) and Baltimore (-525), who are laying the lumber as hefty road chalk.
Despite the Lions’ future value and them being the “safest” pick (which hasn’t panned out well in 2024), this isn’t a bad spot to take Detroit if you’re in a pinch. The Lions have a lot of competitive games ahead and a Week 11 homestand with Jacksonville could be their only layup left after Tennessee.
Most popular Week 8 picks in the Covers $10K survivor pool
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The pool starts in Week 6 — enter now as the deadline is kickoff this Sunday, October 13!
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