Week 16 straight-up picks, NFL survivor pool strategy

The NFL has officially reached the penultimate week of the 2017 season. Week 16 is upon us, and this week marks a further departure from the normal schedule. Last week saw the introduction of Saturday games for the first time this season. This week, we get two Saturday games again, but no Thursday Night Football, and Monday Night Football is a Christmas double-header.

The San Francisco 49ers are playing on Christmas Eve, when they host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 49ers have won three straight and four of five, but this marks their toughest challenge to date. The Jaguars defense is putting together a historically good pass defense, which will provide an incredibly helpful barometer for the continued evaluation of Jimmy Garoppolo.

I am indeed prepared to pick the 49ers again, and will take them as well in my SuperContest picks. It’s not just because of the winning streak. Rather, it’s a combination of how well Garoppolo has looked, even amidst the red zone penalties, coupled with the Jaguars traveling cross country for this game. I think the 49ers can brew up an upset.

In the meantime, it’s time once again to ponder options in NFL Survivor pools. I was knocked out of my own double elimination pool way back in Week 7, but I’m still here to help you sort through your options. This week, the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, Carolina Panthers, and Chicago Bears are looking like some of the more popular picks. The New England Patriots would be up there, but most people have likely used them.

We don’t have a TNF game to pick against the spread. I’ll have my full list of ATS picks on Saturday, but in the meantime, here are all my straight up picks for this week.

Colts @ Ravens: Ravens
Vikings @ Packers: Vikings
Browns @ Bears: Bears
Lions @ Bengals: Bengals
Rams @ Titans: Rams
Dolphins @ Chiefs: Chiefs
Bills @ Patriots: Patriots
Falcons @ Saints: Saints
Chargers @ Jets: Chargers
Broncos @ Washington: Washington
Buccaneers @ Panthers: Panthers
Jaguars @ 49ers: 49ers
Seahawks @ Cowboys: Cowboys
Giants @ Cardinals: Cardinals
Steelers @ Texans: Steelers
Raiders @ Eagles: Eagles