Week 8 Pick in the Jazz Survivor Contest

The upsets of the Bills and Raiders last week were devastating to players who had held those teams and as we head to week 8 we are lucky to be alive. NFL season is quickly approaching the half-way point and, it's time for NFL Survivor pool participants who are still alive to use some picks that maybe they don't really want to make. As the pools start to dwindle due to upsets, making the right choice is critical. We have used up the Ravens, Cowboys, Chiefs, Vikings, Dolphins, Rams and last week, the Seahawks to sit at 7-0 with our NFL Survivor Picks in the Jazz Sports contest. We held the Detroit Lions in favor of the Dolphins in Week 5 in hopes that we could make it to Week 8. Now we can use them this week vs. the Raiders as we try to continue to advance.

The Top Contenders

Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions (-8)

The Detroit Lions, with a current record of 5-2, have looked impressive season thus far, but were brought down to earth last week via a crushing 38-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. This prime-time Monday Night Football matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders presents not just a perfect opportunity for a bounce-back win, but a showcase to prove they are true contenders in the NFC.

Despite the loss to the Ravens, the Lions' offense has shown great potential throughout the season. Led by their quarterback, Jared Goff, the Lions have the ability to put up significant points on the scoreboard with the #4 offense in the league averaging 377 YPG. Against a Raiders defense that has struggled to contain opposing offenses that can run the ball, the Lions should have no trouble finding success utilizing a balanced offense that has scored 10 TDs on the ground and 11 in the air. Look for RB Jahmyr Gibbs to have a big game vs the Raiders rushing D.

The Raiders offense is struggling . . . to say the least. Jimmy G is still in limited practice, which leaves either Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O'Connell under center. Hoyer went 17/32 with 129 yards passing and had a quarterback rating of 37.1, including 2 picks. O'Conner faired slightly better with an 83.3 rating, but threw an INT as well. No matter who is playing QB, Las Vegas is scoring just 16 points per game, good enough for 30th in the NFL. 

Kansas City Chiefs (-7) at Denver Broncos

This week the safest pick for your NFL Week 8 Survivor Pool is the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are seven point favorites ion the road vs a struggling Broncos team. If your Survivor pool is down to the last few participants, using the Chiefs might be the way to go. However, if you still have a significant number of entrants in your pool, it's best to save them for later in the season. After all the Chiefs still have the Raiders twice and the best week to use KC may be in Week 17 if we get that far, when they host the Bengals on Monday Night Football.

The Chiefs are averaging 25.4 PPG and Patrick Mahomes appears to be back on track after going 32 of 42 for 424 yards and 4 TDs earning a quarterback rating of of 129 last week vs. the Chargers. Travis Kelce is heating up as well with more than 100 yards receiving in the last two games and is averaging more than 10 yards per catch on the season.

And to make matters worse for the Broncos, their pass defense has yielded 257.4 yards per contest, ranking them 30th out of all teams. IN addition, the Broncos are giving up 31 PPG, which has them ranked last for all teams in the league. When these two teams played two weeks ago QB Russell Wilson was held to under 100 yards passing, threw two INTs and ended with a QBR of 46.6. The Chiefs won that Week  6 game 19-8. Nothing about the Broncos gives us confidence they can even cover the spread, let alone beat the Chiefs in this Week 8 rematch.

Making the Decision

Based on their overall performance and the matchup against the Raiders, the Detroit Lions emerge as my top pick for Week 8 in Jazz Sports NFL survivor pool. With their offensive firepower and a defense that can disrupt the Raiders' game plan, the Lions have all the ingredients for a convincing victory. I held on to the Detroit Lions for Week 8, with really the last solid chance to use them upcoming vs. Denver. But we need to get to Week 9 and still have some of the very top teams left.

Survivor pools are all about making calculated choices, and the Lions provide an opportunity to gain an advantage while saving other top teams for future weeks. While the risk may be slightly higher with Detroit vs. the Chiefs over Denver, the potential reward makes the Detroit Lions our Survivor pick for Week 8.

Recap of Top Survivor Picks for Week 

Here's a recap of the top survivor pool picks for Week 8 Survivor Pool at Jazz Sports:

Las Vegas Raiders at Detroit Lions (-7.5)
Kansas City Chiefs (-8.5) at Denver Broncos

Get in on the contests

This year, player-favorite sportsbook, Jazz Sports is running a promotion where you can beat OSGA. We'll be posting our picks for Survivor here every week until we bust out and lucky Jazz Players who participate will cash in. Players can get a $25 free play just for outlasting us in the Survivor Pool. Head to Jazz Sports now for NFL betting and more. Both of these teams have a favorable matchup and a strong chance of securing a win in Week 8. Consider these picks when making your survivor pool selection, and may the odds be ever in your favor.