As the NFL season nears its end, staying alive in Survivor pools is growing increasingly challenging.
Last week, one of the biggest favorites of the year, the Miami Dolphins, lost to the Tennessee Titans despite leading by double digits late on. Oh, and the Dolphins were a double-digit favorite.
Here’s a breakdown of the NFL Week 15 odds with an eye on staying alive. As always, survive and advance.
Survivor Week 15 Best Picks
San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals
The three-game losing streak from earlier in the season is a distant memory for the San Francisco 49ers.
Since those slip-ups, they have won five straight, including three games on the road. Quarterback Brock Purdy looks like a legit MVP, and the offense is the most explosive in the NFL.
On the road once again, this time against the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco is likely to win comfortably.
Arizona is coming off a bye after beating the Steelers by two touchdowns, although a few weeks rest probably won’t be much help.
We’ve seen enormous favorites lose over the last month, but a defeat here would be truly shocking.
Use our NFL Eliminator tips to place bets with the top NFL odds:
Kansas City Chiefs @ New England Patriots
The Kansas City Chiefs are not the team many thought they would be. At this point, that much is clear.
Kansas City has now lost three of its last four games, and not all of these stumbles could be blamed on the officials. Patrick Mahomes hasn’t been great, and the Chiefs’ offense has rarely looked quite right.
But the New England Patriots, even after a win against the Steelers, are a broken football team. As reports of Bill Belichick’s departure start to gain steam, it feels likely that the Pats will still struggle in the near term.
Despite KC’s issues, Bailey Zappe vs. Mahomes is a tremendous mismatch. Maybe this is the next massive favorite to lose, although the oddsmakers’ stance feels noteworthy.
Survivor Week 15 Rankings Grid
| Rk | Team | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas Cowboys | @ Washington Commanders | A+ |
| 2 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | @ Carolina Panthers | A |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | @ Tennessee Titans | A |
| 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | Cleveland Browns | A- |
| 5 | Philadelphia Eagles | @ New York Giants | A- |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers | @ Baltimore Ravens | B+ |
| 7 | New Orleans Saints | Atlanta Falcons | B+ |
| 8 | Detroit Lions | Minnesota Vikings | B+ |
| 9 | Los Angeles Chargers | Kansas City Chiefs | B |
| 10 | Buffalo Bills | @ Miami Dolphins | B |
| 11 | Green Bay Packers | Chicago Bears | B |
| 12 | Seattle Seahawks | @ Arizona Cardinals | B |
| 13 | San Francisco 49ers | Los Angeles Rams | B |
| 14 | Denver Broncos | @ Las Vegas Raiders | B_ |
| 15 | Indianapolis Colts | Houston Texans | B- |
| 16 | New England Patriots | New York Jets | B- |
| 17 | New York Jets | @ New England Patriots | B- |
| 18 | Houston Texans | @ Indianapolis Colts | B- |
| 19 | Las Vegas Raiders | Denver Broncos | |
| 20 | Los Angeles Rams | @ San Francisco 49ers | C+ |
| 21 | Arizona Cardinals | Seattle Seahawks | C+ |
| 22 | Chicago Bears | @ Green Bay Packers | C+ |
| 23 | Miami Dolphins | Buffalo Bills | C+ |
| 24 | Kansas City Chiefs | @ Los Angeles Chargers | C |
| 25 | Minnesota Vikings | @ Detroit Lions | C |
| 26 | Atlanta Falcons | @ New Orleans Saints | C- |
| 27 | Baltimore Ravens | Pittsburgh Steelers | D+ |
| 28 | New York Giants | Philadelphia Eagles | D |
| 29 | Cleveland Browns | @ Cincinnati Bengals | D |
| 30 | Tennessee Titans | Jacksonville Jaguars | D- |
| 31 | Carolina Panthers | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | D- |
| 32 | Washington Commanders | Dallas Cowboys | F |
Survivor Week 15 Sleeper
Cincinnati Bengals vs Minnesota Vikings
It’s becoming more and more obvious that Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning is no fluke.
No one will confuse him with Joe Burrow just yet, although his performances have given Cincinnati some reignited optimism. The Bengals have won back-to-back games, and another spot at home against a team making a quarterback change feels like an ideal spot.
Nick Mullens will get the start for the Minnesota Vikings, and he does have experience. With that acknowledged, this isn’t an ideal place to debut. Cincinnati has some juice, even when the season felt lost not long ago.
There haven’t been many spots to play the Bengals in recent weeks. This is certainly one.
Survivor Week 15 Team to Save for the Future
Philadelphia Eagles @ Seattle Seahawks
The Philadelphia Eagles have lost two straight, and they have allowed 75 points along the way.
These are facts, although some context is required. Philadelphia played the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys in those games, and that was after matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City and a first game against Dallas.
Jalen Hurts looks banged up, and the Eagles’ offense has looked off. As such, a long road trip to Seattle comes at an inopportune time.
The matchup isn’t ideal, and the next two games will present much better options. After this week, Philadelphia plays the New York Giants and then the Cardinals at home.
After a long, grueling stretch, relief is coming. It’s just not coming this week.
Survivor Week 15 Chalk Team That Could Lose
Atlanta Falcons @ Carolina Panthers
Could the team with one win finally win another? Vegas certainly thinks so.
Despite the Carolina Panthers’ woeful record, a home game against a team that has lost four of the last six games might be what they need.
For the Atlanta Falcons, this feels like a dangerous road trip. The Falcons have struggled against the New York Jets, Cardinals and Titans in their last three road trips, and those struggles could come full circle.
While the Panthers have major issues, they have also played their last three games on the road. Outside of a blowout loss against Dallas, Carolina has largely played well in its own building.
Expect an ugly, defense-heavy matchup between two teams in need of plenty. This won’t be Bryce Young’s breakout game, but don’t be shocked if Carolina (finally) wins outright.
