:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71502918/1432421402.0.jpg "NFL Survivor pool picks: Should I take the Bucs to beat the Steelers or Rams over Panthers in my Survivor pool?")
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are traveling in Week 6 to face the Pittsburgh Steelers at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. The Bucs are currently a 10-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook with -475 odds to win the game. Later in the day, the Los Angeles Rams host the Carolina Panthers at SoFi Field with kickoff set for 4:05 p.m. The Rams are a 9.5-point favorite and -435 on the moneyline.
It's safe to say they will be a fairly popular pick in Week 6 for NFL Survivor pools. Most peoples have dwindled quite a bit with some monster upsets the first five weeks, and taking a safer big spread play can make sense. The question is which of these two do I grab? Or do I skip them entirely?
Looking through both teams' remaining schedules, the Rams might be the better call. Their biggest remaining projected spread is against the Seahawks in Week 13, where they're likely to be more than a touchdown favorite. The issue there is divisional games are never ideal for Survivor picks. Of course, at the current rate, will your pool even still be running in Week 13?
The Bucs have a favorable road matchup at Carolina next week, a favorable home matchup against Seattle in Week 10, and another favorable home matchup against the Panthers in Week 17. And yet, I'm inclined to pass on those Panthers matchups for now until we see what the coaching change means. And the Seahawks are a spunky bunch that are difficult to predict.
With that in mind, Bucs on the road against a bad Steelers team makes more sense than Rams at home against the Panthers. I don't like the idea of the first game after a coach has been fired situation. As for spending the Bucs pick now, you can find a few different solid matchups in all their remaining weeks, so don't feel bad using them now.