In Week 13, our top NFL survivor pool option was a winner, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) held off the Carolina Panthers 21-18 at Raymond James Stadium.
It was a close one, which was expected picking a 4-7 Bucs team against the Panthers (1-11 after the loss). Carolina led 10-7 with 5:04 to go in the 3rd quarter after a Chuba Hubbard 1-yard TD run, but Tampa Bay QB Baker Mayfield and WR Mike Evans hooked up for a 75-yard TD just 10 seconds later to regain the lead. That seemed to take the wind out of the Panthers’ sails and they never recovered.
The No. 2 option looked good at times in a seesaw affair on Monday night. Unfortunately for the Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), QB Trevor Lawrence went down with a high-ankle sprain in the 4th quarter, and the Cincinnati Bengals (6-6) ended up picking a 34-31 win in overtime.
We’ve lost our No. 1 option 3 times – and would even be eliminated from pools that allow up to 3 defeats – but we’re still here to help going forward.