Survivor pools are fun, and they seem easy, but it’s actually very hard to last longer than a few weeks. For those who have never done a survivor pool, the rules are simple. Each week you pick one team to win outright -- usually, survivor pools do not use spreads. Once you’ve picked that team, they’re unavailable to you for the rest of the season.

These are three picks that will keep you alive.

Panthers, Not Patriots, Most Likely Team To Finish Undefeated

*Home teams in caps.

The Sure Thing: Eagles over LIONS

The Eagles were embarrassed by the Buccaneers last week, and now have a short turnaround vs. Detroit on a two-game winning streak. The Lions’ run ends here. The Eagles have realistic hopes of a division title and playoff berth, despite their 4-6 record. They still have the NFL’s second-best defense per FootballOutsiders.com, and Mark Sanchez, for all his turnovers, still has more guts than Sam Bradford when it comes to throwing the deep ball.

Chip Kelly Could Be Replaced Next Season By Another Mad Genius

Philly’s defense is slightly more vulnerable on the ground than through the air, but the Lions are simply not equipped to take advantage of that. Unless Calvin Johnson goes off, the Eagles should right the ship on Thanksgiving and win going away.

The Next Best Thing: Panthers over COWBOYS

The Cowboys have been victimized by oddmakers who installed the Cowboys as a one-point favorite to open the week. Panthers coach Ron Rivera knows this, and called it disrespectful, and will now have his team raring to go.

Tony Romo’s return is a great thing for Dallas, but the matchup is brutal. Dez Bryant isn’t going to have a big day vs. Josh Norman, and the Cowboys in general don’t have the horses at the skill positions to dent Carolina’s Top-3 defense. Cam Newton and Jonathan Stewart will terrorize Dallas’ leaky run defense and win in punishing fashion.

If You Want To Get Cute: Saints over TEXANS

The Texans are on a nice little run here, but the Saints are coming off a bye week. When Sean Payton and Drew Brees have time to prepare, they tend to be lights out, and Houston is still a question mark. If the game devolves into a shootout, Brian Hoyer has little chance of keeping pace with Brees, even if the Saints’ pass defense is a train wreck.

For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook