This year’s Survivor Pool seems to have a collection of haves and a collection of have-nots. John Vomhof, Andy and Tony remain undefeated and alive in our main pool. The consolation participants also have perfect records going.

Will that trend continue in week four?

Vomhof: Arizona
Andy: Carolina
Tony: Cincinnati
Maggio: Washington
Rich: Dallas

And here is why:

Vomhof: (Previous picks: Seattle, Carolina, Miami) The Cards have gotten off to a slow start, but I like their chances to rebound at home against the Rams. I’m expecting a big game from Carson Palmer the Arizona defense–and, most importantly, Jeff Fisher’s club can’t go 7-9 if they keep winning games.

Andy: (Previous picks: Seattle, Carolina, Miami) Sometimes you’ve got to take some chances in survivor pools. This week’s schedule is putrid. One of the worst weeks of football ever scheduled, in my opinion – very few compelling match-ups. Anyway, the Falcons are 2-1, but they’re a fraud. They have given up 31,28 and 32 points so far, for an average of more than 30 per game. Carolina is coming off of a whoopin’ suffered at the hands of a perhaps better-than-we-thought Vikings team. There won’t be any overlooking this game. The Panthers will score early and often, and the Falcons will drop to 2-2.

Tony: (Previous picks: Seattle, Carolina, Dallas) At least if I end it this week, it will be early. If you can wait until Sunday to make a selection, the Jets may be the way to go, if Russell Wilson isn’t able to play—but we post early, so I’ll go with Cincinnati at home against the team that almost just lost to the Browns. Washington is another good bet, but I’m not trusting Kirk Cousins just yet, and Arizona should walk all over Los Angeles—just like they should have walked over the Bills and beaten the Patriots at home without Tom Brady…

Consolation round:

Maggio: (Previous picks: Arizona, Detroit, Carolina) This is more for comedic effect at this point, right? I do think Washington will win this game, but I really should be seeing how long I can stretch this without actually picking a winner. Seems like a fun time. But really, the Dolphins are terrible and still managed to beat Cleveland at home, albeit in overtime. Washington is a better team, and now has some tape on everything the Browns would like to do with Terrelle Pryor. So again, bet the mortgage on Cleveland. 

Rich: (Previous picks: Los Angeles, Seattle, Arizona) Well, I may be 0-3, but at least I’m in good company, right Mr. Maggio? Umm, what the hell happened to Arizona last week? And what does it say about my knowledge of this league when my other choice for week three would have been to take Pittsburgh over Philadelphia?

Anyway, moving on, this week’s dart lands on Dallas. This has been a much more entertaining game in the past. There is nothing on the line, so don’t expect the drama of Joe Montana finding Dwight Clark in the end zone. The personalities are far more muted than they used to be, so don’t expect to see anything like Terrell Owens taunting the entire Cowboys Nation by dancing on the big star at the 50-yard-line. The story lines in this one are Dak “Wally Pipp” Prescott, Dez “Ow, my knee” Bryant, Ezekiel “Wait for it” Elliott and, maybe, the Original Knee Taker (It’s too bad that this game is in San Francisco. It would be much more fun if Colin Kaepernick did not stand for the national anthem in Dallas, just to watch all those Texans go apoplectic.  

 The 49ers are not a good team. They just gave up more than 100 yards to Christine Michael, who is playing behind an offensive line that would not be highly rated in the Canadian Football League – maybe not even in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. For all his talent and skill, Navarro Bowman cannot be everywhere at once. Dallas, meanwhile, has an outstanding line (even without All-Universe guard La’el Collins), and the aforementioned Elliott is going to have a breakout/statement game before the end of October. It may just well be this week.