BTSC Survivor Pool Update: Week 18 results

The contest now enters the postseason with a whole new set of rules.

The Behind The Steel Curtain survivor pool continued on in Week 18 as we now enter uncharted territory as it is the NFL postseason. With four leagues that were completely filled with 100 entries, the fifth league finished with 46 participants. While technically there were 446 total entries, I had one entry in each league as the commissioner so there were 442 different contestants. Hundreds have entered, but only one can go home with the autographed Joe Haden Football.

With two contestants remaining and each making two picks, it was a total of four selections. Neither contestant picked an overlapping team yet again, but the options were much more obvious for one than the other. One contestant was able to choose the Tennessee Titans over the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs over the Denver Broncos (and luckily did NOT choose the Green Bay Packers over the Detroit Lions which was still an option) while the other had to choose the Washington Football Team over the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings over the Chicago Bears. All picks ended up being correct, so on to the postseason we go!

So how will the contest work now? These are the rules which were sent to the remaining contestants:

BTSC’s survivor contest has entered into the postseason! As stated in the rules at the beginning of the year, remaining teams for the contestants will be reset. It is important to understand how the competition will progress this week and through the remainder of the postseason.

Even though the pool of teams has now been reset, this is the last reset which will occur. Any team selected in the Wild Card round will not be eligible for the Divisional round.

Here is how the contest will progress week by week:

1. Contestants will choose two winners for Wild Card Weekend. All choices must be made by 4 PM on Saturday before any games occur. Not only will there be two choices, each contestant will enter a primary choice and a secondary choice. If both contestants miss one game, but one contestant was correct with their primary choice while the other was correct with their secondary choice, the contestant who correctly chose their primary choice will be the winner. This is being put in place to help better determine a winner if incorrect choices come into play.

2. If the contest continues on, contestants will choose two winners on Divisional Weekend with the previous choices not being options in typical survivor rules. Primary and secondary choices will once again be made much like Wild Card Weekend.

3. If the contest is still continuing, contestants will choose one winner on Conference Championship Weekend. If the only four teams remaining for a contestant are the four teams a contestant has used the previous two weeks, they will be eliminated. This weekend will also end the survivor portion of the contest.

4. If a winner has still not been determined following the Conference Championships, a new contest between the remaining contestants will be used for the Super Bowl. Contestants will not be forced to ‘keep back’ their Super Bowl winner as a choice throughout the first three weeks of the postseason contest. The exact procedure of what will determine the winner during the Super Bowl will be determined if needed.

So to summarize, all playoff teams are available to choose one time throughout the postseason. Contestants will pick two teams the first two weekends and will designate a primary and secondary choice. One choice will be made during Conference Championship Weekend. If the contest makes it past that point, something completely different will be used for the Super Bowl.

So after all eighteen weeks, the contest rolls on with two people remaining. If you are still alive, make sure you enter your picks WITH ME so you don’t get knocked out due to a lack of selection. This is your reminder, so you can make your pick now or wait until closer to Saturday’s kickoff. Even though you have been eliminated according to Yahoo, you are still in the competition!

Weekly Update:

Used teams are crossed out, Week 18 picks are in bold.

Upcoming Wild Card Games of Note:

• Most heavily favored (not PIT): Tampa Bay (-8.5) at home over Philadelphia
• Closest match up: Dallas (-3) at home over San Francisco
• The Steelers match up: Pittsburgh (+12.5) on the road against Kansas City

(all lines are courtesy of DraftKings.com as of 1/11)

So there you have it! Make sure you check back at Behind The Steel Curtain to stay updated on the contest. Even if you did not enter or have already been eliminated, feel free to check in and see how you would have fared each week.