NFL Week 15: The Ultimate Guide to Sunday's Action

The most important part of the season is upon us.

Yes, in the NFL, it is true that every game matters and any matchup can be the one that excludes a team from the playoffs. But the final weeks of the season are packed with high-stress divisional games engineered into the schedule to keep teams from sitting their important starters toward the end of the season.

What used to be weeks where we weren't sure if every game would even be watchable have turned into weeks where numerous teams find themselves controlling their own destiny and potentially winning their way into the playoffs.

With so many divisional races to compete for and playoff spots to lock up, Bleacher Report has everything you need to know about every single contest on Sunday. Just click ahead for the most comprehensive weekend preview on the Internet.

Biggest Questions

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Patriots QB Tom Brady

The Table Is Set, Who's Going to Clear the Dishes

As mentioned in the intro, there are teams that are able to earn their way into the playoffs with their efforts this weekend.

On Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals entered that fray, assuming the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles don't tie in their matchup this weekend. Over in the AFC, the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts can all clinch their divisions this weekend. 

Can the Miami Dolphins Rekindle a Little Early-Season Magic

Though the Dolphins have been good this season and are a borderline playoff team, I don't think many would quibble with the high-water mark of their season being a Week 1 drubbing of the Patriots. Though the Patriots are a much different team than they were in Week 1, the Dolphins have continued to a 7-6 record and had a couple of tough losses against quality competition. 

If the Dolphins can "steal" a win in Foxborough, they keep their playoff hopes alive while keeping the Patriots out of the postseason for another week. 

Will the Cowboys Actually Come to Play Against the Eagles This Time Around?

A couple of weeks ago, the Eagles completely outclassed the Cowboys. They did it not by necessarily being the overall better team but by being the far more prepared team. The Cowboys got outplayed and out-coached in every facet of the game. 

The NFC East is always a bit of a crapshoot, but the Cowboys should be able to win (even in Philadelphia) if they can get out of their own way. Any sense of a misstep or a stumble, and the Eagles can run away with the division. 

Odds and Ends

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Texans DE J.J. Watt

• To find out which games are available in your area, check out these NFL coverage maps, via 506 Sports.
• Who's calling your game of choice Sunday? Here are announcer pairings for CBS and Fox, via B-FLO 360.
• Football Zebras provides a look at which referees are working each game so you can tailor your insults accordingly.
• Can't make it to a TV? SiriusXM covers every single game. Here's the lineup.
• If you don't have satellite radio, check to see if Westwood One has a game playing in your area.
• Even if you can watch your favorite team, make sure you have the Bleacher Report Team Stream app for the latest in news, fantasy football updates and highlights.

Important Stats and Trends to Know

Alex Brandon/Associated Press

Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater

Vikings Haven't Been Good Around the Midwest

According to our friends over at Odds Shark, the Vikings are 1-14-1 in their last 16 road games within the NFC North. Look, I spent a lot of my formative years in Minnesota and have an affinity for all things hot dish, Lefse and Schell's Brewery, but the "home-cooking" isn't that good to compile that sort of record on the road—especially within the division. 

Unfortunately, spending this weekend at Ford Field in Detroit against the Lions isn't likely to start changing that trend. 

Ravens a Mixed Bag This Season But a Good Bet This Weekend

Also from Odds Shark, the Ravens are 33-3 as home favorites since 2010. They're only 8-5 this season, but they have a really great matchup this weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars and are likely to be home favorites in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns as well. 

Simply taking care of business this week could easily put the Ravens in the playoffs, and they don't tend to misstep in games like this. 

Chargers Need Their Running Game for Their Passing Game to Survive

When the Chargers use play-action passing this season, Pro Football Focus (paid link) has quarterback Philip Rivers with the second-best QB rating in the league at 126.3 (only Packers QB Aaron Rodgers is better). The only problem? He's last in the league with only 40 play-action passing attempts. 

A big part of that is injuries to the running game and the Chargers' 29th-ranked rushing offense, but committing to the run and passing off that has been a pathway to success for San Diego this season. 

Worries Are Legit, but Gronk Is Holding Up So Far

Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has played 74 snaps as a tight end this season, according to Football Outsiders. That's the most of any tight end in the league, and considering he spends a lot of his time as a "traditional" tight end (read: blocking, not split out), that's showcasing a pretty good trend of durability.

In fact, if I'm head coach Bill Belichick, I'm putting him on a snap count the second the playoffs are locked up. 

For even more trends and how they might influence your team (and your pocketbook) this weekend, check out Nick Kostos' Ultimate Bettor's Guide.

Game of the Day

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Eagles QB Mark Sanchez

Who: Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles

When: 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC

Where: Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• Cowboys preview from Featured Columnist John Owning
• Eagles preview from Featured Columnist Andrew Kulp

This is a quick rematch from just two weeks ago between two teams that know each other very well. Following the Eagles' Week 13 win, I wrote that Philadelphia simply wore the Cowboys down both offensively and defensively because the Dallas coaching staff wasn't able to adjust. 

From that viewpoint, it could be inferred that the Eagles have the upper hand here with such a short turnaround, but DallasCowboys.com quoted a couple of Cowboys players that had a different take:

"

'It’s interesting because there’s only one game in-between, so it’s only one more film that you get to see, plus what they did to you the first time,' center Travis Frederick said. 'You kind of get to study a little bit deeper into that, because there’s not as much volume.' ...

... 'That’s great—keep it fresh. That’s great,' cornerback Brandon Carr added. 'We just saw you a couple weeks ago, it’s still fresh in our minds, the way we played in that game. It’s a great opportunity for us to get back at them.'

"

Maybe that's just wishful thinking by Dallas, but either way the truism holds: The team that is best prepared for this game will win. That's not a trite, "duh" statement, as the teams are actually matched up pretty evenly across the board. 

Still, in such an important game for playoff implications, it would be embarrassing if either team comes out as flat and clueless as the Cowboys did two weeks ago. 

Rest of the Slate (Fox)

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Seahawks S Earl Thomas

Washington at New York Giants (1 p.m. ET)

This game could've been much more important heading into the final weeks of the season, but neither of these teams are the .500 clubs they should've been.

Much of that has to do with quarterback play, coaching and overall malaise from top to bottom. Both of these organizations should be facing rebuilds at the end of the season, and an embarrassing loss here could speed that process. 

Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills (1 p.m. ET)

Speaking of tough defensive lines...

The Bills defense has made tough offenses look pedestrian all season long, and the unit's ability to rush with four makes passing against it a little tougher than if a team is blitz-heavy. That said, the Packers offense is going to get theirs no matter what defense it's facing, and this game will hinge on whether the Bills offense can do the same. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers (1 p.m. ET)

In stark contrast to the Washington/Giants game, this matchup has playoff implications—and that's really depressing.

The Buccaneers always have a chance to click, have things go right for them and look awfully impressive in the process, while both teams have big, down-the-field receivers who can get chunk plays in a hurry.

This game will likely go to the team that takes the bigger shots and connects as both defenses should be better at stopping those than they actually have been this year. 

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET)

This is the most important "Battle of Ohio" in some time as the winner stays alive in the AFC North race.

The Bengals are the far more talented team from top to bottom. But the Browns have overachieved most of this season and, intermittently, impressed with both their offense and defense—though almost never at the same time.

This is the first start of the Johnny Manziel era in Cleveland, and that adds an interesting wrinkle to the proceedings. 

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET)

The 49ers are incredibly disappointing this year, but if they're going to get up for one game, this is it.

Lose, and they're out of playoff chances and will almost assuredly be facing a minor rebuild in the coming offseason. Win, and they get pretty good bragging rights over their biggest rival and almost ensure the Arizona Cardinals win the division. 

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (4:25 p.m. ET)

The Lions are most vulnerable when teams move the ball down the field with a short passing game. That fits into what the Vikings can do best, but they need to be able to do so against fierce pressure from the Lions' defensive line. It makes that process much more theoretical than realistic.

How quarterback Teddy Bridgewater deals with the pressure of the Lions' defensive line will decide this game. 

Rest of the Slate (CBS)

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Broncos QB Peyton Manning

Pittsburgh Steelers at Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET)

Which team shows up on either side of the ball? 

At various points this season, both of these teams looked like dominant forces of nature, while both have also dropped embarrassing games to inferior competition. I like the Steelers here if they can get the running game going, but the team that is able to avoid the most unforced errors will be the victor. 

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots (1 p.m. ET)

Blitz Tom Brady and pay. Get to Brady without needing to blitz and win a football game. Shut down the Patriots' running game and eliminate Brady's ability to use play action and you'll embarrass New England.

That's the name of the game for the Dolphins, but the Patriots are darn near invincible at home this time of year. 

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (1 p.m. ET)

Defense is the buzzword here, but this game even being remotely watchable will depend on the efforts of these two offensive lines and quarterbacks to not let the pass rush dictate everything about what they do.

Frankly, the Raiders are the team trending more upward at the moment, but it's hard to bet against the vastly more talented Chiefs at home. 

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (1 p.m. ET)

The only way the Texans win this game is if they make zero mistakes in the passing game (read: no interceptions) while rushing extremely effectively (read: 150-plus yards). This needs to be combined with an off day from Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.

If all that doesn't happen, the Colts are winning the South. 

Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens (1 p.m. ET)

The Ravens are near locks here, but they have also tended to disappoint at their most obvious moments this season. Toughness is key here, as the Ravens are at their best when they're dominating in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and the Jaguars defense has raised its game in recent weeks. 

New York Jets at Tennessee Titans (4:05 p.m. ET)

I have to watch this game for work. You shouldn't have to watch this game unless you're being paid to as well. Find a park, hold someone you love, make something with your hands...

The Jets should win here, but turnover margin and third-down conversions are going to weigh heavily for both teams in addition to first-down running. Neither team does that trifecta well, but it's a good thing both are facing some pretty terrible competition. 

Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET)

The Chargers started the season as one of the best teams and then the bottom dropped out on them. They've been trending upward as of late and can keep the Broncos out of the playoffs simply by making the Denver rushing attack beat them between the 20s and getting into the 30s with their own offense. 

Biggest Matchups

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Raiders LB Khalil Mack

Richard Sherman (CB Seahawks) vs. Colin Kaepernick (QB 49ers)

Last time around, Kaepernick tried picking on Sherman, and he got burned. He can't avoid Sherman completely lest he walk into the Seahawks' carefully set Cover 3 traps, but he also can't be as careless with the ball as he was pitching to Sherman's zone last time around. 

Panthers' Interior Defensive Line vs. Buccaneers' Interior Offensive Line

One could flip the teams around and say that the opposite trench battle is just as important to this game (frankly, the play of Buccaneers defensive tackle Gerald McCoy always tends to feature big in their matchups), but the Panthers' defensive line play has been spotty this season.

This is a good battle for them here, but if they underachieve as they have been wont to do, the Buccaneers will be able to run the ball effectively. At that point, it's likely game over. 

J.J. Watt (DE Texans) vs. Gosder Cherilus (OT Colts)

These two aren't huge fans of one another, and Cherilus tends to get up for big-game moments. Watt will almost certainly get a few big impact plays, but how Cherilus responds to those will decide whether the Colts roll or if Andrew Luck gets rocked. 

Khalil Mack (LB Raiders) vs. Alex Smith (QB Chiefs)

The Chiefs' offensive line isn't even really a thing anymore. I get that there are players out there attempting to stand in people's way, but a collection of blocking dummies might be more effective in that regard.

Mack will, therefore, get to Smith in this game, but Smith should have both the athleticism and the veteran savvy to not be standing in the pocket holding the ball when he does. 

For an X's and O's look at even more matchups, take a seat in Matt Bowen's film study. 

Notable Injuries

James Kenney/Associated Press

Giants QB Eli Manning

Gerald McCoy (DT Buccaneers)—Questionable, Knee

Mentioned on the last slide, the question is likely not whether McCoy will play but whether he'll be able to go full bore for much of the game.

McCoy at 50 percent is better than many at 100, but he's got a tough matchup on the Panthers interior and will need to be at his best to apply consistent pressure to Cam Newton. 

Colt McCoy (QB Washington)—Questionable, Neck

McCoy is playing, but a neck injury will be chum in the water for the Giants defense. They'll be looking to knock him out of this one from snap one, and McCoy will need to get the ball out of his hand even a moment quicker than normal as they sell out to sack him. 

Steve Smith (WR Ravens)—Probable, Illness

'Tis the season for non-contact injury-report statuses. It doesn't matter how highly the Ravens are favored, any loss to their passing attack can always spell doom for quarterback Joe Flacco and Co. The Ravens need to make sure Smith is better, hydrated and not making any of his receiver teammates sick either. 

Eddie Lacy (RB Packers)—Probable, Hip

Want to keep the Bills on their heels? Run at them effectively. The Packers can run without Lacy, but his ability to get yards after contact and catch the ball out of the backfield should factor in highly here. 

Other Notable Injuries:

Ndamukong Suh (DT Lions)—Probable, Illness

Jamaal Charles (RB Chiefs)—Questionable, Knee/Ankle

Vontae Davis (CB Colts)—Probable, Concussion

Julio Jones (WR Falcons)—Questionable, Hip

Bleacher Report Expert Consensus Predictions

Lynne Sladky/Associated Press

Dolphins DE Cameron Wake

Bleacher Report's Week 14 Awards

Week 15 Expert Consensus Picks

NFL Predictions Week 15: Expert Consensus Projections

The Ultimate Hall of Fame Offense

Matt Miller's Latest NFL Draft Notebook

To follow how the B/R writers stack up against writers from across the web, check out NFLPickwatch.com. 

Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.