Ranking the 10 Best NFL Games of Week 15

Another terrific week of NFL action is nearly upon us. On Thursday night, the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks will kick off Week 15 in a heated NFC West grudge match.

For the Seahawks, Thursday's game represents an opportunity to claim the NFC West crown and a ticket to the postseason. For the Rams, the game is a chance to show that the talent on the team is more than a reflection of recently fired head coach Jeff Fisher.

This game is going to carry weight for both teams. Which side are you on? Do you think it will be one of the top games of the week?

Even if you aren't invested in the week's opening matchup, there are likely to be a few games in Week 15 you do feel strongly about. All 32 teams are in action, which means we will have a full 16-game schedule. We're going to take a look at what we think are the 10 best games of Week 15.

Be sure to let us know in the comments section if you agree with our list and which side you're taking in your favorite game of the week.

10. Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins

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Washington can seriously help its playoff chances with a win in Week 15.

The season is all but over for the 5-8 Carolina Panthers, but the team showed last week it still has plenty of fight left to bring to the field. The Panthers defense returned to form for an afternoon, producing five turnovers and a safety en route to a 28-16 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

This week, the Panthers will try to maintain that form against a Washington Redskins team that is still alive in the playoff hunt. At 7-5-1, Washington is sitting just outside of a wild-card spot right now.

Kirk Cousins and the Redskins offense are likely to present a bigger challenge to the Carolina defense than the Chargers did. Washington is rated seventh in overall offense by Pro Football Focus and ranks second in total yardage with an average of 412.1 yards per game.

The Panthers will be trying to play spoiler here, while the Redskins will be looking to prevent the playoff window from slamming shut.

"We understand that we’re right in the mix," Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said, per Master Tesfatsion of the Washington Post. "We do know that, but we also know that one slip-up and you’ll be a game-and-a-half, possibly, back."

This one should be interesting. 

9. Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings

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Andrew Luck and the Colts look to keep their slim playoff hopes alive.

The Indianapolis Colts are still technically alive in the AFC South race, but at 6-7, the team's playoff hopes are definitely dwindling. Still, the Colts and their explosive offense should present an entertaining challenge for the 7-6 Minnesota Vikings, who are looking to stay in their own playoff race.

The Vikings sit two games behind the 9-4 Detroit Lions in the NFC North but have lost twice to the Lions. If Minnesota can win out, though, a 10-6 record might be enough for a wild-card berth.

The Colts, meanwhile, have to win out and hope for some help in the AFC South. The 7-6 Houston Texans essentially took a game-and-a-half lead last week by beating the Colts for the second time in 2016. If Indianapolis can win out, though, and both the Texans and 7-6 Tennessee Titans go 1-2 down the stretch, the Colts can still win the division.

Andrew Luck and the Colts rank ninth in scoring with an average of 25.2 points per game. The Vikings rank first in scoring defense with an average of just 17.3 points per game allowed.

This should be a wonderful offense vs. defense matchup, and it's a game that carries a lot of weight in the playoff picture. The loser here all but finds itself out if its respective postseason chase.

8. Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks

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Can the Seahawks bounce back against the Rams on Thursday night?

For the Seahawks, Thursday's game against the Rams should represent more than just a chance to lock up the division. It should be seen as a chance for the team to cleanse its collective palate of last week's embarrassing 38-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers and prove it is a true contender.

While Seattle can still easily win the division without defeating the Rams this week, a loss would almost certainly damage the team's psyche.

The Rams will be looking to get their first win under interim coach John Fassel and their first with rookie quarterback Jared Goff at the helm.

"I've got a lot of studying to do," Fassel explained, per Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com. "Hopefully all of the emotions create some positive energy so we can go out on Thursday night and perform."

There should be some hard-hitting and entertaining defense in this game, but there might not be a ton of explosive offense. When these two teams met in Week 2, the Rams secured a 9-3 victory.

7. Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers

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The Raiders will look to bounce back from last week's loss with a win against the Chargers.

The Oakland Raiders dropped from the top spot in the AFC West last week with a loss to the rival Kansas City Chiefs. The loss also gave the Chiefs the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

Oakland certainly isn't out of the hunt for the division title, however, and can get right back on track with a win against the rival Chargers on Sunday. The Chiefs hold two head-to-head victories over the Raiders but share a 10-3 overall record.

If the Raiders can win out, they can retake the division with one Kansas City loss.

This is part of the reason why Sunday's game between the Raiders and the Chargers is intriguing. It's also a division game against a team that has played better than its record might indicate.

The Chargers only have five wins this season, but they have lost six games by a touchdown or less. This includes the team's 34-31 loss to the Raiders in Week 5.

Realistically, the Chargers should present an ample challenge for the Raiders at home. As a team, the Chargers average 26.9 points per game, fourth-most in the NFL. The Chargers are also rated sixth in overall defense by Pro Football Focus.

However, the Chargers will likely be playing without star running back Melvin Gordon. According to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, Gordon is considered day-to-day with hip and knee injuries.

This should still be a tough divisional matchup.

6. Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

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Aaron Rodgers and the Packers need to go 3-0 down the stretch to have a shot at the postseason.

This week's game between the Packers and the Chicago Bears only holds playoff implications for one of the participants—but those implications are huge.

The Packers have won three consecutive games to battle back to a 7-6 record. They have also won those games in convincing fashion by a combined score of 86-36. If Green Bay can secure a postseason spot, it could wreak playoff havoc.

However, the Packers need some help to get into the postseason. If they're going to win the NFC North, they'll need to go 3-0 down the stretch and will need the Detroit Lions to lose at least two of their final three games. One of those losses would presumably have to come in the season finale against the Packers.

Green Bay's race to the finish begins in Chicago against the rival Bears. If the Packers can win there, they will still have hope. If the Bears can successfully play spoiler, then Green Bay's season is all but finished.

This potential postseason impact adds weight to a rivalry game that would be at least a little fun regardless of records.

Come on, who doesn't love a good Bears-Packers matchup?

5. Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals

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Can Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers stay atop the AFC North with a win in Cincinnati?

Sunday's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will be similar to the Packers-Bears tilt in a couple of ways. This is a heated rivalry between foes with mutual hatred, and it's a game that only matters for one team.

The 8-5 Steelers hold a one-game lead over the rival Ravens in the AFC North. However, the Ravens hold a head-to-head victory over the Steelers and will face them in Week 16. A loss in Cincinnati would be devastating.

The 5-7-1 Bengals, meanwhile, are nearly officially out of the division race—though an 8-7-1 record could theoretically still win the division. The Bengals will be playing for pride, though, and for the revenge of this season's earlier loss in Pittsburgh and last year's playoff meltdown against the Steelers.

Realistically, the Bengals present a big challenge for the Steelers, especially if star wideout A.J. Green is able to return from his hamstring injury and play. As a team, the Bengals are rated ninth in overall offense by Pro Football Focus for the season.

The Steelers have their own potent offense but are rated just 16th in overall defense by Pro Football Focus.

This should be a tight matchup and one with plenty of physical ferocity to entertain the fans.

4. Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs

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Alex Smith and the Chiefs need a win to stay on top of the AFC West.

Early in the season, a game between the Titans and the Chiefs probably didn't look like a marquee matchup. Now it does. Both teams are in the playoff picture and riding a fair amount of momentum.

The 10-3 Chiefs took control of the AFC West with a win over the Raiders last Thursday night. They will need a win here to ensure they stay on top of the division. The 7-6 Titans, meanwhile, are coming off a big win over the defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos and looking to make a move in the AFC South.

Tennessee shares a 7-6 record with the Texans. The two teams will meet in Week 17.

This isn't only a game between potential playoff contenders; it's shaping up to be one of those offense vs. defense clashes that we love so much. The Chiefs are rated 10th in overall defense by Pro Football Focus and allow an average of just 19.6 points per game (eighth in the NFL).

The Titans, meanwhile, are rated sixth in overall offense by Pro Football Focus and average 24.7 points per game (11th in the NFL). Led by the hard running of DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry, the Titans present a unique challenge for the Chiefs.

This one could easily go either way, and the implications of a Titans win would be massive.

3. Detroit Lions at New York Giants

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Can Matthew Stafford and the Lions produce more magic this week against the Giants?

Sunday's matchup between the Lions and the New York Giants has suddenly become one of the most important games of the season. Both teams sit at 9-4 and are hot on the trail of playoff berths.

This game, however, could mean more for the Lions, who have relied on fourth-quarter comebacks eight times already this season. The Lions hold the NFC's No. 2 seed but could lose it if they cannot find some magic here. A loss by Detroit would also open the door for the Packers in the NFC North.

Green Bay already owns a head-to-head victory over the Lions and will be in Detroit for the season finale.

For the Giants, this game is a chance to build upon last week's emotional win over the rival Dallas Cowboys. New York is proving to be a legitimate contender and should be seen as a postseason threat. It could solidify that perception with a big win over the Lions.

The Giants even still have a shot at the NFC East title. They'll have to win out, though, while the Cowboys would have to go 1-2 down the stretch. Both teams would then finish 12-4 with the Giants owning the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Most importantly, though, the Giants need a win to stay in front of teams like the 8-5 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the 7-5-1 Redskins.

If the Buccaneers weren't playing the Cowboys this week, this game might even deserve a prime-time slot.

2. New England Patriots at Denver Broncos

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Tom Brady and the Patriots need a win in Denver to stay atop the AFC standings.

The New England Patriots managed to hang onto the AFC's No. 1 seed by beating the Ravens on Monday night. They'll look to do the same in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos, one of New England's top conference rivals over the past few seasons.

If the Broncos defense was just a bit more formidable—Denver is rated just 26th in overall offense by Pro Football Focus—this game might get our pick for game of the week.

This should still be a tremendous matchup, though. While the Broncos aren't an offensive powerhouse, they do possess a championship-caliber defense that is rated first overall by Pro Football Focus. That defense should present plenty of problems for the league's fifth-ranked scoring offense (26.8 points per game).

Plus the Broncos will be playing at home and to maintain their not-so-tight grip on a wild-card spot.

There are legitimate stakes for both teams here, plus what should be an enjoyable strategic chess match between offenses and defenses. Oh, and this game should be a lot of fun, seeing as how these two teams generally don't like one another.

Denver hosted the Patriots twice last season—once in the AFC title game—and won both. The Broncos hold a 21-9 series advantage over New England when playing in Denver.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys

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Will Dak Prescott and the Cowboys bounce back in Week 15?

Our pick for the top game of Week 15 is the Sunday night matchup between the Cowboys and the Buccaneers. Both teams are playing like legitimate contenders, and both have something at stake in the game.

For the Cowboys, Sunday's game will be an opportunity to bounce back from last week's loss in New York.

It appears the Cowboys will be using their most recent loss as motivation.

"It’s a bad feeling, but I mean it kind of gets you resettled, gets you back right," Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott explained, per Jarrett Bell of USA Today. "I mean after we lost to these guys the first time, we went on that run, so maybe we can do something similar."

Tampa Bay, meanwhile, will be looking to continue its five-game winning streak and battle for the NFC South. The pressure for Tampa will be even higher if the Atlanta Falcons take care of business against the San Francisco 49ers earlier on Sunday. Both the Falcons and Buccaneers are 8-5.

Strategically, this should also be a great matchup. The Cowboys offense—which is rated third overall by Pro Football Focus—has rolled through every opponent but the Giants this season. Tampa's defense, though, could present a similar challenge to the one the Cowboys faced last week.

Over the last five games, the Buccaneers have allowed an average of just 12.8 points per game.