NFL Week 15 Picks: Odds, Predictions and More Before Thursday Night
Three weeks, three more chances for NFL teams to make the playoffs.
The playoff picture in Week 15 is fairly clear, at least as far as which teams will make the postseason. Battles for division titles and jockeying for top seeds supersede fairly light wild-card races.
NFC wild-card hopefuls are no better than two games behind Seattle and Minnesota, the current fifth and sixth seeds, respectively. In the AFC, Pittsburgh is the only team that appears to have the best chance of making the postseason without winning a division crown.
The NFC East, AFC South and NFC North all figure to be down-to-the-wire races, while Carolina looks to go undefeated and New England should claim the top seed in the AFC.
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Week 15 will go a long way toward settling postseason positions. Here's a look at the latest odds for each game, along with some predictions and a closer look at the games featuring the two teams vying for the NFC North crown.
Also, one of the joys of tuning into the final few weeks of the NFL season is the MVP race, as the league's best players put in their closing statements for the top individual honor. It should come as little surprise that all four players listed by Odds Shark in the MVP chase come from the league's most important position, quarterback.
| Time (ET) | Away | Home | Over/Under | Prediction |
| 8:25 p.m. | Tampa Bay | St. Louis (-2.5) | 41 | TB 24-17 STL |
| 8:25 p.m. | New York Jets (-3) | Dallas Cowboys | 42 | NYJ 27-14 DAL |
| 1 p.m. | Kansas City (-7.5) | Baltimore | 41.5 | KC 20-10 BAL |
| 1 p.m. | Houston | Indianapolis | N/A | IND 23-19 HOU |
| 1 p.m. | Atlanta | Jacksonville (-3) | 49 | JAX 34-32 ATL |
| 1 p.m. | Chicago | Minnesota (-5.5) | 43 | MIN 24-20 CHI |
| 1 p.m. | Tennessee | New England (-15.5) | 46.5 | NE 31-20 TEN |
| 1 p.m. | Carolina (-5) | New York Giants | 48 | CAR 32-24 NYG |
| 1 p.m. | Buffalo (even) | Washington (even) | 44 | BUF 24-20 WAS |
| 4:05 p.m. | Green Bay (-3) | Oakland | 47 | GB 27-21 OAK |
| 4:05 p.m. | Cleveland | Seattle (-16) | 43 | SEA 31-14 CLE |
| 4:25 p.m. | Denver | Pittsburgh (-7) | 44.5 | PIT 23-17 DEN |
| 4:25 p.m. | Miami | San Diego (-1) | 46 | SD 28-21 MIA |
| 4:25 p.m. | Cincinnati (-4.5) | San Francisco | 40.5 | CIN 23-20 SF |
| 8:30 p.m. | Arizona (-3.5) | Philadelphia | 50.5 | ARI 31-24 PHI |
| 8:30 p.m. | Detroit | New Orleans (-3) | 50.5 | DET 28-27 NO |
| Cam Newton | -500 |
| Tom Brady | +350 |
| Carson Palmer | +1200 |
| Russell Wilson | +1200 |
Chicago Bears (5-8) vs. Minnesota Vikings (8-5)
Week 14 created a little separation between Minnesota and Green Bay in the NFC North race. The Vikings fell to Arizona 23-20 on Thursday while the Packers rolled to an easy 28-7 win over Dallas on Sunday.
Minnesota gets the easier (on paper) matchup in Week 15, hosting the 5-8 Chicago Bears. The Vikings beat the Bears 23-20 in Week 8 behind standout performances from Adrian Peterson and rookie wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Peterson has fared well since that contest, scoring six touchdowns in the ensuing six games. He's a good candidate for a big performance after struggling against Arizona's and Seattle's tough run defenses the past two weeks.
The same can't be said for Diggs, who burst onto the scene in October and early November but has slowed down considerably since.
| December 10, Arizona | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 0 | 7 |
| December 6, Seattle | 2 | 22 | 11.0 | 0 | 6 |
| November 29, Atlanta | 4 | 31 | 7.8 | 0 | 4 |
| November 22, Green Bay | 6 | 66 | 11.0 | 0 | 9 |
| November 15, Oakland | 2 | 46 | 23.0 | 0 | 2 |
| November 8, St. Louis | 3 | 42 | 14.0 | 0 | 5 |
Diggs accounted for 95 of quarterback Teddy Bridgewater's 187 passing yards the last time these two teams played. It's been a trying sophomore season for Bridgewater. If Diggs is unable to break through again for a big game, Bridgewater will have to spread the ball around like he did against Arizona—335 passing yards to 11 different receivers—for the Vikings to have even modest success on offense.
Chicago will come at Minnesota's banged-up defense with Jay Cutler, who threw for 315 yards and two touchdowns in Week 14, and running backs Matt Forte and Jeremy Langford. The veteran and the rookie have done well sharing time in Chicago's backfield lately. Either player is capable of breaking out for a big play.
Cutler has relied heavily at times on wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, but the physically imposing wideout is dealing with a calf injury heading into this week's game, per CBS Chicago's Chris Emma. More heroics could be needed from tight end Zach Miller, who popped up for 85 yards and a touchdown last week against Washington and has been a bright spot in place of an injured Martellus Bennett.
The key to this game, as it is in so many for the Vikings, is Bridgewater. The young signal-caller is coming off one of his most prolific passing games of the season, (which isn't saying much), but he gave up a terrible fumble late that ruined his team's chances at victory. He took the loss understandably hard, per Scout.com's Eric Oslund:
"It was a little frustrating to get that close and not finish the deal. I sat in the locker room, I sat in my pads for about 20 or 30 minutes after the game and the guys were just telling me to snap out of it, I had to put it in the past. That’s just that competitive nature in me. Hate losing.
"
If he can elevate his own play, Minnesota can be one of the league's most dangerous teams entering the playoffs. With a mediocre wide receiver and tight end corps, it certainly won't be easy. But the defense and running game are already there. Should Bridgewater come along, the NFC playoffs are going to be very interesting.
Green Bay Packers (9-4) vs. Oakland Raiders (6-7)
The Raiders kept their microscopic playoff hopes alive with a rugged 15-12 win over Denver in Week 14. But in reality, there are no epic collapses in the future for Kansas City, Pittsburgh or the New York Jets.
The best they can do at this point—especially as a young team bursting with talent at key positions—is work to better themselves at the end of this season and, of course, play spoiler.
With a Week 17 matchup against Minnesota looming, Green Bay's one-game lead in the NFC North is nothing to bank on.
For Oakland's defense, there's one big question coming into this game: What will Khalil Mack do for an encore? The second-year pass-rusher was a one-man wrecking crew against Denver, tallying five sacks and catapulting himself into the NFL lead in that category.
ESPN.com's Bill Williamson reports that Mack did not practice on Wednesday but did note that Mack spoke with the media, a good sign for his Week 15 status.
The Packers offensive line has had its share of troubles this season, though mostly in the run game. Aaron Rodgers hasn't been quite as prolific as usual lately—which means "only" 905 passing yards and seven touchdowns in his past four games—so the standout QB could be in for some trouble if Mack is operating at the peak of his capabilities again.
Rodgers will also have to look out for ageless former teammate Charles Woodson, who is enjoying a fine season at safety with the Raiders.
"It's special," said Woodson, via FoxSports.com's Sam Gardner. "I spent seven years in Green Bay, had a lot of good times, a lot of great years, got a lot accomplished. But it's your old team. I moved on from there a couple years ago, and now they're the opponent. So yeah, there's a little something there."
Woodson has five interceptions on the year, proving that he is still a big-play threat even at age 39.
James Starks and Eddie Lacy both had excellent outings against the Cowboys in Week 14. Their ability to take runs up the middle and contribute in the passing game will go a long way toward blunting Oakland's pass rush.
Oakland scored just 12 points in Week 14, but Denver's defense is generally in a class of its own and the Raiders do have the luxury of playing at home this week. As it turns out, Oakland quarterback Derek Carr could very well beat out Rodgers in the quarterback duel. ESPN.com points out the two have very similar statistical profiles this season:
"The two are just about equal in several statistical categories this season, including yards per attempt (7.5 for Carr, 6.9 for Rodgers) passing yards (Carr 3,178, Rodgers 3,175), completion percentage (Carr 63.6, Rodgers 61.2) and passer rating (Carr 97.7, Rodgers 97.5), according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Rodgers is doing better in a couple of categories. The two-time NFL MVP has two more touchdowns (28, to Carr's 26) and four fewer interceptions (five, to Carr's nine).
"
Oakland's run game, featuring Latavius Murray, doesn't quite have the enormous potential of Green Bay's—even before you consider Rodgers' scrambling ability—so it's possible there is more riding on Carr's shoulders than his quarterbacking counterpart's.
A hobbled Amari Cooper only compounds this point. Per Williamson, Cooper did not practice Wednesday after being held without a catch against Denver. If he is slowed again in Week 15, or perhaps even absent, Carr will have to work that much harder to pull off an upset win.
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