Week 15 NFL Picks: Predictions, Advice for Latest Vegas Spreads and Odds

Fortunes change quickly in the NFL, but don't overlook a talent gap between teams when predicting games.

Every week features plenty of surprises with top teams losing games they shouldn't and vice versa. The Cincinnati Bengals quickly went from one of the league's elite to one with plenty of question marks because of quarterback Andy Dalton's injury. However, the squad is still loaded on both sides of the ball and should remain a top contender in the AFC regardless of who is under center.

The same examination must be done for teams coming off big wins as well as damaging losses. As long as the players on the field still have talent, they should be able to come through with strong performances.

In a league with only a few elite teams, don't count out their ability to come through with strong performances yet again in Week 15. Here is a look at full predictions for the week as well as a few of the best bets based on what we have seen to this point.

Away	Predicted Score	Home	ATS Pick
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	13-17	St. Louis Rams	STL -2
New York Jets	24-7	Dallas Cowboys	NYJ -3.5
Houston Texans	13-10	Indianapolis Colts	N/A
Kansas City Chiefs	23-14	Baltimore Ravens	KC -7.5
Tennessee Titans	17-27	New England Patriots	TEN +14
Chicago Bears	20-24	Minnesota Vikings	CHI +5.5
Atlanta Falcons	21-31	Jacksonville Jaguars	JAX -3
Buffalo Bills	27-28	Washington Redskins	WAS +1
Carolina Panthers	24-13	New York Giants	CAR -5.5
Green Bay Packers	20-23	Oakland Raiders	OAK +3
Cleveland Browns	10-30	Seattle Seahawks	SEA -14.5
Miami Dolphins	21-27	San Diego Chargers	SD -2
Denver Broncos	16-20	Pittsburgh Steelers	DEN +6.5
Cincinnati Bengals	24-13	San Francisco 49ers	CIN -4.5
Arizona Cardinals	34-27	Philadelphia Eagles	ARI -3.5
Detroit Lions	24-21	New Orleans Saints	DET +3

Top Picks 

New York Jets (-3.5) at Dallas Cowboys

Julie Jacobson/Associated Press

Plenty of fans around the country are still holding on to the Dallas Cowboys' playoff hopes at 4-9. Technically, the squad is mathematically still alive, although it's hard to actually believe it has a chance based on watching the team play.

Dallas is just 1-8 when quarterback Tony Romo doesn't start this season, and the offense is barely able to get anything done without him. Matt Cassel has especially struggled under center, while a third-down conversion rate of 2-of-20 over the past two games certainly doesn't help.

Against a New York Jets defense rounding back into form after struggling with injuries during the middle of the year, the Cowboys won't be able to get many points on the scoreboard.

That won't be as much of a problem for the Jets with Ryan Fitzpatrick playing as well as anyone in the league right now. The quarterback has nine touchdowns and zero interceptions during a three-game winning streak and has earned plenty of praise from his coaches, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com:

Wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker continue to help him out by making plays down the field, and all of a sudden this is a balanced team that will be difficult to beat in the AFC. Considering Dallas is also just 1-5 at home this year, the location shouldn't be much of a factor as the Jets earn an easy win.

Carolina Panthers (-5.5) at New York Giants

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

The Carolina Panthers have already clinched the NFC South and a first-round bye, but they are still playing to keep their perfect season. While a Super Bowl is obviously more important, you can be certain this group of players isn't going to relax any time soon.

This isn't good news for the New York Giants, who are trying to keep pace for first place in the NFC East. The Giants were able to defeat the Miami Dolphins last week, but they remain a one-dimensional attack reliant on getting the ball to Odell Beckham Jr. If there is one team that can stop this from happening, it's the Panthers.

Kimberly Jones of NFL Network noted the job cornerback Josh Norman has done against elite receivers this year:

It won't be easy to completely shut down Beckham, but keeping him in check will be enough to slow the Giants down to a crawl.

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers can rely on quarterback Cam Newton to beat the No. 32 pass defense in the NFL. This should help overcome the loss of running back Jonathan Stewart, who was ruled out for Sunday, according to ESPN.com's David Newton.

The Giants have a reputation for ruining perfect seasons. But they are overmatched in this case, and the Panthers should keep up their winning streak on the road.

Denver Broncos (+6.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers

Gary Landers/Associated Press

The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has been truly impressive lately. A healthy Ben Roethlisberger is able to take advantage of elite weapons like wide receivers Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, while running back DeAngelo Williams and a big-time offensive line are helping create plenty of balance with the rushing attack.

After a topping 30 points once again against the Cincinnati Bengals, there is certainly an argument for this unit's being one of the best in the NFL.

Of course, the Denver Broncos can counter with one of the top defenses around. The squad enters Week 15 leading the league in both points and yards allowed, leading to plenty of praise from Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, per Dale Lolley of the Observer-Reporter and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

An elite pass rush will prevent Roethlisberger from having too much time to set up passes down the field, which is the strength of the Steelers offense. The group can still move the football, but it won't be as easy as some expect.

Meanwhile, Denver's offense might be struggling behind quarterback Brock Osweiler, but it is good enough to attack Pittsburgh's questionable secondary for some big plays. This will ensure a close finish regardless of which team comes out on top.

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