Week 15 NFL Picks: Predictions for Sunday's Games, Odds Guide, Over/Under Tips

The NFL has shown time and again that records don't always matter when it comes to Sunday performances. Only one Week 15 game features two teams with winning records, although that doesn't mean we won't be in store for some dramatic games throughout the weekend.

Almost every game features some sort of playoff implications, with teams either trying to secure their spots in the postseason or desperately trying to get back into the picture. This will create some intriguing battles, with squads either coming through in the clutch or coming up short.

This could lead to a few surprises in results as well as the flow of the games, making it a difficult week for predictions. Despite the challenge, here is a look at our picks for the week with a breakdown of the best options for over/under bets:

Away	Predicted Score	Home	ATS Pick	O/U
New York Jets	24-7	Dallas Cowboys	NYJ (-3.5)	Under 41.5
Houston Texans	13-10	Indianapolis Colts	HOU (+2)	Under 42
Kansas City Chiefs	28-16	Baltimore Ravens	KC (-7)	Over 41
Tennessee Titans	17-27	New England Patriots	TEN (+14)	Under 47
Chicago Bears	20-24	Minnesota Vikings	CHI (+6)	Over 43
Atlanta Falcons	21-31	Jacksonville Jaguars	JAX (-3)	Over 49
Buffalo Bills	27-28	Washington Redskins	WAS (+1.5)	Over 44
Carolina Panthers	24-13	New York Giants	CAR (-4.5)	Under 48
Green Bay Packers	23-27	Oakland Raiders	OAK (+3)	Over 48
Cleveland Browns	10-30	Seattle Seahawks	SEA (-15)	Under 43
Miami Dolphins	21-27	San Diego Chargers	SD (-1.5)	Over 45.5
Denver Broncos	16-20	Pittsburgh Steelers	DEN (+7)	Under 44.5
Cincinnati Bengals	24-13	San Francisco 49ers	CIN (-6)	Under 40.5
Arizona Cardinals	34-27	Philadelphia Eagles	ARI (-3.5)	Over 51
Detroit Lions	24-21	New Orleans Saints	DET (+3)	Under 51

Top Over/Under Bets

Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts (Under 42)

Jeff Haynes/Associated Press

NFL fans always like to see a head-to-head matchup with playoff implications, but the fight for the AFC South might not feature the greatest quarterback battle, as Brian Smith of the Houston Chronicle noted:

This sums up a division in which the two leaders are tied with 6-7 records in the midst of mediocre seasons.

Even Matt Hasselbeck has been questionable for much of the week after suffering a shoulder injury, although he is likely to play, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Still, the banged-up 40-year-old quarterback will face a good Houston Texans defense Sunday. The unit did a good job against the New England Patriots in Week 14, but poor offensive play helped contribute to the 27 points allowed.

The Houston offense has had its spurts this year, but it hasn't been reliable, especially with T.J. Yates getting the start. DeAndre Hopkins is always capable of hauling in a long touchdown, but fans shouldn't expect extended drives with few alternative weapons on the roster.

This battle for divisional supremacy will likely end up being one in which a few big plays or turnovers decide the game. In any case, it won't be pretty, and you can be sure the score will stay below the 42-point total.

Miami Dolphins at San Diego Chargers (Over 45.5)

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

The San Diego Chargers have looked awful on offense in recent weeks. As injuries continue to pile up (not to mention Philip Rivers dealing with the flu in the last game), the offense has put up only three points in three of the last four games.

Even with these struggles, though, it is important to consider the opposition. The bad losses were against the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs (twice), the No. 1 and No. 4 defenses in the NFL, respectively. The Chiefs, who are in the midst of a seven-game winning streak, have been dominant in the second half of the year.

San Diego showed it can beat a weaker defense with a 31-25 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. The team could replicate that type of production against the Miami Dolphins, who seem to have given up on the season. The group ranks 26th in the NFL in points allowed per game and 28th in yards allowed per game after Eli Manning torched Miami on Monday night.

On the other side of the field, the Dolphins will hope to take advantage of a mismatch on the ground between Lamar Miller and a terrible Chargers run defense. Miller has struggled to get his share of touches, but he has tons of talent and can carry the offense.

Although there won't be any playoff implications in this one, the teams should at least score a lot of points.

Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers (Under 44.5) 

There is a lot of faith in the Pittsburgh Steelers with a seven-point spread, which makes some sense considering how well the team has played in recent weeks. The offense has been especially impressive with Ben Roethlisberger spreading the ball around to top targets Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant.

However, it's important not to underrate how good the Broncos defense has been this season.

Denver has the best pass defense in the NFL, allowing just 188 yards per game thanks in part to a league-best 44 sacks. The pass rush has been a terror for opposing teams, while playmakers in the secondary continue to make things difficult for receivers.

Safety T.J. Ward didn't hold back in his assessment of the upcoming matchup, per Eric Goodman of Mile High Sports Radio:

While Ward, along with a few other key players, will miss the matchup after suffering an ankle injury, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, there is enough depth on the Broncos roster to stop the Steelers from completing passes downfield.

Pittsburgh might score enough points to win the game, especially with Brock Osweiler struggling at quarterback for the Broncos, but Denver will ensure this remains a low-scoring battle.

All spread info courtesy of Odds Shark.

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