NFL Predictions Week 15: Top Odds, Picks, Projections for Every Game on Schedule

If you don't know what to do with yourself on Saturdays now that the college football regular season is over, the NFL is here to help.

Starting in Week 15 of the 2017 NFL season, there will be games broadcast Saturday in addition to on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. 

This weekend the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions will match up Saturday afternoon, while the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs will headline Saturday night football.

Let's take a closer look at those games as well as the rest of the matchups on the slate heading into Week 15, one in which multiple teams are hoping to punch their tickets to the postseason. We'll also take a look at the biggest Vegas favorites this week. 

Projected winners have been indicated in bold.  

NFL Week 15 Odds and Picks

Thursday, Dec. 14

Denver (-2.5) at Indianapolis: 8:25 p.m., NFLN 

Saturday, Dec. 16

Chicago at Detroit (-6.5): 4:30 p.m., NFLN 

L.A. Chargers at Kansas City (-1): 8:25 p.m., NFLN 

Sunday, Dec. 17

Arizona at Washington (-4): 1 p.m., Fox

Baltimore (-7) at Cleveland: 1 p.m., CBS 

Cincinnati at Minnesota (-10): 1 p.m., CBS

Green Bay at Carolina (-2): 1 p.m., Fox

Houston at Jacksonville (-10): 1 p.m., Fox

Miami at Buffalo (N/A): 1 p.m., CBS 

N.Y. Jets at New Orleans (-15.5): 1 p.m., CBS 

Philadelphia (-8) at N.Y. Giants: 1 p.m., Fox 

L.A. Rams at Seattle (-1.5): 4:05 p.m., Fox 

New England (-1) at Pittsburgh: 4:25 p.m., CBS 

Tennessee (-1) at San Francisco: 4:25 p.m., CBS 

Dallas (-2.5) at Oakland: 8:30 p.m., NBC 

Monday, Dec. 18

Atlanta (-4.5) at Tampa Bay: 8:30 p.m., ESPN 

Biggest Week 15 Favorites

New Orleans Saints

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The 9-4 New Orleans Saints have a favorable matchup against the 5-8 New York Jets on Sunday, and they need that. 

Even though New Orleans is favored by 15.5 points as the biggest Vegas favorite of the week, the Saints are still licking their wounds after NFC South rival Atlanta embarrassed them 20-17 in Week 14. 

The loss means that the Saints now share a record with the Carolina Panthers, who are trying to move into first place in the AFC South and secure a top-four bye. New Orleans still holds the top spot in the division after defeating Carolina in Week 3 and in Week 13.

But coming back to Week 15, the Saints have what should be a gimme matchup against the Jets, especially given that New Orleans is hosting and New York has gone only 1-5 away from home this season. 

A big storyline for New Orleans heading into the matchup is the availability of their rookie sensation, running back Alvin Kamara.

Pairing Kamara with Mark Ingram, the Saints have gotten enormous production out of their backfield; Kamara alone has 608 yards and seven touchdowns on the year.

But Kamara left the game against the Falcons with a concussion and remains in the concussion protocol heading into Week 15. 

However, Josh Katzenstein of the Times-Picayune reported that Kamara expects to play against the Jets:

That's good news for a team hoping to hang on to its lead in the NFC South.

Minnesota Vikings

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

The Minnesota Vikings had a chance to clinch the NFC North in Week 14, but the Vikings dropped their matchup with the Panthers, 31-24.

That's exactly the kind of matchup Minnesota can expect to face again in the playoffs, be it as a division winner or a wild card, so the Vikings have to evaluate what went wrong in that game and course-correct quickly. 

For now, though, Minnesota will focus on its next opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, whom it will host. 

Despite their Week 14 blip, the Vikings are still one of the league's strongest teams. Minnesota averages 369.3 yards per game, the seventh-most in the NFL, and 23.8 points per game. 

But it's the Vikings defense that could carry this team not only past the Bengals but potentially into the NFC Championship Game. 

Minnesota allows only 293.4 points per game, the third-fewest in the league, and just 18.1 points. 

That's bad news for a Bengals team that's already lost two games in a row.

At 5-8, Cincinnati is already outside of the playoff discussion, but a loss to Minnesota in Week 15 will essentially be the nail in the coffin on the Bengals' season.

Jacksonville Jaguars 

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

At 9-4, the Jacksonville Jaguars have the third-best record in the AFC after the Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2) and New England Patriots (10-3). 

Though the Tennessee Titans are breathing down the Jaguars' necks in the AFC South with an 8-5 record, Jacksonville has won two games in a row and shows no signs of slowing down. 

The Jaguars have far and away the league's best scoring defense. Jacksonville only gives up 15.5 points per game, almost two points fewer than any other team. 

But it's their balance on both sides of the ball that will serve the Jaguars well in their playoff push. Jacksonville is also a healthy scoring offense, averaging 25.3 points per game, tied with the Kansas City Chiefs for the sixth-most in the league. 

Jacksonville hasn't made the playoffs since the 2007 season, when it lost in the divisional round to the Patriots. 

At this point it's not so much a matter of if Jacksonville will advance to the postseason, but with what seed.

If the Jaguars can hold off the Houston Texans and remain a game ahead of the Titans, it will be one of the top four. 

Odds courtesy of OddsShark and current as of Dec. 12.