NFL Predictions Week 15: Picks and Odds Advice for Latest Schedule

Week 15 had no interest in saving the best for last.

The slate instead opened with its most anticipated showdown, when the Los Angeles Chargers rallied to upend the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night. Sunday's schedule also lost some clutter, with the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns securing wins on Saturday.

As for the games still on the docket, some big battles don't carry as much clout as originally expected. Rather than vying for the NFC North crown, the Green Bay Packers are fighting to maintain their slim playoff chances against the Chicago Bears. Instead of representing a possible NFC Championship Game preview, the Los Angeles Rams are runaway favorites to vanquish Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Even a marquee showdown pitting the New England Patriots against the Pittsburgh Steelers lost a little luster after the AFC contenders suffered stunning Week 14 defeats to the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders, respectively.

Yet the majority of games feature some form of playoff stakes, and bettors will find excitement—even when only pride and draft positioning are on the line. After making picks for the remaining schedule, let's break down one bout with postseason ramifications and another simply representing a gambling opportunity.

Week 15 NFL Schedule and Odds 

Betting info according to OddsShark and accurate as of Saturday evening.

Green Bay at Chicago (-5) | O/U 46.5

Miami at Minnesota (-7.5) | O/U 45

Detroit at Buffalo (-2.5) | O/U 40

Tampa Bay at Baltimore (-8) | O/U 46.5

Arizona (+9.5) at Atlanta | O/U 44

Oakland (+3) at Cincinnati | O/U 46

Tennessee (-1) at N.Y. Giants | O/U 43

Washington (+7.5) at Jacksonville | O/U 36.5

Dallas (+3) at Indianapolis | O/U 47

Seattle (-3.5) at San Francisco | O/U 44

New England (-2.5) at Pittsburgh | O/U 54

Philadelphia at L.A. Rams (-13) | O/U 52

New Orleans (-6.5) at Carolina | O/U 50

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Dallas Cowboys (+3) vs. Indianapolis Colts

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Contrary to other Week 15 contests, timing has bolstered this matchup's mystique. Had the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts clashed in October, fans would consider it a run-of-the-mill showdown between fringe contenders likely to go 7-9 or worse.

With each streaking squad coming off a monumental win against a divisional foe, it instead looms large as one of Sunday's top draws.

Starting 1-5, with Andrew Luck looking out of sorts, the Colts have since soared to 7-6. For all the credit given to Luck for his 34 passing touchdowns, the defense does not receive enough praise for a commendable turnaround.

Ranked 30th in yards allowed last year, the Colts have jumped to 10th behind Rookie of the Year favorite Darius Leonard.

They have also, however, earned three of their past four wins by three points apiece. Following their 24-21 triumph over the Houston Texans, they face another Texas-sized challenge in a revitalized Cowboys offense.

Dallas no longer needs to win solely on the strength of its No. 4-rated defense, as Amari Cooper has delivered massive returns since arriving from the Oakland Raiders in late October:

Since the trade, quarterback Dak Prescott has procured a 74.1 completion percentage and 8.1 yards per pass attempt. A vertical threat keeping defenses honest has helped Ezekiel Elliott amass a whopping 970 total yards and five touchdowns in those six clashes.

Yet the Cowboys, who have permitted an NFL-high 48 sacks, could struggle to protect Prescott without one of their mainstays. Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin will miss a game for the first time in his career because of a knee injury.

On the bright side, the defense is set to welcome back Sean Lee, who has missed the past five games with a hamstring injury. While rookie Leighton Vander Esch has filled the void with aplomb, the Cowboys figure to bring the former All-Pro linebacker back into the fold. As head coach Jason Garrett said, per ESPN.com's Todd Archer:

"Sean's one of our best players. When he's able to go, we'll give him an opportunity to get back in there. He's worked very hard the last few weeks getting himself right. But he's also worked very hard with those guys to help them play as well as they have. Once he's healthy and ready to go, we'll give him a chance to get back in the lineup somehow."

The Colts may also play without a significant offensive piece. T.Y. Hilton, who missed practice throughout the week with an ankle injury, is uncertain to suit up:

Already without tight end Jack Doyle, Luck could lose his vertical playmaker after already missing his security blanket. Take the under in a game with two stout defenses and missing offensive constants, but ride Dallas' hotter hand and take the points.

Seattle Seahawks (-3.5) at San Francisco 49ers

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Fueled by Week 13's 43-16 stampede over the San Francisco 49ers, the Seattle Seahawks have produced 121 points during their active four-game winning streak. Despite upsetting the Denver Broncos last time out, the 3-10 49ers could still draw next year's top draft pick.

Even on the road, 3.5 points is a noticeably light line. Most experts agree, as 78 percent of participating analysts picked the Seahawks against the spread on BettingPros. 

Per Football Outsiders, Seattle ranks No. 8 in Defensive-Adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA). Only the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals have fared worse in overall efficiency than the 49ers, who have lost all four of their games against teams with winning records by 69 combined points.

They must fix their turnover woes to have any chance of staying competitive. In Week 13, the 49ers ceded three giveaways while forcing no takeaways. While typically not a predictable outcome, they foist the NFL's worst turnover margin (-21) on account of their NFL-low two interceptions.

Russell Wilson, meanwhile, has tossed just six picks all season. Per Pro Football Reference, only four quarterbacks have lower career interception percentages than his 1.9.

The quarterback needed only 17 passes to post four touchdowns in Week 13's win. Although such rousing success will be difficult to sustain in such few opportunities, he should enjoy another reasonably efficient outing.

These trends diminish the odds of San Francisco swinging the game on high-variance plays. The way Seattle is rolling, such breaks are necessary to avenge a blowout loss.

Yet bettors should pay attention to Doug Baldwin's status. The 30-year-old wideout is expected to return from a hip injury after missing Monday night's win over the Minnesota Vikings. Although Baldwin has registered just 388 yards and two touchdowns in a subpar season, Wilson has still benefited from his presence:

There's also fear of complacency in a proverbial trap game. The Los Angeles Rams have already clinched the NFC West, and Seattle holds a two-win cushion over all other wild-card contenders for the No. 5 seed.

Perhaps that would cause trepidation if the Seahawks were properly favored by at least a full touchdown, but they have two more games to take it easy in following Sunday's favorable matchup.