NFL Weekly Previews: Week 15 Picks

Mark Jones' NFL Week 15 Preview

Season Straight--Up Picks: 94-52-1

Season Spread Picks: 7-7

Thursday Night Football

Straight-Up Pick: New Orleans 31, Chicago 30...........L

Spread Picks: New Orleans (+3).........Tie

NFL Week 15 Preview (Sunday/Monday)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9--4) @ Atlanta Falcons (8-5)

The Buccaneers head into the Georgia Dome feeling disappointed in their effort in Carolina last Monday, but  they've had no time to get depressed over it on the short practice week leading into this crucial divisional game.

The NFC South is 24-2 at home this year, and 10-0 at home playing other NFC South teams, so Matt Ryan and his Falcons have a huge home-field advantage in this game. But in the end, the NFC South will finally drop an in-division home loss as Tampa Bay regains its confidence in the win.

Straight-Up Pick: Buccaneers 30, Falcons 27     OT

Spread Pick: Tampa Bay (+3)

San Francisco 49ers (5-8) @ Miami Dolphins (8-5)

Mike Singletary is putting together a respectable team in San Francisco with back to back wins over the Jets and Bills, two of the Dolphin's divisional foes. Teams can't mark their San Francisco game as a lock anymore.

I don't know why, but the Dolphins seem like the most vulnerable division leader I've ever seen. I'm going to pick the upset.

Straight-Up Pick: 49ers 27, Dolphins 24..............Upset of the Week

Spread Pick: San Francisco (+6.5)

Seattle Seahawks (2-11) @ St. Louis Rams (2-11)

Just typing this game makes me cringe, but at least Seattle put up a valiant effort in their 21-24 loss to the Patriots.

I'm just thinking that the Seahawks are better than 2--14...but then, of course, if they win this game, they're still going to go 3-13...

Nah, the Rams are just too bad to beat even another 2-11 team.

Straight-Up Pick: Seahawks 20, Rams 13

Spread Pick: Seattle (-3)

Buffalo Bills (6-7) @ New York Jets (8-5)

Both of these teams haven't been playing their best recently and have both been victims of the 49ers turnaround in the past two weeks, but the Jets amazingly still have something to play for.

Last time these teams played, it was a serious second half domination by NY. I expect the Jets to do the same here to get a huge divisional win.

Straight--Up Pick: Bills 14, Jets 24

Spread Pick: New York (--7.5)

San Diego Chargers (5-8) @ Kansas City Chiefs (2-11)

Neither of these teams are anywhere near playoff contention, but if this should turn out to be like their last matchup, I'll watch! The Chiefs scored a touchdown that brought the score to 20-19 with under 30 seconds remaining, but their season was already in shreds, so they decided to go for two, with no avail.

I seriously doubt it will be that epic this time around: The Chargers are at least winning a few games for once now.

Straight--up Pick: Chargers 27, Chiefs 13

Spread Pick: San Diego (-5.5)

Washington Redskins (7--6) @ Cincinnati Bengals (1-11-1)

The Redskins playoff hopes are about down the drain, but the Bengals playoff hopes never were. Washington's offense might be playing pretty terribly right now, but they can beat the lowly Bengals, who lost 35-3 to Indy in Week 14.

Straight-Up Pick: Redskins 20, Bengals 6

Spread Pick: Washington (-7)

Tennessee Titans (12-1) @ Houston Texans (6-7)

The Titans are playing just above average right now, and the Texans are starting to pull together some wins and make a respectable season after starting 0-4. The Titans did rout Cleveland last week, 28-9, so I'm giving them the win, but it won't be too easy.

Straight-up Pick: Tennessee 27, Houston 23

Spread Pick: Toss-up, but Tennessee (-3)

Detroit Lions (0-13) @ Indianapolis Colts (9-4)

Lets see...hmmm...the Colts beat Cincinnati 35-3 last week...the Lions lost 20-16 to Minnesota, even with 200+ passing yards from Daunte Culpepper???

Even though the Lions are getting close to a win...they don't have anything close to a chance of getting it in this game.

Straight-Up Pick: Lions 12, Colts 41.......Lock of the Week No. 1

Spread Pick: It's true: Indianapolis (-17)

Green Bay (5-8) @ Jacksonville (5-8)

Tough 24-21 loss to Houston last week in overtime, but the Jags aren't playing much better right now. Last week's 23-10 loss is a good example of their play this season. Look for both teams to go back and forth with the lead, but a late FG gives Green Bay the tight one-point advantage.

Straight-Up Pick: Packers 24, Jaguars 23

Spread Pick: Toss-up, but Jacksonville (+2)

Minnesota Vikings (8-5) @ Arizona Cardinals (8-5)

In a closely-matched game for the third NFC seed in the playoffs, the NFC North-leading Vikings and the NFC West Champion (they've already clinched) Cardinals get ready for a bunch of scoring.

The Vikings only beat winless Detroit 20-16 last week, but they always play badly against the Lions, so I'm just calling it a fluke. The Cardinals looked good in their 34-10 pounding of the Rams, and they come into the game bubbling with confidence at home.

It should be a close game, but in the end, I expect the Cardinals to be on top.

Straight-up Pick: Vikings 34, Cardinals 38

Spread Pick: Another toss-up, but I say Arizona (-3)

Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) @ Baltimore Ravens (9-4).......Game of the Week

In a huge AFC North divisional game, the Ravens and Steelers face off in Baltimore with the division title on the line. Joe Flacco, Baltimore's standout rookie QB, will try to become the fourth quarterback to conquer the rough-and-tumble Pittsburgh defense this year, but the Steeler offense will have their own challenges against the Ravens defense, even after some injuries in the secondary.

I'm going to say the QB experience gives the Steelers the edge, but this game is going to be a classic.

Straight-Up Pick: Steelers 13, Ravens 10

Spread Pick: Pittsburgh (+2.5)

Denver Broncos (8-5) @ Carolina Panthers (10-3)

In one of the Broncos' hardest games this year, the head cross-country to Bank of America stadium in Charlotte, NC, where the Panthers just had a major victory last Monday night over Tampa Bay for the lead in the best division in the NFL.

There are rumors of a trap game for the Panthers, because it is sandwiched in-between last week's game vs. Tampa Bay and next week's game vs. the Giants for the top seed in the conference, but I don't believe it.

This Broncos defense is, that's right, 26th against the run this season, and DeAngelo Williams has had eight straight 100-yard rushing days, including 170+ against the sixth-ranked Tampa Bay defense.

The only shot Denver has at the win is if the Broncos' offensive line, who hasn't allowed a sack in three games, can hold off Julius Peppers & Co. long enough to let Cutler show his passing skills that has made Denver the top passing team in the NFL.

He will have to get the passing game going, though, because the Broncos are down to an unbelievable seventh and eighth-string running backs.

Pick: Broncos 21, Panthers 34

Spread Pick: Carolina (-7.5)

New England Patriots (8-5) @ Oakland Raiders (3-10)

The Patriots really need a win here to break a three-way tie in the AFC East, and Oakland has nothing left to play for: have you seen how many fans show up on game day?! Oh, that's right, you can't...because their aren't any.

Pick: Patriots 30, Raiders 9

Spread Pick: New England (-7)

Dallas Cowboys (8-5) @ New York Giants (11-2)

The Cowboys' fourth quarter effort was horrific in their fall-apart loss to Pittsburgh, and the Giants were uncharacteristically under-performing against their division-rival Philadelphia. But these are still two good teams in a good Sunday night game with lots of playoff implications and, of course, bragging rights.

Straight-up Pick: Cowboys 20, Giants 21

Spread Pick: New York (+3)

Monday Night Football

Cleveland Browns (4-9) @ Philadelphia Eagles (7-5-1)

The Eagles are playing the best they have in three seasons, and after high hopes after a 10-6 year last season the Browns are a huge disappointment. Now they're also missing their first two quarterbacks, and everything is falling apart.

Not to mention Philly is a team who is right in the thick of everything in the NFC Wild Card race...

Straight-up Pick: Cleveland 3, Philadelphia 28.....Lock of the Week No. 2

Spread Pick: I'm going to have to do it: Philadelphia (-14)

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