NFL Picks Week 15: 3 Games That Spell Trouble for Teams on Playoff Bubble

Week 15 brings high excitement and a playoff atmosphere to players and fans alike. There are still 13 teams on the playoff bubble that have a legitimate shot to make it into the playoffs. Unfortunately, there are only four or five more spots available, so competition is fierce.

These teams are fighting like crazy to keep their seasons alive, which is why the NFL is so much better in December and January than it is for the first three months. 

It doesn't get much better than watching grown men fight with every ounce of energy to put a little oblong-shaped brown ball across a line while another group attempts to repel them.

Throw in the money, fame and glory associated with the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl, and you have the best sport on the planet.

Here are three teams in Week 15 facing opponents that could spell trouble to their playoff aspirations. 

Detroit Lions at Oakland Raiders

The Detroit Lions get star defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh back from a two-game suspension. They will surely need him to play better than he did before being suspended, or the Raiders will run right through the Lions' faux defense. 

With him or without him, the Lions haven't been able to stop anyone this year. Their run defense is among the worst in the NFL, and they gave up 269 yards to the Minnesota Vikings last week, who were playing without Adrian Peterson.

Additionally, Calvin Johnson has been on a cold streak lately, catching only one touchdown in his last five games. 

Their opponent in Week 15 is the Oakland Raiders, who aren't out of the playoff chase, either. They are one game behind the Broncos for the AFC West.

One of the things that the Raiders can do better than almost every other team in the NFL is run the ball. They have not lost any momentum in that area, even with Darren McFadden's foot injury causing him to miss almost two months out of the season.

Denarius Moore, who missed last week's game, will be back at wide receiver for the Raiders. He and Carson Palmer had been developing some good chemistry before he got hurt.

Last but not least, this game is being held at the "Black Hole" in Oakland. Fans in the Bay Area are fired up to have good football returning, and they will make things tough for Matthew Stafford and the Lions offense. 

Prediction: Raiders win at home, 31-29

New York Jets at Philadelphia Eagles

The New York Jets would be in if the playoffs started today. Unfortunately for them, there are still three games left in which they could potentially lose the last spot, and there are three other teams only one game behind hoping to sneak in at the last second and steal it.

Their opponent this week is none other than the "Dream Team", the Philadelphia Eagles. 

After failing miserably throughout most of the first three-quarters of the 2011 NFL season and struggling to stay healthy, the Eagles are both healthy and looking better after bouncing Miami on the road, albeit a bit too late.

They will be at home with much to prove to their fans, so I expect the Eagles to come out firing on all cylinders. Michael Vick is back, along with Jeremy Maclin. DeSean Jackson is trying to prove he is worth a big contract, and he'll be playing at his highest level due to that fact.

The Jets will need to stick with the philosophy on offense that won their last couple of games: running the ball with Shonn Greene 46 times in that period of time. If they try to abandon this winning strategy, they will lose on the road.

The Jets will continue to win and make it into the playoffs, provided they stick to the running game and ease up on the pressures they have previously put on the shoulders of Mark Sanchez to win games on his own. 

Prediction: Jets win on the road, 27-24

Washington Redskins vs. New York Giants

The New York Giants breathed new life into their season with an epic win on the road against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Their opponent in Week 15 is the Washington Redskins, another divisional opponent.

These divisional games are always more competitive than records alone would indicate, just ask the San Francisco 49ers, who lost to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14. 

The Redskins will give the Giants all they can handle.

Despite their 4-9 record, the Redskins still have a dangerous defense that can get pressure on the quarterback (34 sacks). The Giants have been one of the best in the NFL at protecting theirs, however, and they will be able to do the same at home this week.

On offense, the Redskins are more of a threat.

Roy Helu has run for 334 yards in the last three games. The Giants haven't been good at stopping the run lately, either. They allowed the Cowboys to run for 139 yards, and two weeks earlier they allowed the New Orleans Saints to run for a whopping 205 yards and three touchdowns.

All in all, the Giants will be pushed to the limits in their efforts to make it into the 2011 NFL playoffs, and this week will be part of that challenge. The home crowd will be pumped up and loud, though, and I expect the Giants to continue their winning ways this week.

Prediction: Giants win at home, 34-17