NFL Week 15 Picks: Heavy Favorites That Will Cover with the Greatest of Ease

With three weeks to play in the regular season, there isn't much incentive for some teams to play, but there are others that are battling tooth and nail to qualify for the playoffs or to better position themselves.

Because of that, there is a decent number of large or intermediate spreads this week.

Not every game is going to go according to plan, but the teams that are truly deserving of making the playoffs will ultimately come through. These games certainly don't come without risk, but they are about as good as you can feel about betting on a football game.

Here are three heavy favorites that are sure to cover in Week 15.

Dallas Cowboys (-7)

The Dallas Cowboys have suffered two excruciating losses in a row and now trail the New York Giants in the NFC East based on a tiebreaker. With that said, Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a game they absolutely have to win if they hope to stay in the hunt for another shot against the Giants in Week 17.

Tampa Bay is incredibly vulnerable as it has lost seven straight games, including a blowout against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars last week. The Bucs defense has been a joke in every aspect this year, and that is something the Cowboys should be able to take advantage of.

Quarterback Tony Romo is on pace for the best season of his career, and with Miles Austin healthy, he'll have a full allotment of weapons at his disposal against the Bucs.

New Orleans Saints (-6.5)

The New Orleans Saints are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, as they have won five straight games.

The biggest reason for that has been the spectacular play of quarterback Drew Brees and the offense as a whole. New Orleans hasn't shown any signs of slowing down offensively, and I highly doubt that the Minnesota Vikings and their 26th-ranked pass defense will put up much resistance on Sunday.

While the Saints are going to make the playoffs regardless, they are very much in the hunt for a first-round bye.

The San Francisco 49ers currently occupy the No. 2 spot thanks to a tiebreaker, but they have looked shaky in recent weeks. Provided the Saints can win out, I think there is an excellent chance that they will secure home-field advantage until at least the NFC Championship Game.

Even though this game is on the road, it's still in a dome, and that plays right into Brees' hands.

Green Bay Packers (-13.5)

The Green Bay Packers haven't been perfect when it comes to covering the spread this season, but they do boast a perfect overall record of 13-0. With that in mind, you can pretty much feel comfortable betting on the Packers regardless of what the line is.

This week, they are 13.5-point favorites on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, and I see no reason why they won't cover with relative ease.

Kansas City has nothing to speak of on offense with quarterback Matt Cassel and running back Jamaal Charles on injured reserve, so the Green Bay defense should have a fairly easy time.

Prior to last week when it was picked apart by the New York Jets, the Chiefs defense was starting to come into its own. It doesn't matter how well the Chiefs play defensively, though, because quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense is going to put up at least 31 points and roll to victory.