NFL Picks, Predictions for Week 15: The Patriots Cut the Colts; Titans Sliding Steelers; Dolphins keep winning
NFL football became a four-day-a-week affair starting Week 15.
All 32 teams are participating, and a very interesting pair of Saturday’s games. The Raiders meet the Browns in a match of teams fighting for their ticket to the AFC playoffs, and the Patriots face the Colts in a classic match at prime time.
That comes after Thursday night’s intense game between AFC West rivals Kansas City and Los Angeles. The Packers and Ravens also meet on Sunday, but Aaron Rodgers (toe) and Lamar Jackson (ankle) are both convalescing.
Every week, Sporting News picks up NFL games live. Take a look at our achievements to date:
- Week 14: 8-5
- Total: 127-78-1
NFL picks, predictions for Week 15
- Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5) at Los Angeles Chargers
Thursday, 8:20 p.m., FOX / NFL Network
Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes II are among the top five passers in yard area, and they’ll be revisiting the 30-24 thriller from Week 3. The Chiefs are doing it with defence, though. They have picked up 17 points or less over a six-game winning streak. That’s good enough to travel and pick up a big win in the AFC West.
Pick: Minister 31, Charger 24
- Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns (-5.5)
Saturday, 4:30 p.m., NFL Network
The Browns are unexpectedly back in the hunt for the AFC playoffs, but now is the time to show consistency. The Raiders won in Cleveland last year, but this Las Vegas team is on the verge of losing five of their last six games. Myles Garrett added a pair of sacks, and Baker Mayfield kept it on track.
Pick: Browns 24, Raiders 20
- New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m., NFL Network
It’s not Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning anymore. Mac Jones and Carson Wentz will have to, and the Patriots will find a way to slow down the upcoming Jonathan Taylor coming out in the near future. The Colts are suspended from the AFC Playoff race, but New England have won their last eight meetings. Make it nine in a row.
Pick: Patriots 29, Colts 27
- Carolina Panthers at Buffalo Bills (-10.5)
Sunday, 1pm, FOX
The Bills needed this to get out of a fun game where they had lost four of their last six games. The Panthers give the game a fair chance knowing that they have an -8 rotation and work hard to run the ball. Josh Allen takes Buffalo back to the track with a monster game.
Pick: Bills 30, Panthers 22
- Arizona Cardinals (-14) at Detroit Lions
Sunday, 1pm, FOX
The Cardinals will be on the field for a short week, but they are looking to keep pace for the top seed in the NFC North. Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins are also healthy again. That’s still a huge spread to cover on the road. The Lions are going 1-5 at home, but three of those losses are eight points or less apart.
Pick: Cardinals 34, Lions 21
- New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (-7)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Dolphins can extend their winning streak to six games and Tua Tagovailoa has a rating of over 100 passers with just one interception in his last three starts. New York has allowed 30 plus points in each of its last two losses. The Jets haven’t won in Miami since 2015.
Pick: Dolphins 28, Jets 17
- Dallas Cowboys (-10.5) at New York Giants
Sunday, 1pm, FOX
The Cowboys are the favorites against the Giants, and they have a 9th chance to win in the last 10 meetings. New York is leading 3-3 at home and head-to-head rules are always a factor, but the Cowboys present too many problems.
Pick: Cowboys 32, Giants 21
- Washington football team at Philadelphia Eagles (-4)
Sunday, 1pm, FOX
Taylor Heinicke (knee) is another defender injured in Week 14, but he is expected to feature. Jalen Hurts (ankle) will be in focus for Philadelphia after a bye week. These teams play twice over the next three weeks and the winning team on this team gets back .500.
Pick: Eagles 24, Washington 20
- Tennessee Titans (-2.5) at Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The Steelers are on the brink, and it’s the kind of week where they drag a sadness to stay in the playoff race. Tennessee will not give up the race with a shaky Pittsburgh defense, and the Titans will hold back Najee Harris with their second-placed defense. Pittsburgh has won the last three meetings, so that nasty chance still exists. We only bet safe.
Pick: Titans 28, Steelers 24
- Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3)
Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS
The loser of this 2-11 match will make it to the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Can current coaches Urban Meyer and David Culley make it? Houston won the first meeting of Week 1. Texas defender Davis Mills will lead the trip before late to complete the sweep of the Jaguars.
Pick: Texans 24, Jaguars 21
- Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos (-1)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., CBS
The Bengals have been one of the most unpredictable teams this season. Cincinnati, however, is on the road this season to 4-2 with some surprising wins. The Bengals also have a top five defense, which will force the Broncos into some nasty situations. Joe Burrow does the rest and keeps Cincinnati’s playoff hopes alive.
Pick: Bengals 24, Broncos 23
- Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers (-8)
Sunday, 4:05 p.m., CBS
The 49ers have quietly won four of their last five to return in the NFC playoff race, and Eli Mitchell could return this week. The Falcons can also reach .500 if they win. Atlanta is 5-2 on the road this season. San Francisco wins, but it’s close.
Pick: 49ers 31, Falcons 26
- Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams (-6.5)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., FOX
The Rams are at work in a short week, and the Seahawks are playing better with an offense that has hit 30 plus over the past two weeks with Russell Wilson. The Rams won 26-17 in the first meeting, and Los Angeles has won four of the last five. That trend continues.
Pick: Rams 30, Seahawks 22
- Green Bay Packers (-6.5) at Baltimore Ravens
Sunday, 4:25 p.m., FOX
Jackson (ankle) and Rodgers (toe) are dealing with injuries that affect their mobility, and that means both teams could increase the pressure on defence. The Packers are leading 4-3 this season, but those wins average 4.5 points per game. This will end, but the packers will take advantage of the late revenue to close it.
Pick: Packers 27, Ravens 24
- New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-10.5)
Sunday, 8:20 p.m., NBC
The Buccaneers will be looking to prevent the parallel of Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara, who rolled 193 yards together in Week 14. Tom Brady is 0-3 in the regular season against the Saints since arriving in Tampa Bay, and New Orleans averaged 36 points per game in those wins. The Buccaneers take their revenge.
Pick: Buccaneers 33, Saints 21
- Minnesota Vikings (-4) at the Chicago Bears
Sunday, 8:15 p.m., ESPN
Kirk Cousins has only been a starter against the Bears 1-5 since arriving in Minnesota, but four of those games have all been one-point matches. No team can stop the race, so this is an opportunity for Dalvin Cook and perhaps David Montgomery to go big. It’s another tight one; and Justin Fields surprise by playing the hero on MNF.
Pick: Bears 26, Vikings 24
