The final month of the NFL’s regular season gets underway with a full 16-game slate scheduled for Week 15.
Playoff clinching scenarios are on the line for teams like New England, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, while several middling teams like the Browns, Vikings, and Eagles are also facing another must-win week.
Friday’s battle between the Chiefs and the Chargers should make the AFC West picture a little more clear, while we’ll also be treated to a fascinating double-header on Sunday, headlined by a key battle between the Patriots and Colts.
For our best bets ahead of Week 15, be sure to read our preview below!
The race for the AFC West crown is set to go down to the wire, and this game should go a long way to determining who comes out on top.
Plenty had their doubts about the Chiefs earlier in the year, but on the back of six straight wins, there’s no question Kansas City is a major Super Bowl contender.
The Chargers, on the other hand, have strung together back-to-back wins over the Bengals and Giants, largely due to a couple of MVP-like performances from Justin Herbert.
Los Angeles won a 30-24 thriller when these two sides got together back in Week 3, but a lot has changed since then, especially regarding the Chiefs.
Kansas City’s defence has suddenly reverted back to its old ways, holding the Cowboys, Broncos, and Raiders to exactly nine points over the last three weeks.
Defence should be what decides this game, and I do have a few queries on the Chargers – a team that currently ranks sixth in average points allowed.
Kansas City has also gone 7-1 against the spread in its last eight games in Los Angeles, so I like the Chiefs to pull away late and cover.
The AFC Wild Card comes into focus in the first game of Sunday’s double-header between the Raiders and Browns.
At 6-7, Vegas is basically playing for its season following last week’s annihilation by the Chiefs, a game that quickly got out of hand as Kansas City piled on 48 points.
Things are also just as urgent for the 7-6 Browns.
Cleveland could potentially take over the third Wild Card seed if results go their way, but based on last week’s close call against the half-strength Ravens, it’s tough to feel confident.
Betting on this game is equally as difficult, but the trends do paint a compelling picture.
The Total has gone Under in five of the last seven meetings between these two teams, and based on the fact both have scored 20 points or less in three of their last four games, I’m backing that trend to continue.
The Patriots and the Colts have been involved in big games for the better part of the last three decades and this one is no exception.
New England currently occupies the top seed in the AFC based on conference win percentage, a number they can boost with a win over the 7-6 Colts on Sunday.
The Patriots made it seven wins in a row two weeks ago over the Bills and now return from the bye looking to add to their momentum.
The Colts, meanwhile, have quietly entered the playoff fray with four wins from their last five games.
In similar fashion, Indy returns from the bye following a 31-0 shutout over the Texans and surprisingly find themselves as minor favourites this week.
Really, this game could swing either way, but the Colts do look a good bet if Jonathan Taylor can take full advantage of New England’s questionable run defence.
Since 2015, the Colts have played to an outstanding 5-1 record following the bye, so I’m happy to side with the bookies on this occasion.
The Cowboys still have a chance to secure the top seed in the NFC, but they’ll need to improve significantly on last week’s close shave against Washington.
Dallas came close to surrendering a 27-8 lead in the fourth quarter as Dak Prescott threw a crucial pick six with only minutes remaining.
The Cowboys held on in the end, but head coach Mike McCarthy knows his side still has a lot to work on in time for the playoffs.
Fortunately, Dallas has a chance to hone its skills against the hapless Giants this week.
Big Blue has lost three of its last five games, while the Giants won’t hold particularly fond memories of the Cowboys after losing 44-20 in Dallas back in October.
The Cowboys have covered the line in seven of their last nine games against New York, and I think they’ll add to that record based on the Giants’ defensive numbers.
Joe Judge’s side ranks Top 10 in passing and rushing yards allowed, a recipe for disaster against the second-highest scoring team in the league.
The top three order of next year’s NFL Draft could be decided this week in Jacksonville.
Despite both teams boasting a 2-11 record, the Jaguars are technically the second-worst team in the league right now based on winning percentage behind Detroit.
That hasn’t stopped the bookies from favouring Jacksonville in the market, but there is a bit to like about the Texans following a decent first half in last week’s loss to Seattle.
Statistically, Houston is one of the worst offensive teams in the league, but Davis Mills has still shown enough so far to suggest he can score against a bad defence.
The Texans have also held Jacksonville’s number in recent years winning seven straight dating back to 2018.
These two teams are also averaging less than 15 points a game, so I’m happy to multi a Texans win with the Under here.
Pittsburgh has had an extra few days to reflect on what could have been against the Vikings in Week 14.
The 36-28 defeat has left the Steelers on the outside of the playoff picture looking in at 6-6-1, and things aren’t about to get any easier with the Titans in town.
Tennessee snapped a two-game skid last week against Jacksonville with a shutout victory, but the Titans also have a point to prove with the offence struggling for points in recent weeks.
The Steelers have won each of their last three meetings against Tennessee, however, the injury report suggests the Titans might be the side to bet on.
Not only is star wide receiver A.J. Brown a chance at returning this week, but the Steelers might also be down key pass rusher T.J. Watt.
The Pittsburgh defence gave up large chunks of yards last week, and I don’t think Najee Harris will have things all his own way against a stout Titans defence that has allowed the second-fewest rushing yards in the league.
The Dolphins have improved to 6-7 in recent weeks and are firmly in the playoff bubble with four games to play.
Miami extended its winning streak to five with a 20-9 victory over the Jets prior to last week’s bye, and they’ll now head home in search of a clean sweep over the state of New York on Monday.
The Jets have proven a handful at times this year, but their loss last week to the Saints summed up their struggles this season.
Zach Wilson was sacked three times and threw for only 200 yards in the loss, while the defence also gave up close to 350 yards to the Saints.
To make matters worse, Elijah Moore remains on the injured list for the Jets, leaving Wilson short on one of his top targets for another week.
After Tua Tagovailoa and Miles Gaskin had their own way against the Jets less than a month ago, I’m with the Dolphins to beat up on one of the worst teams in the league.
As it stands, Washington occupies the third Wild Card seed in the NFC, but that could all change if the 6-7 Eagles cause an upset at home on Monday.
Philly returns to the Linc on the back of a double-digit beatdown over the Giants last week, while Washington is still wondering what could have been after a close call against the Cowboys.
Starting quarterback Taylor Heinecke suffered a knee injury in the loss to Dallas and remains questionable to play at time of publish.
Heinecke’s status will go a long way to determining Washington’s chances in this one, especially after Kyle Allen struggled under pressure in his absence last week.
Unfortunately, things aren’t about to get any against a Philly pass rush that has dominated for most of the season.
To make matters worse, the Eagles have also found their mojo on the ground, averaging close to 160 rushing yards a game.
These two sides are set to face each other twice over the next month, but with WFT battered and bruised, I feel confident in the Eagles gaining the upper hand.
The Cardinals have a chance to make up some of the ground they lost in the NFC playoff picture following last week’s loss to the Rams.
Kyler Murray’s accuracy issues were the main reason the Cardinals lost that game, but they should have no problem bouncing back against a Lions side that basically has one hand on the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s Draft.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury needs to make sure his side doesn’t overlook Detroit, but this should still be a comfortable win for the Cards all things considering.
Star running back Chase Edmonds is a good chance at returning, and he should enjoy a feast alongside James Conner against a Lions defence that is giving up over 130 yards per game on the ground.
You’ve really got to feel for Bills fans on the back of another agonising loss to the Bucs last week.
Buffalo erased a 21-point deficit to force overtime against the defending champs, only for some sloppy blown coverage to cost them a win on a basic Tom Brady pass to Breshad Perriman.
Back-to-back losses now has the Bills sitting on the fringe of the Wild Card picture at 7-6, but they do have a chance to regain some ground against a down-and-out Panthers team that is suddenly giving up large chunks of points.
The Cam Newton experiment quickly went down in flames last week in another turnover-filled performance, while there’s even more concerns on offence with D.J. Moore a chance to miss this game due to a hamstring injury.
Really, this is basically ‘win or go home’ for the Panthers as far as their Wild Card chances are concerned, but with the defence giving up 25 points or more in each of its last three games, it’s hard to imagine them stopping Josh Allen for four quarters.
One look at the AFC playoff standings tells you all you need to know about this one.
Two straight losses has left the Bengals on the outside looking in at 7-6, while the Broncos are suddenly back on the scene with a similar record after manhandling the Lions last week.
Cincinnati’s confidence may have taken a hit in the overtime loss to San Francisco, but this is still a winnable road game if the offensive line can not only protect Joe Burrow, but also set up some much-needed running lanes for Joe Mixon.
Unfortunately, all of that has been easier said than done in recent weeks, and it’s only about to get harder against Denver’s top-notch pass rush.
Speaking of the ground game, the Broncos will also be looking to stick with what worked last week against Detroit.
Denver ran it down the throat of the Lions for 184 total yards, and if they can replicate that performance and pressure Burrow, this one might work out in their favour.
San Francisco has snuck back into the Wild Card frame with four wins from their last five games, and it’s pretty wild to think the Falcons might be joining them with an upset on Monday.
At 6-7, Atlanta sits just one game out of the NFC Wild Card bubble, a scenario none of us thought possible when the Falcons were shut out by the Patriots only a month ago.
Two cheap wins over the Jaguars and Panthers has helped Atlanta’s cause, but this is a much tougher test against a genuine, and very dangerous, playoff contender.
The last two battles between these sides have gone in favour of the Falcons, but based on how average the two defences have looked this year, backing a high-scoring game might be the way to go.
The Falcons have given up the fourth-most yards in the league so far, while San Francisco has given up 21 points or more in each of its last three games.
If those trends hold up, the scoreboard could be in for a workout.
The landscape of the NFC West was flipped upside down last week when the Rams picked off the Cardinals, and we might be in for another shake-up with Los Angeles set to host Seattle.
The Seahawks remain in the Wild Card hunt at 5-8, but if they lose this one it’s basically lights out.
A gutsy win over San Francisco was backed up with a blowout over the Texans last week, but it’s hard to forget the Rams torching the Seattle secondary for over 350 passing yards when they met back in October.
Likewise, the Rams put up similar numbers against the Cardinals last week in what was a much more grounded performance from Matt Stafford.
These games tend to turn out close at this time of year, but with the Seahawks ranked as the worst pass defence in the NFL, there’s every chance it gets ugly in a hurry.
There hasn’t been this much talk about a toe since the Rex Ryan scandal emerged back in 2010.
Aaron Rodgers’ injury isn’t season-ending just yet, but No. 12 did say after last week’s win over the Bears that it feels much worse.
Toe talk aside, this is an extremely important game as far as both sides are concerned.
The Packers can lock up the NFC North with a win, while the Ravens can potentially regain the top seed in the AFC if results go their way.
Unfortunately, the potential absence of Lamar Jackson makes this a tough game to bet on.
There’s no market as I type, but even so, I still feel good about the Packers picking up a vital road win regardless of who’s under center for Baltimore.
Rodgers at 85% is still better than the majority of the quarterbacks in the league, especially against a Ravens secondary that is giving up over 250 yards a game.
The Packers will need to ensure they avoid sloppy special teams errors – particularly against a special teams savant like Jim Harbaugh – but with the offence firing and the defence still forcing turnovers, Green Bay is the team to bet on here.
A win for the Bucs this week would be enough to clinch the NFC South, and I’m backing them to do just that on Sunday Night Football.
Tampa Bay should have a real point to prove after nearly blowing a three-touchdown lead last week to the Bills, while New Orleans’ performance during the second half of the season also suggests this one might get out of hand.
The Saints are still in the playoff race, but they’ve been doing it tough with Taysom Hill and Trevor Siemian under centre.
A win over the awful Jets was enough to keep their heads above water, but the fact remains the same: the Saints are still struggling mightily to defend the pass.
Tom Brady is in MVP-like form right now and is yet to have a game where he throws more interceptions than touchdowns.
Defensively, the Saints are setup to stop Leonard Fournette on the ground, but with the Bucs boasting one of the best receiving duos in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, I think the damage will be done in the air.
You can go ahead and put a line through the Vikings if they somehow lose to the Bears this week.
At 6-7, the Vikes are currently one win away from jumping back into a Wild Card seed, but this game is far from a given based on the scare Chicago gave Green Bay last week.
The Bears rallied to lead the Packers at halftime, largely due to some big-time special teams play and a few clutch throws from Justin Fields.
Head coach Matt Nagy did a fantastic job dealing up creative play calls on offence, and I wouldn’t be surprised if we see more of the same against a Vikings defence that has struggled all year.
These two sides will play each other twice over the next month, but it’s worth noting the Bears have had the better of this fixture with four wins from their past five meetings.
Neither team fills me with confidence, but if Chicago’s stingy secondary can take full advantage of Adam Thielen’s absence and limit Kirk Cousins downfield, I think the Bears go close.