NFL Week 15 Picks

CINCINNATI — With so much on the line with playoff berths and seedings, this week presents so many crucial games that will factor heavily into these berth and seeding races. With that, here are my week 15 picks.

Thursday Night Football: Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas Raiders – 8:20 p.m. on FOX, NFL Network and Amazon Prime Video (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink on FOX and NFL Network; Hannah Storm and Andrea Kramer on Amazon) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Kurt Warner)

This is obviously a must-win game for the Raiders. Their playoff hopes are hanging on by a thread, if that, at 7-6. A month ago, I would have definitely thought the Raiders were a playoff team at 6-3, and still thought that way after they took Kansas City to the wire on Sunday Night Football in week 11. Since then, they have lost two of their last three games by a combined 54 points and their only win in that stretch came only because Gregg Williams decided to call a cover zero defense in a Hail Mary situation- hence why the Jets are still winless.

The Chargers might be better than their record suggests, but they’re not a playoff team. Justin Herbert has been nothing short of spectacular this season, and he should win Offensive Rookie of the Year at the NFL Honors in February. But I feel bad for him because of the coaching staff he’s playing for. It’s really a shame because Anthony Lynn had a really good first two seasons as the Chargers head coach, but he has failed to live up to expectations since then. They’ve had their share of injuries, but they’ve also had their share of blown leads and games lost that they should have won. The latter of those sharings is due to bad coaching.

Coaching is the only reason why I’m picking the Raiders to win this game. I think Jon Gruden will have the Raiders ready to play after getting their brains beat in by the Colts and their power running game on Sunday. I think this game will be close, but I can’t trust the Chargers to finish a game.

Game pick: Raiders 27-21

Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos – 4:30 p.m. on NFL Network (Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Lindsay Czarniak) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Ratdke, Rod Woodson)

This may be viewed as a trap game to some, but I don’t think it will turn out that way. Josh Allen has played in this part of the country before. Matter of fact, he lived in this part of the country when he played quarterback for Wyoming in college. The Bills are peaking at the right time, but there’s still plenty to play for with an AFC East title still needing wrapped up and the playoffs to follow. Last year Buffalo limped into the playoffs on a two-game losing streak, so the Bills need to use this potential trap game as another springboard towards continuing to pick up momentum heading into this postseason.

Game pick: Bills 26 Broncos 20

Carolina Panthers @ Green Bay Packers – 8:15 p.m. on NFL Network (Mike Tirico, Kurt Warner, Melissa Stark) Radio: Westwood One (John Sadak, Shaun O’Hara)

Not much to this game. A December game in the Frozen Tundra is most likely going to play in the Packers favor, and this game should be no different.

Game pick: Packers 33 Panthers 21

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins – 1 p.m. on CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn)

The element to this game that stands out to me the most is the fact that Miami is the favorite in this game. Miami has beaten New England in five of the previous seven meetings in Miami, but those were as underdogs. When they weren’t expected to beat them. Now that they’re a contender, they need to play like they’re the better team that should win this game. And this is a must-win game considering other teams the Dolphins are competing with in the playoff race have easy schedules over the season’s final three weeks.

Game pick: Dolphins 24 Patriots 17

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons – 1 p.m. o FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver)

This will be Tom Brady’s first time playing at Atlanta since Super Bowl LI. Aside from that, this is a game that Tampa needs to win to garner momentum going into the playoffs. Unlike in the AFC, this is not a crowded race to the playoffs in the NFC. But it’s a game still worth winning, as every game is.

Game pick: Buccaneers 33 Falcons 27

Kansas City Chiefs @ New Orleans Saints – 4:25 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson)

Just because Drew Brees may not be playing on Sunday doesn’t mean this game won’t be fun. Any game involving Patrick Mahomes is fun to watch. And even without Drew Brees, the Saints are still a fun to team to watch and find ways to win games, as they won nine in a row before having their long winning streak snapped against the Eagles last week. Taysom Hill has proven he can lead this team in the wake of Drew Brees’s absence, and it helps to have an elite group of offensive weapons surrounding him, a defense to compliment the offense’s efforts and a coaching staff that will give him a creative playbook to work with on the field. (Have the Bengals ever studied the concept of coaching?)

As for the Chiefs, are they better than they were last year when they won the Super Bowl? Their record suggests that they are, and that’s a scary thought to contemplate that they could be better this year. Patrick Mahomes is playing like not only an MVP, but the best player in the league. In what could be a shootout in the Superdome on Sunday, I’ll shoot my shot on Mahomes and the Chiefs scoring more points.

Game pick: Chiefs 38 Saints 28

Sunday Night Football: Cleveland Browns @ New York Giants – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker)

This is a very intriguing game. Cleveland needs to win this to avoid an ending to the season similar to the one they endured in 2007 when they finished 10-6 but missed the playoffs. Of the Browns remaining three regular-season games, their next two against the Giants and Jets are the ones they should win. Lose one of those two games, and trouble could be brewing.

The Giants are also playing for their playoff lives, and coming off a bad loss at home to the Cardinals they should bring out the best version of themselves. Their front four, and really whole front seven, could present a matchup problem for Baker Mayfield as he has consistently not fared well against strong pass rushes and blitzes throughout his young career. But after a strong performance against the Ravens last week, I like him and the Browns to overpower the Giants just enough to pick up a much-needed win to move them closer to the playoffs.

Game pick: Browns 24 Giants 21

Monday Night Football: Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals – 8:15 p.m. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)

Uh huh… yeah. Um…

Game pick: Steelers 34 Bengals 3

Other Week 15 Picks

Colts 28 Texans 24

Rams 38 Jets 3

Titans 34 Lions 17

Ravens 38 Jaguars 10

Vikings 24 Bears 21

Seahawks 27 Washington Football Team 24

Cardinals 27 Eagles 20

49ers 31 Cowboys 24