CINCINNATI — Now, the race to the Playoffs really begins. All 32 teams are in action this week and for the next, and final, four weeks of the regular season.
There are some monster matchups this week, including great matchups on the prime time slate. Some teams are playing with their seasons on the line, while other teams are looking to make statements on the prime time stage that they are legitimate contenders.
There are two divisional rivalry matchups on the prime time stage this week. You never know what can happen in those games. In addition, there’s an NFC matchup that never disappoints on the prime time stage. Finally, there’s an inter-conference matchup featuring one team looking to snap a lengthy losing streak against an iconic franchise looking to play spoiler.
With that, let’s take a look at the Week 15 prime time games in the NFL.
Thursday Night Football: Los Angeles Rams (7-6) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-7) – 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video (Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung)
Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Ron Rivera
Los Angeles-San Francisco is one of the best rivalries in all of sports. It’s been that way since 1958 when the Dodgers and Giants brought baseball to California. And when the stakes are high when these two teams get together, that adds intensity and palpability to an already heated rivalry.
Thursday night’s game between the Rams and 49ers is massive. Both teams are on the outside looking in at the Playoffs. For the 49ers, in particular, this may be their last chance to make a push to the Playoffs. They’re not only sitting at 6-7, but they’re 1-3 in the NFC West. They’ve already lost to the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks at home, which heightens the importance of this game against the Rams. Sitting at 6-8 and 1-4 in the NFC West would almost certainly be the end of the 49ers playoff chances.
On the other side, the Rams are starting to hit their stride. Remember when they were 1-4 and Matthew Stafford was a rumored trade candidate? Ever since then, the Rams are 6-2 and have reasserted themselves as a playoff contender. Stafford is starting to play his best football of the season, throwing for a season-high 320 yards and two touchdown in last week’s 44-42 shootout win over the Buffalo Bills. With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp to throw the ball to and Kyren Williams to hand the ball off to, this Rams offense is one that no NFC team will want to face in the Playoffs.
Both teams are chasing the Seahawks in the NFC West and the Washington Commanders in the NFC Wild Card. Both teams need to win this game, as it feels like both their seasons are on the line Thursday night. A rivalry game on Thursday Night Football. What a way to start Week 15.
Top 12 Players in Rams-49ers
1. Trent Williams
2. Fred Warner
3. George Kittle
4. Nick Bosa
5. Brock Purdy
6. Deebo Samuel
7. Puka Nacua
8. Matthew Stafford
9. Cooper Kupp
10. Dre Greenlaw
11. Kyren Williams
12. Jauan Jennings
Week 3: Rams 27 – 49ers 24
This game was ridiculous. The 49ers were cruising to a win up 24-14 in the fourth quarter, and the Rams were on the brink of falling to 0-3. But the 49ers, as they have struggled to do all season, could not finish the game. The Rams rallied from that 10-point deficit to win 27-24 on a game-winning field goal with two seconds remaining.
The Rams comeback spoiled great performances from Brock Purdy and Jauan Jennings. Jennings caught all three of Purdy’s touchdowns, part of an 11-catch, 175-yard performance. But Kyren Williams’s two rushing touchdowns and receiving touchdown lifted the Rams to a badly-needed first win of the season. It was the Rams first time beating the 49ers at home in the regular season since 2018.
What to Watch for Thursday night
In recent seasons, the 49ers beat the Rams because of their ability to out-physical them. If they’re able to do that Thursday night, they can stymie a Rams offense that’s starting to find its rhythm at the right time. But if the Rams offense is able to dent the 49ers stout defense, I don’t think San Francisco has enough offensive firepower to keep up. San Francisco should play like their season is on the line Thursday night. If the Rams can match that intensity, they can win one of the biggest road games in Sean McVay’s eight seasons as the Rams head coach.
Game Pick: Rams 24 – 49ers 23
I like the Rams a lot more than I like the 49ers right now. There’s just something that feels off with the 49ers right now. Meanwhile, the Rams are playing their best football at the right time. That’s scary not just in Santa Clara and the NFC West, but it’s also scary for the NFC. If the Rams get in the Playoffs, no team will want to face them.
Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Seattle Seahawks (8-5) – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark)
Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic
I love that this game is on Sunday Night Football. These two teams have played some classic, memorable and controversial games in recent NFL history. In a Week 15 with two heavyweight matchups at 4:25, Packers-Seahawks is quietly another great matchup. But don’t worry, it will be anything but quiet in Seattle on Sunday night in what could be a playoff preview.
The 12s will be out in full throat in the Seahawks first Sunday Night Football home game in four seasons. In addition, it’s the first Sunday Night Football home game in Seattle on a Sunday night and in a non-COVID-19 season since Week 17 of the 2019 season. Prime time games in Seattle are awesome to watch on TV. You can hear how loud it is at Lumen Field through your television.
This Seahawks team has quietly won four straight games. When they lost in overtime, at home, to the Rams in Week 9 to fall to 4-5, I thought that was it for them as far as contending for a playoff berth and the NFC West title. But this team came out of their bye week and beat the 49ers on the road in Week 11. Three of their past four wins have come in the NFC West, giving the Seahawks a 3-2 record in the division.
The Seahawks offense has a lot of really good players. But it’s their defense I’ve been most impressed with over their four straight wins. Seattle has a defensive line that is getting to the quarterback, and that allows their secondary to make plays. First-year head coach Mike McDonald spent the previous two seasons as the Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator, coaching secondary players that include Kyle Hamilton, Geno Stone and Marlon Humphrey. With Seattle, McDonald is coaching a secondary that includes Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love and Coby Bryant.
Green Bay is one of the most fascinating teams in the NFL, to me. Their season feels like it has had so many twists and turns, starting with Jordan Love’s injury in Week 1. But that’s where head coach Matt LaFleur deserves a lot of credit for keeping the Packers offense afloat during Love’s absence. Love has 21 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 11 games this season. He’s a really good quarterback, but this is the kind of game he needs to win to show he and the Packers can take that next step and win marquee, prime time and playoff games in hostile environments. The Packers are going to be in the Playoffs, but there’s a difference between being just another team in the Playoffs and being a team in the Playoffs that other teams fear. Whether or not the Love and the Packers win this game in prime time in Seattle will tell us which kind of playoff team the Packers will be this season.
Top 12 Players in Packers-Seahawks
1. Jordan Love
2. Rashan Gary
3. DK Metcalf
4. Tariq Woolen
5. Julian Love
6. Josh Jacobs
7. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
8. Christian Watson
9. Tucker Kraft
10. Xavier McKinney
11. Quay Walker
12. Zach Charbonnet
What to Watch for Sunday night
To me, this matchup will be decided by the matchup between Green Bay’s receivers against Seattle’s secondary. The Packers have a bevy of receivers that can stress a defense: Watson, Kraft, Jayden Reed, Dantayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, etc. That can be tough for any secondary. But Seattle’s secondary is vastly improved. There are playmakers who can fly in Seattle’s back end of the defense, and they can make plays in the process. Love has proven he can play quarterback at a high level in the NFL, but he is prone to mistakes. He has thrown 11 interceptions this season, and this Seahawks secondary will look to take the ball away on Sunday night.
Game pick: Seahawks 24 – Packers 21
Something crazy always happens, it feels like, when these two teams get together. The Packers have not won in Seattle since 2008. That’s why I’m taking the Seahawks to win this game and announce themselves as legitimate NFC contenders on the Sunday Night Football stage.
Monday Night Football: Chicago Bears (4-9) @ Minnesota Vikings (11-2) – 8 p.m. on ABC (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters)
Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
These two teams are heading in opposite directions as we head into the final four weeks of the regular season.
I want to spend most of this game preview talking about the Minnesota Vikings, particularly Sam Darnold. It’s not just that Darnold and the Vikings are cool stories. They are legitimate NFC North and NFC contenders. Darnold has 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in the Vikings last four games. With a skill group that includes Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones, this Vikings offense can score and stress opposing defenses.
Speaking of defense, the Vikings have a stout defense. Led by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Vikings have 40 sacks and 21 takeaways through 13 games. It’s a defense that can be hard to move the ball and score against, and that’s what makes the Vikings a team that can give an elite NFC offense a 60-minute dogfight.
Top 12 Players in Bears-Vikings
1. Justin Jefferson
2. Keenan Allen
3. Montez Sweat
4. Harrison Smith
5. Sam Darnold
6. Jordan Addison
7. Andrew Van Ginkel
8. Aaron Jones
9. Jonathan Greenard
10. Caleb Wiliams
11. Byron Murphy
12. Blake Cashman
Week 12: Vikings 30 – Bears 27 (OT)
This game was when I bought into the Vikings being a really good team. They needed to be pushed on the road against a division opponent, especially one they should beat. The Vikings led 24-10 midway through the fourth quarter, before Chicago stormed back to tie the game at 27 and send the game to overtime. It was in overtime where Darnold made multiple downfield throws on the Vikings game-winning drive. That game could have brought back old critics of Darnold. Instead, it showed that he’s more than just a game-manager. He’s a difference maker, and he’s got this Vikings team in position to be a tough out in the Playoffs.
What to Watch for Monday night
The Vikings are in great position when it comes to the playoff picture and the NFC North race, sitting just one game behind the Detroit Lions. However, they need to take care of business against an inferior opponent on Monday night. I want to see how the Vikings come out to start this game. Do they come out in full attack mode, or are they overlooking the Bears for their final three regular-season games against the Seahawks, Packers and Detroit Lions?
Game Pick: Vikings 30 – Bears 14
As I mentioned earlier, these two teams are heading in opposite directions. The Vikings have won six straight games. The Bears have lost seven straight games. Those streaks will continue on Monday night.
Monday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons (6-7) @ Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN (Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick, Dan Orlovsky, Laura Rutledge)
Westwood One: Kevin Kugler, James Lofton
The Falcons looked like they were going to run away with the NFC South after Week 9 when they were 6-3. Not only have the Falcons lost their last four games, but Kirk Cousins has not thrown a touchdown in any of them.
This is a really talented Falcons team, though. They’re capable of turning it around over their last four games, especially being just a game back of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. Worth noting; the Falcons swept the Buccaneers already this season.
On the other side, the Raiders are dreadful. They’ve lost nine straight games. Playing spoiler is what the Raiders can do Monday night, but that’s not the Raiders that generations before me knew. The NFL is better when the Raiders are serious contenders. The problem is, I don’t know when the Raiders are going to get back to that level.
Top 12 Players in Falcons-Raiders
1. Maxx Crosby
2. Justin Simmons
3. Christian Wilkins
4. Jessie Bates III
5. Kirk Cousins
6. Chris Lindstrom
7. Brock Bowers
8. Darnell Mooney
9. Bijan Robinson
10. Drake London
11. Matthew Judon
12. Kaden Ellis
What to Watch for Monday night
Even though the Raiders are 2-11, Max Crosby is still a handful for any offensive line to deal with. If he can get to Kirk Cousins, getting through a sturdy Falcons offensive line in doing so, that will give the Raiders a chance to play spoiler.
Game Pick: Falcons 27 – Raiders 20
This is a game the Falcons should win. But nothing they have shown over their last four games, all losses, suggest they’re going to cakewalk their way through Las Vegas on Monday night. I think they will win, but how much better I will feel about them is contingent upon if they can dominate a team they should dominate.
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 