The chase for the playoffs is heating up and jockeying for positioning is getting intense. When you look at the early slate of games in Week 15, you might be underwhelmed by the matchups. But don't be fooled -- this week is going to be an absolute wild ride that just keeps getting better and better.
We've got massive conference matchups, a potential Super Bowl preview, teams duking it out for Wild Card spots, and you'll obviously have some massive fantasy football implications in every game.
The stakes are being raised every single week and they couldn't be higher in Week 15. This is a week loaded with epic matchups, starting right away on Thursday night, so buckle up...
Week 15 NFL Picks and Score Predictions for Every Game
Los Angeles Rams (7-6) @ San Francisco 49ers (6-7)
Thursday, December 12, 8:15 PM ET
The Los Angeles Rams are fresh off of one of the most impressive wins of the 2024 season so far. The Rams played host to the Super Bowl-hopeful Buffalo Bills and actually kind of whooped them in a lot of ways.
Of course, the Rams’ defense wasn’t able to keep the Bills’ offense at bay all afternoon, but they made just enough plays and found a way. Speaking of making just enough plays, how about Puka Nacua? Can you imagine where the Rams might be right now if he had been healthy all year?
The Rams’ offense is obviously very capable of doing damage as we get into the months of December and January, and now they have to go through Kyle Shanahan to prove their mettle. Although this shouldn’t be expected to be an easy game by any means, the 49ers are pretty down bad at this point. You know it’s bad when people are like, we can’t catch a break, as Isaac Guerendo walks to the locker room.
The Niners are just too badly beaten up right now. Even playing at home, I’m not buying them as field goal favorites. The Rams are going to go on the road and pull off the “upset” here to get their 8th win of the season.
Prediction: Rams win 31-27
Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) @ Cleveland Browns (3-10)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
Go ahead and try to buy the Chiefs as anything more than 5.5-point favorites on the road. I dare you.
Okay but actually, I don’t dare you. Don’t blame me for any bad decisions or bad beats. But let’s be honest here for a moment – the Kansas City Chiefs are probably going to find a way to win this game against the Cleveland Browns in miraculous fashion, and it will probably be a 7-point game or less.
The Chiefs have been the same type of team for a couple of years now. Are they capable of offensive fireworks? Absolutely, that’s what makes them so frustrating. But the Chiefs have just played consistent, elite defense and special teams, and their offense hasn’t really had to do nearly as much as we had gotten used to from 50-touchdown Patrick Mahomes.
Against the Cleveland Browns, it’s going to be a dog fight. See what I did there?
The Browns are loaded with players who are out to prove that they’re not as bad as their record indicates. They’ve given the Steelers and Broncos good games in recent weeks, and the Chiefs aren’t going to be any different. Jameis Winston wants a starting job next year. Guys on this roster are playing for new contracts and extensions. They’ve got their sights set on 2025 free agency.
Those are dangerous teams late in the season. I still don’t think the Browns are going to win, but they’re playing at home and they’re going to play hard. Kevin Stefanski is a good coach. As much as people want to say the Chiefs are on upset alert, we all know how this ends. The Browns have a kicker struggling to make his kicks. They have a QB who throws ill-timed interceptions.
This is shaping up to be a true Chiefs’ special as they look to secure the #1 seed in the AFC.
Prediction: Chiefs win 27-23
Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) @ Tennessee Titans (3-10)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
Hilariously, the early line on this game is the Bengals by just 4.5 points. Are we expecting Joe Burrow to call it a season after Monday Night Football?
The Bengals are capable of scoring 35 points in the blink of an eye and the Titans just struggled to score six points against the…Jacksonville Jaguars?
I realize that the Bengals have gotten far too much credit this season given their overall record and standing in the AFC right now, but with their backs against the wall, even playing on the road here, I don’t think the Titans stand a chance. The Bengals by 4.5 points is probably easy money, if you can even say that at this point.
There is an interesting wrinkle here with Brian Callahan facing off against his former team. Callahan was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator before getting hired by the Titans to be their head coach and being a head coach is a little tougher than maybe Callahan expected it to be. The Titans job wasn’t a quick fix but a true long-term situation.
And that’s all the Titans are going to be looking for in a matchup like this. They want to see which players are going to be around for the long haul and which ones are going to be gone in a month or so. It’s games like this when you can figure out truly which players you can count on when it counts.
The Bengals are probably going to come into town and absolutely dog-walk them but it’s the NFL. Everyone gets paid. I am taking the Bengals by two touchdowns.
Prediction: Bengals win 34-20
Washington Commanders (8-5) @ New Orleans Saints (5-8)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
The Washington Commanders got a late bye week this year, but honestly I can’t help but wonder how many teams are actually going to prefer these late bye weeks when they have Thursday night games earlier on in the season. Because a bye week at this time of the year is just really well-timed.
Teams are obviously not just automatically undefeated coming off of a bye week, but a team like the Commanders being able to get extra preparation and get healthy before facing off against a beaten up Saints team? Even with the Saints coming off of a win, it feels like this is shaping up to be a routine walk in the park for Dan Quinn and his boys.
The Saints just lost Derek Carr on Sunday and we’ve seen what this team looks like without Carr in 2024. We’ve seen what they look like at times with Carr. It’s going to be tough for a team like New Orleans, even playing at home, to beat a team that has found its stride like Washington.
New Orleans is rocking with an interim head coach, a backup quarterback, and they actually traded one of their best defensive players – Marshon Lattimore – to the Commanders earlier this year. The Saints are clearly focused on next year as an organization but again – this is the NFL.
The Commanders are 7.5-point favorites on the road this week and I think they’re going to find a way to cover that easily. The Commanders defense should be able to take advantage of the situation without Derek Carr out there and get the offense extra possessions.
Prediction: Commanders win 30-16
Baltimore Ravens (8-5) @ New York Giants (2-11)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
It’s really a shame that this is even a game on the schedule this week, isn’t it?
Not for the Ravens, but pretty much for everyone else. This is going to be a bloodbath and it’s probably going to get out of hand rather quickly.
There is no bigger discrepancy of talent on the Week 15 schedule than this game right here. Plus, the added bonus for the Giants is, the Ravens are coming off of their bye week. So they’ve had the chance to do extra prep work on, checks notes, Drew Lock and the Giants’ offense.
Yes, the Giants are pros. They get paid. We have to put out that disclaimer anytime we talk about a team in this particular way. But the Ravens are going to come into Met Life Stadium and get the easiest win of the week. The biggest concern in a game like this is that you come out of it unscathed. We know the Ravens are good enough to win this game by three scores or more, but are they going to be able to escape a game like this without suffering any horribly-timed injuries?
This is a game where you hope you are in the driver’s seat to such a degree that you can pull Lamar Jackson and some other key starters by the fourth quarter. But the Ravens can’t afford to overlook the Giants, either. They are currently tied with the Broncos and Chargers at 8-5 in the AFC playoff race. Even though the Ravens have a head-to-head win over both the Chargers and Broncos, you’ve got to find a way to pull ahead.
The NFL scheduling powers that be have gifted them one here in mid-December. Baltimore is an early 14.5-point favorite on the road.
Prediction: Ravens win 34-10
Dallas Cowboys (5-8) @ Carolina Panthers (3-10)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
Without Dak Prescott, it’s hard to really care about what happens with the Dallas Cowboys the rest of this season. I hate to say it, but it’s true. We’re all focused on what is going to happen after this season with the Cowboys, seeing as the franchise has moved forward with Prescott and CeeDee Lamb as cornerstone pieces and nobody knows whether or not they’re going to move forward with Mike McCarthy.
Juicy stuff.
But this game is highly intriguing for a variety of reasons, and they are all on the Carolina Panthers’ side of things.
The resurgence of Panthers quarterback Bryce Young after being benched earlier this season has been quite the sight to behold. Andy Dalton was in a scary car accident earlier this year, which paved the way for Young to get back on the field for a start against the Denver Broncos. And you could tell in that game that something was different about him.
Young has taken quarterback off the priority list for the Panthers this offseason which is good news, because we all remember they paid a king’s ransom to get him in a trade with the Bears in 2023. It might feel like baby steps, but the Panthers could probably easily have wins in their last five straight games.
The non-catch by Xavier Leggette was an unreal throw given the situation by Bryce Young. The Panthers just got unlucky against the Bucs in an overtime loss. Don’t even get me started on this team’s game against the Chiefs…
I view the 3-10 Panthers as must-see TV right now. And they’re beating the Cowboys in Week 15.
Prediction: Panthers win 23-19
New York Jets (3-10) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (3-10)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
Here we have it, the absolute dud of the week in Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season! Congrats to both the Jets and Jaguars for getting to this point in the season.
Both the Jaguars and Jets have been eliminated from playoff contention, but it’s even more embarrassing for the Jets considering all they have invested in Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, and other players on this roster that was supposed to be an obvious contender in the AFC this season.
And last season.
Yet the Jets have extended the longest playoff drought in American professional sports. It’s paper bag time for both of these teams, but what are the New York Jets supposed to do at this point?
You get the 2nd overall pick in the NFL Draft, and can’t get a quarterback. You bring in a future Hall of Famer and NFL MVP in Aaron Rodgers, and he can’t get the job done. You bring in Rodgers’ best friend and another future MVP in Davante Adams, and it doesn’t matter. The Jets are the biggest letdown in the NFL this season, but the Jaguars really aren’t far behind.
Trevor Lawrence got a massive extension. The Jags were supposed to be on their way toward being a perennial contender in the AFC South after their resurgence in 2022. But it was short-lived.
Lawrence has struggled to stay healthy, the Jaguars don’t appear to have their future head coach in place as of right now, and this looks like a team that is bound for the top five of the NFL Draft yet again. Familiar territory for the Jaguars, who just can’t get out of their own way.
Oh yeah, these two teams play a game on Sunday. Hopefully, everyone gets the fantasy football performance they need at this time of year.
Prediction: Jets win 26-21
Miami Dolphins (6-7) @ Houston Texans (8-5)
Sunday, December 15, 1:00 PM ET
Alright, now the matchups are going to start heating up…
The Miami Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive in Week 14 with a clutch win against the New York Jets. It was way too close for comfort, but the important thing is that the Dolphins were able to get their 6th win of the season and stay just two games behind the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens, and Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card race.
The Dolphins have an explosive offense that is capable of making some noise late this season, but I’m just not buying this team right now. It took them way too much going their way against the New York Jets to get a win, and now they have to go to Houston to face off against a Texans team that just got some much-needed rest and extra preparation time.
The Texans have been a little bit of a disappointment this season, even with the fact that they are going to be AFC South champs sooner rather than later. This team was much more dynamic last season and it felt like CJ Stroud had that offense playing at a much higher level. Stroud has 15 TDs and 9 INTs this season compared to 23 TDs and just 5 INTs last year.
He was much more efficient a season ago, but perhaps the week off will ignite something in him. Even though the Dolphins are desperate and the Texans are not, Houston needs to get that 9th win to try and seal up the AFC South for the second-straight year. If they win and the Colts lose, it should be all but over.
Houston is only favored in this game by 2.5 points coming off of a bye and playing at home, which kind of explains the general sentiment toward this team in a nutshell.
Prediction: Texans win 29-27
Indianapolis Colts (6-7) @ Denver Broncos (8-5)
Sunday, December 15, 4:05 PM ET
The Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts are both coming off of bye weeks in Week 14, which should make for a fascinating chess match between Sean Payton and Shane Steichen.
Both of these teams are playoff hopefuls and both feature young quarterbacks.
For the Colts, Anthony Richardson was benched earlier this year for Joe Flacco, which didn’t do anything to help the Colts’ playoff chances but might have helped Richardson out substantially. Although his completion rate is still not overly high, Richardson seems to be playing with more confidence and we saw him show up in a big way against the New England Patriots late in the game right before the Colts hit their bye.
Richardson has completed exactly 50 percent of his passes or less in four of his five starts since coming back into the fold. But the way the Colts can play defense and run the ball has set Richardson up to make plays in clutch moments, which he’s done.
The question is – will the big plays be enough against a Denver defense that has been dominant for most of the season? Richardson and the Colts will be hoping the Broncos’ defense plays more like it did against the Browns than what we’ve seen for most of 2024. The Browns put up nearly 500 passing yards on Denver’s defense and had them on the ropes before Jameis Winston threw a second pick-six.
The Broncos’ defense has been dominant all year long in the pass rush department but Richardson is a tough one to bring down, only being sacked 11 times in nine games this season. Denver’s defense is going to have to make sure they don’t get over-aggressive and allow Richardson to dictate this game with his legs.
The Broncos are 4.5-point favorites and I do like them playing at home and coming off of a bye, even with the Colts also getting their bye in Week 14. The Broncos get their 9th win of the season here and we might even see their running game come alive.
Prediction: Broncos win 28-20
Buffalo Bills (10-3) @ Detroit Lions (12-1)
Sunday, December 15, 4:25 PM ET
Here we have our first Super Bowl preview of the late-afternoon slate.
The Buffalo Bills are fresh off a disappointing road loss against the Los Angeles Rams, and now they have to go take on one of the best offenses in the entire NFL in the Detroit Lions for another road matchup.
Nobody said the road to the playoffs would be easy, right?
Even though the Bills have already clinched their division and a playoff berth, they are obviously going to want to make sure they get the 2nd seed if at all possible to play as many playoff games at home as possible. Even with a head-to-head win against the Chiefs, catching Kelce and Mahomes seems unlikely at this stage.
The Bills need to go to Detroit and prove their championship mettle with a win against a banged-up Detroit defense. Buffalo nearly was able to pull off an improbable game against the Rams on Sunday, but their defense couldn’t hold up, either. It could be another one of those types of games where Josh Allen has to put the team on his back.
What else is new, though?
Buffalo’s likely MVP was sensational against Los Angeles with six total touchdowns. He’s going to need to be ready to light up the scoreboard once again as we know Detroit is basically penciled in for 30-plus points.
People said on Sunday that the Bills were caught looking ahead to Detroit. So hopefully it was worth the wait.
Even coming off of a loss, I’m super high on the Bills right now. I think the Lions have played with some fire the last few weeks, gutting out some tight wins against divisional opponents. I think the Bills are going to come to Detroit and remind everyone that they are legit Super Bowl contenders by getting a win.
Prediction: Bills win 37-33
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (11-2)
Sunday, December 15, 4:25 PM ET
Hopefully, you have your popcorn ready for Sunday afternoon. We have a couple of games with huge Wild Card implications, and here we have back-to-back games featuring potential Super Bowl matchups.
We just got done talking about the epic matchup between Detroit and Buffalo in the 4:25 PM ET slot, and now we have the battle of the Pennsylvania powerhouses. The Philadelphia Eagles have won nine straight games and the Pittsburgh Steelers have barely even hit any speed bumps since inserting veteran Russell Wilson into the starting lineup.
The unstoppable force of the Eagles meets the immovable object that is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That Detroit-Buffalo game was set at an early 2.5-point spread in favor of the home team, but the Eagles are surprisingly favored by 4.5 points at home here. Coming off of the game we just saw against the Panthers, I’m not 100 percent sure why.
Maybe the oddsmakers are thinking that the Eagles were overlooking Carolina because of this game looming, but I don’t know. We’ve seen this Eagles team get absolutely white hot but I wondered out loud a couple of weeks ago if they peaked too early. With the absence of Dallas Goedert (who landed on IR last week), the Eagles’ passing attack had a net of 83 total yards on the day.
They are going to have to be much sharper against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, a defense that is just incredible when it comes to making the opposition make mistakes.
I like the Eagles in this game, but just barely.
Prediction: Eagles win 28-24
New England Patriots (3-10) @ Arizona Cardinals (6-7)
Sunday, December 15, 4:25 PM ET
This game between the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals has the potential to actually be one of the most entertaining of the week, even if it’s one of the least-watched games in the late-afternoon slate.
The Arizona Cardinals obviously still have a lot to play for right now as they are 6-7 and trying to keep pace in their division with the Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks. But the Cardinals have seen their lead in the NFC West completely evaporate in recent weeks and Kyler Murray’s play has been rather disappointing.
Arizona put up a dud against the Seahawks on Sunday and a loss to the Patriots at home this week might be the final nail in the coffin with the way the Seahawks have played lately as well as the winner of the Rams-49ers matchup also not helping the Cardinals regardless of the outcome.
The New England Patriots were on their bye week this past week but that might not really matter. New England has gotten some really good play from rookie QB Drake Maye so far this season and they just feel like a team that’s playing with house money right now. They completely collapsed a couple of Sundays ago against the Indianapolis Colts defensively, allowing a game-winning touchdown and two-point conversion after Maye had set them up nicely for a win.
The good news for the Patriots is that they seem to be set up pretty well in the 2025 NFL Draft no matter what happens with these final four games. If the Patriots end up picking in the top five overall, they are more likely than not to get one of their top two non-quarterbacks on the board. And with Maye in place, that could be massive for this roster.
Prediction: Cardinals win 24-23
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) @ Los Angeles Chargers (8-5)
Sunday, December 15, 4:25 PM ET
Here is another game in the late afternoon window that just feels like it’s got the potential to be special.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are trying to win the NFC South despite having more major injuries than just about any other team in the league this year. Obviously, the Bucs have managed to win seven games up to this point and Baker Mayfield has continued to play well for them, but they have needed other guys to step up and their offense has had to evolve in major ways.
They lost Chris Godwin and Mike Evans for a time, forcing players like Bucky Irving to step up and make more plays. He answered the call. This past weekend, we saw rookie receiver Jalen McMillan step up with a pair of touchdown catches.
The Bucs are too much of a wild card week to week to really be able to say they definitively have an advantage going on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers suffered a close loss at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs on the road this past weekend, but the way this team plays defense is going to keep them in pretty much every game.
Can the offense make enough plays?
The Chargers have so much at stake right now with an 8-5 record and the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens looming right there at 8-5 as well. It’s good for the Chargers to be playing this game at home but this is not a gimme. They are just 2.5-point favorites against the Bucs and the one thing Tampa Bay has going for it that could be so dangerous in this kind of game is playmaking running backs in the passing attack.
The Chargers have to make sure Bucky Irving doesn’t have a day. I think they squeak out a win at home but I won’t be shocked in the slightest to see this game go either way.
Prediction: Chargers win 24-22
Green Bay Packers (9-4) @ Seattle Seahawks (8-5)
Sunday, December 15, 8:20 PM ET
We’ve gotten Super Bowl previews and potential playoff matchups galore on the Week 15 slate of games, and this Sunday night matchup in Seattle is no different.
The Seahawks have found a way to scrape and claw their way into an 8-5 record and the driver’s seat of 1st place in the NFC West. It wasn’t looking like they were going to be able to pull that off about a month ago, but they have caught some wind in their sails at just the right time.
This week, they are welcoming the 9-4 Green Bay Packers to town and these are two offenses that can beat you in so many ways…and unfortunately, they can easily beat themselves as well.
I do think the Packers are just straight-up the better team in this matchup, but I actually like the Seahawks playing at home in a prime time slot. The Packers could very well go into Seattle and get a win, and that’s been a little easier to do this year than most. The Seahawks are 3-4 at home this season. The Packers are 4-2 on the road. Everything about this game says that the Packers should be able to go in and get a win in primetime.
But for whatever reason, my gut is telling me to go with the Seahawks. The Seahawks are home underdogs at just 2.5 points, and Mike Macdonald’s defense has really stepped it up in the four weeks since the bye.
Seattle has the playmakers to be able to make life tough on Green Bay’s defense, and even with the extra time having played on Thursday, I think Green Bay is going to suffer a bit of a letdown in Seattle on Sunday Night Football.
Prediction: Seahawks win 31-28
Chicago Bears (4-9) @ Minnesota Vikings (11-2)
Monday, December 16, 8:00 PM ET
The Minnesota Vikings have really been one of the most interesting teams in the NFL this year, haven’t they?
Head coach Kevin O’Connell has got to be a front-runner for NFL Coach of the Year for helping transform Sam Darnold from a 1st-round bust into a guy who is probably about to get a $100 million contract or more in 2025 NFL free agency. The man just threw five touchdown passes in a single game and has a whopping 28 touchdown passes already this season.
And the Vikings appear ready to coast to their 12th win this season on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears.
The Bears are free-falling right now, and there’s really no end in sight. They went to San Francisco this past weekend and got absolutely smoked. They’re going to see another iteration of the offense they faced against Kyle Shanahan with Kevin O’Connell coming from that same coaching family, but with even better overall weapons.
The Vikings are hitting their stride at the perfect time. Offensively, this team has been able to do pretty much whatever it wants all year long. And with Caleb Williams taking so many sacks this season, you can’t help but feel like the Vikings have an even bigger margin for error in a game like this. With Detroit facing off against Buffalo this week, there is a chance the Vikings could pull even closer to getting the top seed in the NFC. They will have the benefit of watching all of Sunday’s events unfold, and even with the added pressure, I don’t think there’s any doubt that the Vikings are winning this one at home.
They are seven-point favorites against the Bears.
Prediction: Vikings win 34-23
Atlanta Falcons (6-7) @ Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
Monday, December 16, 8:30 PM ET
After all of the incredible games throughout the course of the weekend in Week 15, the final game of the week is only intriguing because we’re all going to be wondering if/when Kirk Cousins is going to get pulled for Michael Penix Jr.
Heck, maybe that happens shortly after these predictions are posted and this is already dated.
Whatever the case, the Falcons are going to Las Vegas this week in desperate need of a get-right game, and the Raiders have seemingly been willing to oblige all year for teams in need of just that. But this game is fascinating with Desmond Ridder likely starting at quarterback for the Raiders and facing off against his old team.
This has the makings of another upset with how bad the Falcons have been lately (especially Cousins) and the storylines kind of just write themselves. Desmond Ridder beats his old team when they replaced him with not only one but two guys?
Yeah, I actually had the Falcons winning this game by two scores initially but I’m going to change my pick to a straight-up Raiders win.
We know Maxx Crosby is not going to let this game be easy for Cousins or whoever is dropping back for the Falcons. And Ridder has a pretty simple job here: Get the ball to Brock Bowers. And I think Bowers is going to make enough plays. The Raiders are competing for the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft but they have honestly been playing hard enough even in losses that they are bound to have the scales tip their way at some point. The Falcons are 4.5-point favorites but I’m taking the Raiders in a Monday night upset.
Prediction: Falcons win 27-13
READ MORE: Our latest full 2-round mock draft with franchise-altering picks