The playoff race is heating up, division titles are on the line, and Week 15 of the 2025 NFL season is already promising to bring the fireworks.
Get your popcorn ready, because this week's slate of games is going to be must-see TV from Thursday all the way to Monday night. We've got division rivalries on tap. We've got possible Super Bowl preview matchups on tap. We've got teams jockeying for draft position, and teams with bad records trying to play the role of spoiler.
We're making our weekly NFL picks and score predictions and trying to sort through all of the madness before any of the games take place. What matchups do we have to look forward to, and which teams are favored in Week 15? We're breaking it all down in this week's picks and score predictions.
NFL Picks and Score Predictions for Every Week 15 Game
Atlanta Falcons (4-9) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
Thursday, December 11, 8:15 PM ET
A Thursday night battle between the Buccaneers and Falcons isn’t going to draw 50 million viewers, but it is a great opportunity for the Bucs to find a way to get back on track.
After starting the year looking like one of the top contenders in the NFC, and earning the nickname (from me) the “Cardiac Bucs”, this team has been on the cusp of completely giving away their division lead. They just blew a game on Sunday against Tyler Shough and the New Orleans Saints, and they’re just not playing well overall right now.
A get-right game against the Falcons is pretty much exactly what the doctor ordered, but after the team lost to the Saints, can we really count this one as a gimme? Especially on a short week, I’m worried about the Bucs. They have to put it together quickly.
The Falcons have been a disaster almost the entire year, but they have the playmakers offensively to pull off an upset in a game like this. Weird stuff happens in the Thursday night time slot. The Bucs are 4.5-point home favorites, and they should win by quite a bit more than that, in all honesty.
The question we’re all going to find out on Thursday is whether the game against the Saints helps the Bucs snap out of it, or if it just takes even more wind out of their sails.
Prediction: Buccaneers win 23-19
Cleveland Browns (3-10) @ Chicago Bears (9-4)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
Don’t sleep on this game between the Browns and Bears being one of the most interesting games of the week.
Let’s start with the Chicago Bears, who briefly held the title of #1 seed in the NFC before Sunday’s loss against the Green Bay Packers. The Bears obviously have a lot going for them this season, including a defense that forces turnovers like none other. It’s been an up-and-down year for the offense, but even after a sluggish first half against the Packers, the Bears had Green Bay within an inch of their lives in the second half.
We need to see if this team can refocus against a lesser opponent coming off of a loss, and whether or not they’re going to overlook the Browns with another matchup against the Packers coming up in Week 16.
And the Bears are facing off against a unique Cleveland Browns team. Obviously, the Browns are out of playoff contention, but they have already upset the Packers this year. They’d love to do the same to the Bears, and Shedeur Sanders is coming off of an outstanding game against the Titans.
Not only is Sanders coming off of a big game, but Myles Garrett is gunning for that all-time NFL sack record. The Browns have more playmakers than you would expect for a team that’s 3-10, and a lot of ways to beat you if Sanders can keep it up.
The Bears are massive 7-point favorites on the early betting line for this game, and I honestly don’t hate the pick of the Browns outright in an upset. In fact, if I can be so bold, I think this game has trap game upset written all over it.
Prediction: Browns win 24-22
Baltimore Ravens (6-7) @ Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
Back in September, who could have possibly imagined that a Week 15 showdown between the Bengals and Ravens would feature two teams trending closer to picking in the top 10 of next year’s NFL Draft than two teams fighting it out for position atop the AFC North?
To be fair, the AFC North is bad enough this year that both outcomes remain within the realm of possibility, but these two teams are also both coming off of annoyingly bad losses.
The Ravens have looked worse in recent weeks than the Bengals with Joe Burrow, and in fact, Burrow’s first game back was a dominant win on the road against these same Ravens on Thanksgiving night. The Bengals got them so good that night that Burrow was counting down the play clock for his center.
This Ravens team has lost its mojo. They were one of the most dominant offensive outfits in the NFL a season a go, and you can blame any number of factors that led them to the 6-7 record they have today, but even when everyone is healthy, they aren’t playing at a high level.
The Bengals have been awesome offensively for a good chunk of this season, even without Joe Burrow for most of it. They can put up points in bunches, but two bone-headed plays on Sunday from Burrow buried the Bengals against the Bills. It was tough to watch, because it looked like they had the Bills on the ropes, playing in the elements on the road.
This is a matchup that you wish had a little more juice. Even if the Bengals had found a way to win a gainst the Bills on Sunday, this game would be a lot more intriguing. I’m shocked that Baltimore is a 1.5-point favorite on the road here, especially with the way Burrow has played since returning to the lineup, and definitely considering how the last matchup between these two teams went.
I like the Bengals at home.
Prediction: Bengals win 31-27
Los Angeles Chargers (9-4) @ Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
Who would have thought that we’d be talking about the Kansas City Chiefs trying to get back to .500 in the middle of the month of December?
These are wild times we’re living in right now.
The Chiefs’ dynasty is officially over, even though their 2025 season isn’t. They can obviously still find a way to scrape and claw their way into the postseason, but the loss the Chiefs suffered at home against the Houston Texans mathematically eliminated the possibility of this team winning a 10th-straight AFC West title.
The Chiefs have run the NFL for such a long time, it almost still just doesn’t feel real. They’ll have another chance on their home field to bounce back against a division rival, which would be huge for their hopes of returning to the postseason, at the very least.
Unfortunately for Kansas City’s struggling offense, the Chargers boast one of the top pass defenses in the NFL.
The Chargers showed some outstanding resilience on Monday night against the Eagles. Even with Justin Herbert just having had surgery on his non-throwing hand, he was still out there making tough throws and even clutch plays as a runner. You have to tip your cap to the way the Chargers played, but are they going to be able to put the final nail in the Chiefs' proverbial coffin on the road?
Despite the way they’ve played this year, the oddsmakers are still favoring the Chiefs by a whopping 4.5 points at home in this one. I think they can squeak by in a close one.
Prediction: Chiefs win 25-23
Buffalo Bills (9-4) @ New England Patriots (11-2)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
Here we have what could very well end up being the NFL’s game of the week, and it’s being played in the 1:00 ET window, where it’s getting jumbled in the mix of a million other games.
Maybe not the NFL’s best job of planning or utilizing their flex schedule here. At the very least, this game should probably be in a late-afternoon window, but we don’t really have time to complain. Let’s get into this matchup, because it’s going to be a big one.
At this point in time, it’s a little difficult to see the Buffalo Bills taking back the top spot in the AFC East from the Patriots, but it’s not impossible. Buffalo’s clutch win this past weekend against the Cincinnati Bengals breathed some serious life into the idea that they could take the East back from the Pats, even though New England has been one of the hottest teams in the NFL.
Earlier this season, the Patriots proved to the entire NFL world that they’re for real with a big win over the Bills. Now, they’ve got to to it again, and it’ll be fascinating to see how New England responds to the weight of the world on their shoulders. There’s a lot of pressure on them going into this game.
Buffalo opens up as a 1.5-point road favorite against the Patriots, which fits right in the theme of surprising betting favorites in Week 15. It’s understandable, however, to buy Buffalo in this matchup. They just completed a furious comeback against the Bengals, and Josh Allen was outstanding.
If Allen puts on the Superman cape for this game, the Patriots could be in trouble. And the implications of the Pats losing this one would be huge, because they have to travel to Baltimore next weekend.
I never thought it would be so simple to pick this game, but I found a way. I found a way.
Prediction: Bills win 27-24
Washington Commanders (3-10) @ New York Giants (2-11)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
You could tell on Sunday that the Washington Commanders were just completely deflated. In every possible way, the loss against the Denver Broncos crushed their spirit, and the Minnesota Vikings made them look like a JV squad out there.
Getting beat in the NFL is understandable. Getting shut out? That’s inexplicably bad.
And that was a Vikings team that had a shutout loss earlier this season. The Commanders just flatlined on Sunday after an emotional loss, and now they’ve got to find a way to quickly bounce back against a division rival. At this point, nothing is at stake except for NFL Draft status, but it’s going to be interesting to see how the Commanders manage starting quarterback Jayden Daniels.
In his first game back into action, Daniels went into the blue medical tent with an injury. The Commanders might be wise to just put him on ice.
The same could be said for the Giants with starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, who defended his recklessness after the Giants’ loss against the Patriots last week. Dart’s talent is undeniable, but he’s clearly got a lot of maturing to do when it comes to his playing style and mentality.
The Giants are favored in this game by 2.5 points, which is understandable given the fact that the Commanders might once again be throwing Marcus Mariota out there. Both of these teams are riddled with injuries and cannot wait to get to the offseason.
Prediction: Giants win 20-16
Las Vegas Raiders (2-11) @ Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
The Las Vegas Raiders are about ready to pack it in for the season and move on to 2026. This has been a disastrous year among disastrous years for that franchise.
To recap, the Raiders: Brought Pete Carroll out of retirement, made an ill-advised trade for Geno Smith, subsequently gave Smith an extension sight unseen, forced Carroll to hire Chip Kelly as his offensive coordinator, cut former big-ticket free agent Christian Wilkins, and assembled a roster full of misfit toys.
Am I recapping that correctly? And this was a team many expected to be in the playoff mix with the arrival of Carroll, Smith, and Jeanty. And in fact, I was one of the people who felt like they had raised the proverbial floor substantially, but I – along with many others – underestimated just how bad the ingredients would work together.
Now, the Raiders have just a few more weeks to save face. Carroll has fired his special teams coordinator as well as Chip Kelly. At this point, the Raiders might as well give Kenny Pickett a shot to go out there and start, maybe see if he’s got anything in the old tank.
The Eagles have stunk for most of this year compared to what we've grown accustomed to with that team. Jalen Hurts just threw four interceptions against the Chargers' defense, and as talented as the Chargers' secondary is, it was a pitiful performance.
This Eagles team just can't seem to figure things out offensively, but they might be able to do it for a game against the Raiders.
The Eagles are massive 12.5-point favorites, and they should be able to take care of business accordingly. This one has Philly blowout written all over it.
Prediction: Eagles win 34-17
New York Jets (3-10) @ Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
The Jacksonville Jaguars probably can’t believe their luck at this time of year. Obviously, this is a team that showed in the 2025 offseason that they believed they could compete, even in the first year of a new era with GM James Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen.
Gladstone made a bold move to trade up in the draft for Travis Hunter, which ultimately we have yet to see the return on that investment because Hunter is hurt, but the trade up itself was a bold signal that Gladstone felt like his team could compete.
And, to his credit, and the credit of Liam Coen, this Jags team has done more than compete. They have taken hold of the top spot in the AFC South, and a matchup against the New York Jets is really going to set them up for their 10th win of the season rather easily.
The Jets have been competitive despite their 10 losses this year, but with more health issues at the quarterback position (both Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor are hurt), it’s really difficult to see them being overly competitive in this game.
Jacksonville is a 12.5-point favorite at home in this one, and frankly, that feels like a bit of a low estimate. What we’ve seen from the Jaguars, at times this season, is playing “down” to the opponent. We’ve also seen them play “up” to better opponents, to be fair, but it took them overtime to beat both the Raiders and Cardinals.
Jacksonville is a really fascinating team right now. It feels like nobody is really talking about them at all because the Texans are making so much noise, and the Colts just lost Daniel Jones for the season. Quietly, the Jaguars might have been the best team in the AFC South all along.
Prediction: Jaguars win 28-10
Arizona Cardinals (3-10) @ Houston Texans (8-5)
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 PM ET
Mercifully, we’ve reached the end of the 1:00 PM ET slate of games with the Houston Texans facing off against the Arizona Cardinals. Just like their AFC South rivals in Jacksonville, the Texans have to be thanking the NFL schedule makers for this late-season draw, because Arizona is down bad right now, and Houston is all the way up.
The Texans are coming off of an emotional win on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs, so they get to come home for their fans this week and really put on a show. The Cardinals are going to fight hard as we’ve seen time and time again with Jonathan Gannon as the head coach, but they just don’t have the talent to move the ball effectively on this Houston defense.
When you look at every team in the AFC, the Texans might not put too much fear into opponents with their offense right now, but that defense is as tough as they come. They can not only rush the passer, but I don’t think there’s a single secondary in the NFL playing better than this Houston group right now.
The Cardinals are the perfect matchup as far as Houston’s defense is concerned, because Jacoby Brissett doesn’t do anything really off-script or outside the pocket. The Houston pass rush can get the pressure on, and the secondary can feast in this game.
The Texans are just 9.5-point favorites at home, even after the Cardinals just got absolutely smoked by the Los Angeles Rams this past weekend. For a Houston team that has proven they can grind out tough wins with defense and opportunistic offense, I feel like this game is an opportunity to showcase what they can do as far as complementary dominance.
Prediction: Texans win 31-9
Green Bay Packers (9-3-1) @ Denver Broncos (11-2)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
The NFL scheduled five games in the 4:25 PM ET slot this week, and this one might be the best of them all.
The Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers don’t have a ton of history, but they have some significant history. These two faced off in what ended up being the Broncos’ first-ever Super Bowl win as a franchise back in the late-90s, and they’ve had some pretty epic battles in the decades to follow.
This could once again be a Super Bowl matchup as both the Broncos and Packers are working toward seizing the #1 seed in their respective conferences as December rolls along.
For the Packers, this is a really fun matchup because we know Matt LaFleur is not afraid to attack downfield offensively. The Broncos are also not immune to giving up big plays through the air, whether they’re giving up catches or getting flagged for penalties. That will be something to watch in this one, as will the strategy for getting Josh Jacobs the ball.
Jacobs absolutely crushed the Broncos when he was a member of the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Broncos are one of the most fascinating teams in the NFL. Their defense has been one of the best in the NFL for the majority of the 2025 season, but the offense has turned it up as of late. The Broncos are on a 10-game winning streak overall, but they’ve been dominant at home dating back to last season.
And that dominance doesn’t necessarily mean they’re blowing teams out, but the MIle High Magic is Mile High Magic-ing. This Broncos team is tough, resilient, and prepared in all scenarios. Green Bay is opening up as a 1.5-point favorite, but this game could go either way. It should be an awesome battle between two powerhouses.
Prediction: Broncos win 24-20
Detroit Lions (8-5) @ Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
Hopefully you’ve got a couple of monitors you can have different games on for the Sunday late afternoon slate of games, because you won’t want to miss this matchup between the Rams and Lions if you’re watching Broncos-Packers, or vice versa.
Of course, the low-hanging fruit with this matchup here is the Matthew Stafford storyline. For over a decade, Stafford was the starting quarterback of the Detroit Lions, taking that franchise to places they hadn’t been in a long, long time. But the relationship fizzled, and he was sent to the Rams where he immediately won a Super Bowl.
But the trade worked out for both sides, because both the Rams and Lions have become true contenders in the NFC. This year, however, it looks like the Rams are set up much better to rule the NFC and get the #1 seed in the conference.
The Lions are coming off of a very solid win against the Dallas Cowboys, but the fact that Dak Prescott threw for 376 yards in that game should have Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford salivating at the thought of attacking Detroit’s secondary.
As good as the Lions are, and as good as they have been, they look completely overmatched in a situation like this. They are going to need another legacy game from Jahmyr Gibbs to pull off an upset, which would be significant, according to the oddsmakers. The Rams are hefty 5.5-point home favorites this week.
One storyline that does get lost a little bit is the fact that the Rams dumped Jared Goff. He’s got to carry a bit of a chip on his shoulder as a former #1 overall pick who helped lead that franchise to the Super Bowl, even though it didn’t work out. He’s going to be out to prove a point in this one as well.
I think we’re all expecting a fun shootout in this one.
Prediction: Rams win 34-32
Carolina Panthers (7-6) @ New Orleans Saints (3-10)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
After upsetting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past week, can the New Orleans Saints go out there and do it again with another division rivalry game on tap?
The Saints might have found something in second-round pick Tyler Shough. We didn’t see a ton of it in what he put on tape at the college level, especially because he was floating around from one school to the next. There was a time when people were talking about Shough as a possible 1st-round prospect before his college career took such a long and winding path, so the talent has always been there.
We saw his dual-threat abilities on display in a game played in the elements, and he helped lead his team to victory. We’ve seen Shough make important strides week after week, so maybe the Saints won’t be fixated on the quarterback position in next year’s draft.
A win against the Carolina Panthers, and another strong performance from Shough, could go a long way.
The Panthers have been a fun story to watch unfold all season. Bryce Young has been playing really well over the last three weeks, save for a couple of bad mistakes in a loss to the 49ers. The Panthers were on a bye this past week, so they had a long time to sit back and prepare for this one.
Their last win against the Los Angeles Rams was a statement game. The Panthers now have a chance to see what the Bucs will do against the Falcons on Thursday night, and either match them and keep pace or find a way to take over the top spot in the NFC South for good.
The Saints are getting some decent respect in this one with Carolina just a 2.5-point favorite on the road.
Prediction: Saints win 19-17
Tennessee Titans (2-11) @ San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
All the Tennessee Titans’ win in Week 14 did was confuse everybody, and keep everyone else in the mix for the #1 overall pick in next year’s draft.
The Titans, for the record, don’t “need” the #1 overall pick. They believe they’ve got their quarterback of the future, and Cam Ward has done his part to prove he’s a franchise player at the position. The cupboard isn’t completely bare besides Ward, but it’s pretty rough. The Titans need building blocks in the worst way, and those reinforcements aren’t coming with them to San Francisco on Sunday.
As fun as it was to see Ward battling it out with his 2025 rookie classmate Shedeur Sanders on Sunday, those two teams were a lot more evenly-matched on paper compared to the way the Titans matchup against the 49ers.
Especially with the 49ers coming off of a bye…
The Titans have to travel to the West Coast, they have to face the 49ers coming off of their bye, and the talent discrepancy here is outrageous, not to mention the gap in coaching for these two teams.
I’m not going to sit here and say the Titans have 0 percent chance of winning this game, but I’ll come as close to guaranteeing it as you can get. The 49ers are tied for the heaviest overall favorites early in the week at 12.5 points. Frankly, that feels like a disrespectful opening line. The 49ers should absolutely wipe the floor with the Titans in this one.
Prediction: 49ers win 35-13
Indianapolis Colts (8-5) @ Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
Just a handful of weeks ago, I think you could have circled this game as a possible Super Bowl matchup, even if it was just a darkhorse matchup.
Now, the injury to Daniel Jones has put the Indianapolis Colts firmly on the outside looking in, even with eight wins to their name already. If, by some stroke of luck, the Colts can find a way to go on the road and win this game against the Seahawks?
You might just be able to hand Shane Steichen the Coach of the Year award at that point. It is going to require everything going right for the Colts and simultaneously everything going wrong for the Seahawks in order for the Colts to find a way to win this game.
Seattle has been one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL all season. Even when Sam Darnold has had bouts with the turnover bug, the Seahawks have been able to overcome and find ways to win games. They’ve got the #2 scoring offense in the NFL this year and the #2 scoring defense.
As tough as they’ve been already, the breakout game from Nick Emmanwori this past week could add yet another layer to this Mike Macdonald defense. Emmanwori was routinely projected, thanks to his ridiculous athletic traits, in the first round of our 2025 NFL mock drafts. The Seahawks traded up in the 2nd round to get him, and it looks like a hand-in-glove fit.
This is a rough matchup for the Colts, who are going to need to force turnovers, run the ball extremely well, and play keepaway from Seattle in order to have a fighting chance. The injury to Daniel Jones has the Seahawks as 11.5-point home favorites, and I think they’re going to win rather easily.
Prediction: Seahawks win 34-16
Minnesota Vikings @ Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
Sunday, December 14, 8:20 PM ET
This isn’t the worst primetime matchup the NFL could have on the slate for Week 15, but it’s pretty rough. With so many other outstanding games on the docket, you wish this one could have been flexed into a 1:00 PM slot and the Bills-Patriots game put in the primetime spot.
But, I digress..
The Dallas Cowboys went on a relatively predictable winning streak after the NFL trade deadline. Not to brag, but I was one of the only people out there banging the drum that the Cowboys were going to look at lot better coming out of the bye week, and they did. They won three straight games to get back to 6-5-1, and if it weren’t for George Pickens, they might have beaten the Lions last Thursday as well.
I once again am going to predict the Cowboys come out and win another game this week. The Vikings showed some serious fight on Sunday after JJ McCarthy essentially became the laughing stock of the NFL.
I’m sorry, Nine became the laughing stock of the NFL…
Regardless of what you want to call him, McCarthy bounced back in a big way for the Vikings in their shutout win over the Commanders, but the Cowboys’ offense is much more dynamic and presents a much different overall challenge. The Vikings are going to need to keep up the turnover party in this one if they’re going to have a shot against Dak Prescott, who has been one of the most locked in quarterbacks in the NFL this season.
The Cowboys are six-point favorites here, and if Pickens can find a way to lock back in, they should be able to cover.
Prediction: Cowboys win 32-20
Miami Dolphins (6-7) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
Monday, December 15, 8:20 PM ET
On paper, this game looks like a stupid way to finish Week 15. In reality, this could end up being one of the most interesting games of the week.
Remember this past offseason when the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins came together for a couple of really big trades? We’ll see how that plays out on the field as the Steelers are coming off of a huge win on the road against the Baltimore Ravens, while the Dolphins have slowly crept back into the playoff discussion without really anybody noticing.
Now, the Dolphins are going to be back in front of a national audience, going on the road to face off against the Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers. Rodgers is coming off of arguably his best game with Pittsburgh, while the Dolphins have done a great job of running the ball and playing defense during this stretch.
Looking at the early line for this game, the Dolphins are just three-point underdogs. So even though their winning as of late has seemingly happened without anyone noticing, the folks in Vegas are definitely taking notice.
The Dolphins have only turned the ball over once in their last three games, and with four wins in a row, it’s going to be fascinating to see if they can stay hot. Going on the road to face off against the Steelers in December is always a tough draw, but the Dolphins are kind of built to win this type of game, aren’t they?
As cliché as it sounds, this game is going to come down to whichever team can win the turnover battle. The Steelers have been taking the ball away but still giving up a bunch of yards lately. They’ve forced seven turnovers in the last four games, while the Dolphins have forced 10 turnovers in the last four games.
I kind of like a Dolphins upset on the road here.
Prediction: Dolphins win 22-20