With the season winding down, every game means everything. This week, there are several matchups that are imperative to the playoff picture. A lot of seasons can be made or broken this weekend, and it should be a blast to watch. I went 12-4 in Week 14, bringing my season total to 117-58-1. Let’s get into this week’s picks:
Chargers 30-28 Raiders 
Let’s start Week 15 with a bit of an upset pick. These teams’ first meeting came down to the game’s final play, with the Chargers being an overturned call away from a walkoff touchdown. Since then, these teams have been on complete roller coasters. The Raiders are slipping more than ever right now, and the Chargers are starting to find some footing. For that reason, I’m gonna take LA in a close one. I just don’t trust the Raiders anymore, as I’ve stated in the last week or so. They will be playing for their season, and in a huge spot, I can’t put any faith in them to win.
Bills 24-20 Broncos 
I don’t really see a way that the Bills lose this game, but I do think it’ll be closer than many people think. The Broncos have been playing some good football lately, and although Buffalo has been on fire, I do think Denver can play them close. QB Drew Lock has played very nicely in his last few games, and if the Bills defense slips up a bit, it might be trouble. I don’t see them slipping too much, but don’t be surprised if this one comes down to the wire.
Packers 30-20 Panthers 
No need to overthink the room on this one. Green Bay is one of the hottest teams in football and playing brilliant offense, especially though the air. Carolina has been reeling all year long without RB Christian McCaffrey, and although they have been competitive in many games, the Packers are too good of a team for them to beat. It could be close at times, but I like Green Bay to win this game easily.
Buccaneers 28-24 Falcons 
This is the first of 2 matchups between Tampa Bay and Atlanta in the final 3 weeks of the season, which is a rare sight in the NFL. I think this game could be close, but the Falcons have a chance to make things interesting. However, they haven’t been playing their best football recently. The Bucs are still trying to figure things out offensively, even after 13 games, but against a team and a defense as bad as the Falcons’, they should be fine.
49ers 26-23 Cowboys 
This game could have been great, but these teams have been so ravaged by injuries that this game is now a snoozefest. I mean, if you want to see Nick Mullens vs. Andy Dalton, then good for you, but I do not care about this game. I’m simply taking the Niners because the talent they still have on the field is superior to Dallas’, and they have proven that they can still win games. This should be easy for San Francisco.
Titans 27-21 Lions 
Detroit will likely be without star QB Matt Stafford for their trip down to Nashville, which immediately removes all chances they may have had of winning this game. However, I do think that backup QB Chase Daniel will do enough to keep his team in this game. But, at the end of the day, the Titans will be too overpowering. Expect RB Derrick Henry to have another huge game as Tennessee inches closer towards a division title.
Colts 28-22 Texans 
These teams are meeting for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, and the result will be the same. The Texans played the Colts very closely in the first game, so I expect things to go the same way, but once again, Indy should emerge victorious. Houston is simply falling apart, and their loss last week was the embarrassing tipping point in this mess of a season. The Colts need every win they can get if they want to stay alive in the division race, and this should be an easy one for them.
Patriots 23-20 Dolphins 
Some of you may view this as another upset pick, but I don’t think so. The Patriots won the first matchup with the Dolphins all the way back in Week 1. Not only that, but Bill Belichick has shown an uncanny ability to shut down young QBs. I think Tua Tagovailoa will have a rough time against a Patriots defense that still has plenty of talent. Their offense has been extremely suspect, and the Miami defense is no joke, but I think that the Pats will be able to pull one out in a tough rivalry game.
Vikings 20-17 Bears 
Both of these teams come into this game at 6-7 and will be fighting for their seasons. The Vikings have shown me way more than the Bears have in the second half of 2020, which makes this a fairly easy pick. I think their offense will do enough to push them to victory. I trust Kirk Cousins to get the job done in a big moment, oddly enough. I certainly trust him more than I trust Mitchell Trubisky.
Seahawks 27-20 Washington 
This one is tough. This game can certainly go either way, as both of these teams match up very well with one another. Washington’s defense has been playing like one of the best D’s in the league, and Seattle’s offense has been sputtering a bit in recent weeks. They also have to take the long trip out to the east for a 1pm kick, which could have an impact. I simply trust the Seahawks more in this situation, although the WFT has won some big games already this season. It will take a great performance by the Washington offense, which hasn’t been playing up to par in the last few weeks. No matter who is starting at QB, I don’t see the offense being able to overcome Seattle in this big of a moment.
Ravens 35-10 Jaguars 
Uh… yeah. This one is very, very easy. This game won’t be close. Whatever the line is, take Baltimore.
Rams 45-9 Jets 
LOL. See the above matchup. Take the Rams no matter what.
Cardinals 26-21 Eagles 
This always-compelling battle of the birds should be a very interesting one. QB Jalen Hurts will be making his 2nd start for the Eagles, coming off a huge win against the Saints last week. I think it’ll be harder to win another game against a team that actually knows how to gameplan for him. Arizona has been struggling, but finally picked up a win last week in East Rutherford. They need every single win they can get, and this should be a fairly easy one for them. I think Hurts can keep the Birds in it, but I’m not sure if it’ll be enough to win another game.
Chiefs 28-27 Saints 
Sheesh. Here we go. This game has been circled on everyone’s calendars all season long, and it’s finally here. However, it may not be what we all want to see. We’re still not sure if QB Drew Brees will play for the Saints, which is the biggest contingency of this matchup. If it’s Taysom Hill starting again for the Saints, then I don’t think they stand a chance. If Brees plays, I think it will be closer. In any case, I like KC here. The Chiefs are the best team in football and are showing no signs of slowing down, even against a team as good as New Orleans. No matter who lines up across from him, Patrick Mahomes will do what he needs to do to win this game for the Chiefs.
Browns 25-20 Giants 
I’m not a fan of this game being flexed into primetime, but I think it should be a fun one. The Browns have a great offense and the Giants have a good defense, but New York had a massive slip-up last week to derail their playoff hopes. It’s hard to pick them in this game because of that. Cleveland should be able to bounce back from their heartbreaking loss on Monday night against a team that is slowly losing a grip on their season. QB Baker Mayfield has played quite nicely in recent weeks, and the run game speaks for itself. However, their defense needs to play a lot better as the season winds down. Luckily, the Giants don’t have much an offense to challenge them. This should be a fairly easy one for the Browns.
Steelers 24-13 Bengals 
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz…. One of these teams is awful. The other is the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincy is obviously one of the worst teams in football, and this will be an easy win to get back on track for the Steelers. Another win against a very poor team that nobody will care about: the story of the season for the Steelers.
Raza Talks Sports 