We've got a lot of film on them, especially from the matchup we played them. So preparation is very important this week, just getting a good tell on them, what they've been running. So really first, second down and third down is going to be crucial. We want to stay on the field to again convert third downs and come away with more points. Last time a couple times the penalties got us and that one turnover. So we're just going to take care of the football and play our game and hopefully we can take all of the positives we did from the last game and carry them over to this game coming up.
NFL Week 15 Picks
There is amazingly less than a calendar month remaining in the 2022 NFL regular season, and things are heating up as the temperatures outside cool down. Our NFL Week 15 picks, predictions and best bets are for the full slate of games, as there are no more byes from here on out as teams prepare for the final sprint to the finish.
We get an extra day to make NFL Week 15 picks on sports betting apps, as there will be three games on Saturday, highlighted by the AFC East clash between the Dolphins and Bills in Buffalo. The Bills lead the Dolphins in the divisional race, but Miami has already beaten Buffalo once this season.
The Titans have been excellent early in the game and on early downs, with the Chargers just the opposite, so the script sets up the Titans to play their game. Of course, that was the case last week too, and Tennessee got a great start and still got lambasted. Herbert could get to this defense as the game goes on. The more the Titans play their style, the more the Chargers will be forced to pass on a very beatable secondary.
Two weeks later, it feels like this game is a battle between teams going in opposite directions this season. While Washington began the season 1-4, the Giants started the season 6-1, and now the teams have identical records.
After nearly losing to the Texans last week in Dallas, the Cowboys are simultaneously in a bounce-back spot while having a huge game against the Eagles next week. The Jaguars now have a narrow path to playing the Titans for the AFC South crown in the regular season finale.
Perhaps it's the team that mounted an amazing comeback against the Baltimore Ravens a week prior to the Detroit debacle. Or maybe the squad that looked flat against the Kansas City Chiefs the game before that.
I've been wrong so often because the Jaguars simply don't make any sense. So, I wouldn't really be surprised if they pull this one off. Still, the Cowboys are perhaps the most polished team they've faced on both sides of the football this year and I'm not sure if Jacksonville is ready for this quite yet. I think Trevor Lawrence is the guy, and that much was solidified over the past several weeks. But, it won't be enough. Luckily for them, their playoff hopes won't be impacted much by losing to an NFC opponent for a record-long 21st-straight time.
I think Jacksonville is going to be riding the momentum of last week's season-changing win but it's a new week. Dallas has an elite defense and on offense they have just enough weapons to keep the game out of reach. Expect a playoff-like atmosphere and for the Jaguars to hang around until the end.
After winning four in a row to creep over the .500 hump, I've lost two in a row and find myself below .500 and clinging to a one-game lead with four games remaining in the season. My rational mind says to take the Cowboys. Dallas has a top 5 defense in the league. They have a potent offense. They're 10-3. Yet, like a Siren of the sea, I keep getting pulled back toward the Jaguars. Dallas looked shaky in beating the lowly Texans last week. They needed a 98-yard drive that ended in a TD with just 41 seconds left in the game to win. Yet, the Texans' only win is against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. But the Jaguars looked so good last week against the Titans. (Quite the conundrum). The Cowboys have won four in a row and have a Christmas Eve battle looming against the Philadelphia Eagles. Could they be overlooking the Jaguars? I think they falter in this one and the Jaguars keep their playoff hopes alive.
However, if he can go, his presence changes the dynamic of an already formidable Rams defensive line that slammed the door on Derek Carr and the Raiders last week. Look for the Rams to cover, if not win outright.
With a stout Steelers rush defense allowing just three scoring runs over the past eight weeks, the Panthers will face a challenge to eat up the clock the way they did against the injury-raved Ravens, adding value to the Steelers as a Week 15 upset pick.
Every Friday on The Terrible Podcast my co-host Alex Kozora and I will once again pick all of the NFL games against the spread. I will post those picks every Sunday morning throughout the season and track the results along the way. Here is a link to the Friday episode. We use the spreads that we see on Friday for our picks below and the lines come courtesy of our show sponsor, mybookie.ag. If you sign up for a new account now and use the promo code TERRIBLE, they will match your initial deposit dollar for dollar from $100 up to $1000. MyBookie.ag. NEW PLAYERS GET UP TO $1,000 IN FREE PLAY TODAY!!
I had zero worry last week when the Vikes played the Lions, but with the Chargers now healthy, I am very worried about this game. Maybe the Cowboys will finally get their act together and knock off the only real threat to the Vikings in the wild card race and alleviate some of that worry.
The biggest concern the Vikings have this weekend is which defense is going to show up. Will it be the defense that shuts down the run and forces Rivers into passing situations and mistakes, or will it be the defense we saw in Seattle that got gashed for over 200 yards rushing? If it is the latter, the chances of the Vikings losing another 37-30 style game increases greatly, as do the chances that Kirk Cousins gets blamed for the loss.
Meanwhile, the Colts are off a bye week, which was much needed after being outscored 33-0 in the fourth quarter at Dallas. A bye week might be what the doctor ordered for a Colts team with an interim coach in Jeff Saturday who is still getting his feet wet as a head coach. It is reasonable to expect that the Colts, with an extra week, should have their best game plan under this new, interim regime.
One prop to look at as well is Michael Pittman OV 68.5 Receiving Yards. Pittman, like the rest of the Colts, has had an up-and-down season. For instance, he had a couple of monster games (Week 1 at Houston: 9 Rec, 121 Yards, TD; Week 6 vs. Jacksonville: 13 Rec, 134 Yards), but also some quiet games especially two weeks ago at Dallas (2 Rec, 16 Yards). This is a good buy-low spot for a Pittman bounceback against a Minnesota team that ranks 26th in DVOA vs. opposing No. 1 receivers.
However, Mike White did take a beating last week and had to leave the game late with a rib injury. Nevertheless, he is going to start on Sunday. Detroit was under the radar for a while on its winning streak, but now the spotlight is shining brightly on them and they may not be ready for it.
Wes Reynolds: Houston threw the kitchen sink at Dallas last week and probably should have emerged with the outright victory. The Texans will try to do the same against Kansas City, who can clinch the AFC West with a victory here. However, the Chiefs saw on film what the Texans did last week as the Cowboys were caught off-guard by dueling quarterbacks and the package designed for Jeff Driskel.
Meanwhile, Kansas City gave up 28 points to a putrid Denver offense last week and is looking to atone for some embarrassing play. To be fair, the defense got put in jail a few times due to Patrick Mahomes throwing three interceptions. The Chiefs also let up a little bit with a 27-0 lead in the final five minutes of the first half.
Adam Burke: Justin Fields has a tough assignment this week against the Eagles, as keeping pace with NFL MVP favorite Jalen Hurts is not easy. The best chance for the Bears to do that is to have Fields running all over the place.
I think those two results have set up a pretty valuable bet on the Titans this weekend getting a field goal. In close games, I tend to lean toward the better head coach and that edge goes to Mike Vrabel over Brandon Staley. No coach in the league is better at grinding out wins in the margins than Vrabel.
Wes Reynolds: The Bengals have covered five in a row and are 10-3 ATS on the season, the best in the league. In fact, Cincinnati has covered 18 of its last 21 games dating back to Week 15 of last season. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay has the worst ATS record in the league at 3-9-1. Furthermore, the Bucs are off their most humiliating loss of the season as they took a 35-7 beating in San Francisco last week. Tom Brady was bad, the coaching was bad, and the defense was bad. Everything is pointing to Cincinnati here, so, of course, I am going with Tampa Bay.
The Miami Dolphins (8-5) head to Western New York to face the Buffalo Bills (10-3) after 2 miserable outings. The New York Giants (7-5-1) visit the Washington Commanders (7-5-1) will meet just 2 weeks after they tied 20-20 in New Jersey.
Jets QB Mike White has been a remarkable story. He took a beating against the Bills last week and still almost led New York to a victory. Even though the Jets lost 20-12, the team and fans love him. But how will he be this week against the Detroit Lions (6-7). White suffered bruised ribs and who knows what other bumps and bruises after facing the Buffalo defense.
Meanwhile, QB Jared Goff was having another solid game Detroit claimed a 34-23 victory against the visiting Minnesota Vikings (10-3). The win kept the Lions in the NFC playoff hunt. Another win this week could get them even closer. 2ff7e9595c
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