The National Football league will host games that can make or break a team’s chance of the post season in Week 15. As teams that are on the outside looking in will try to be a scrooge and instead of handing coal look to handle L(s). Not just ordinary loss but a loss that can jeopardize a team that is on the bubble, or is fighting for division seeding. Also the league gets us ready for next week’s holiday action by introducing the first Saturday night game of the season. In case you were wondering next week all games except three will be on Christmas Eve. Happy holidays let’s get to this week’s picks.

Standings: Daniel 23-21 Eddie: 23-21
Note: The stats compiled here were provided by http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics

Thursday Night Football:
Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle Seahawks
Daniel: The third place Rams look to visit the first place in the NFC West division Seahawks, led by the irritated Richard Sherman, who remains displeased at the fact Thursday night games are still a thing. The Seahawks O-line, which has been a cause of concern compared to seasons past, will look to have their hands full with the Rams D-line led by Aaron Donald, who has seven sacks for the season. The Rams just come off the heels of firing coach Jeff Fisher; who had just signed a contract extension that probably shouldn’t have been offered. But then again, Fisher did have the Hawks number being 3-0 in the past three meetings with them; maybe it wasn't the right time for the Rams to fire Fisher just before this game. Side note: Who really won the RG3 trade?
Winner: Seahawks

Eddie: To say that these two teams had the two most hectic weeks of their season would be an understatement. The Rams were blown out by the Atlanta Falcons in front of an empty home crowd, and the organization also fired long-time coach, Jeff Fisher after tying the record for most losses in the NFL. Never recording a positive record during his tenure with the Rams, Fisher’s firing seemed inevitable.
Now, the Rams travel to Seattle to face a Seahawks team that got punched in the mouth by a potent Green Bay Packers offense, thus proving that the loss of safety Earl Thomas to injury was a very significant one. The Seahawks have lost their last 3 encounters with the Rams in low scoring affairs; and after a terrible outing against the Packers, in which he threw 5 interceptions, QB Russell Wilson will look to bounce back. Look for Seattle RB Thomas Rawls to see a sizable workload both in the passing game and on the ground, as the rams have allowed 13 touchdowns to running backs this season.
Winner: Seattle reclaims some lost respect in the NFC, with a convincing home win over Los Angeles.

Saturday Night Football:
Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets
Daniel: On the prelude to the week before of nothing but Saturday games we have the Ryan Tannehill-less Dolphins who come into a divisional game to a Jets team that relied heavy on the run last week. Tannehill suffered a sprained ACL and MCL, so Matt Moore would like to be the starter and see if he can keep them in the playoff hunt. Moore’s last start was in 2011. RB Jay Ajayi not achieving over a 100 rush yards in the last five games is misleading he is just not getting big enough lanes since his o-line is so shaky with so many injuries; center Mike Pouncey just got placed on injured reserve. But they are going up against a team with a coach in Todd Bowles, who is on the hot seat despite the fact that it is till his second year with a rookie quarterback. He will look to continue to either get better or not be the future of the organization.
Winner: Dolphins

Eddie: Can relief QB Matt Moore lead the Dolphins to a victory over a jaded and mentally checked-out Jets squad? WR Kenny Stills has proven to be one of the Dolphins’ better acquisitions, scoring a touchdown in two of his last three games, and faces a terrible Jets secondary that allows for 7.4 yards per pass attempt. On the other side of the field, the Jets are coming from an overtime victory at San Francisco, but it should be noted that it was all RB Bilal Powell’s effort. QB Bryce Petty looked up and down all game against one of the worst defenses in the league, recording an interception and no touchdowns.
Winner: Miami keeps their playoffs hopes alive with a win on the road.

Sunday Games:
Cleveland Browns @ Buffalo Bills
Daniel: Cleveland just needs to enter tank mode and continue to lose games so they can secure that number one pick and look forward to draft night.
Winner: Buffalo, they are too good to get an L by RG3 and company.

Eddie: Cleveland is dangerously approaching 2008 Detroit Lions territory, recording no wins so far this season. If they decide to start QB Robert Griffin III, the Browns can surely wave at 0-14.
Winner: Buffalo runs all over these Browns.

Detroit Lions @ New York Giants
Daniel: The battle between two hot teams in the NFC will be a match between cornerback and wide receiver in Odell Beckham Jr. and Darius Slay. Slay, 35 tackles, averaging 13 pass deflections and two interceptions, tied for first on the team. He will go against OBJ, who is averaging 79 receptions, 1,109 yards, 9 tds, 9 career reception TDs, of 60+ yards( most in the NFL since 2014). Can Detroit’s defense stay as hot as it has been and hold off Eli Manning and his WRs? Or will Janoris Jenkins pick off a not so healthy Matthew Stafford? Which defense shows up in the Meadowlands.
Winner: New York rides out this hot streak and everybody get ready for playoff Eli.

Eddie: A game with severe playoff implications, as the Giants are coming off a stunning win over the Dallas Cowboys. Neither of these teams can run the football, but the difference here lies in the quarterbacks. Lions QB Matthew Stafford is having an MVP type season, throwing for 22 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions. The interception stat. lines for Stafford were always elements of criticism throughout his career, and when compared to Eli Manning’s 23 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, it is clear to see who has had the better year.
The Giants showed flashes of being an elite defense against the Cowboys this past Sunday Night, but the mojo the Lions have been carrying all season will be embodied in a late game Darius Slay pick, or a scoring drive orchestrated by Stafford.
Winner: Detroit wins a huge game on the road.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Baltimore Ravens

Daniel: The Philly offense will look to pass the rock, but cut down on those turnovers by Carson Wentz. He averages 232.8 passing yards per game. The Eagles take on a Baltimore Ravens defense that is ranked 11th in the NFL allowing, 236 pass yards per game. The Ravens D is also tied for 4th in interceptions, and will look to blitz Wentz into throwing interceptions,. Wentz currently has one less than touchdowns, 13 TDs, 12 int. Eric Weedle will look to lead that Ravens defense, and Terrell Suggs will look to create havoc for Wentz. This Philly o-line has allowed 30 sacks already and it doesn't have a good outlook this week. The Ravens defense won’t make matters easier because they lead the league in fewest rush yards per game allowed with 73.8.
Winner: Baltimore

Eddie: After losing to the New England Patriots, the Ravens are left with the task to win out if they want to go to the playoffs. RB Kenneth Dixon looked good in the second half of the game against the Patriots, using his athleticism to catch 8 passes and a touchdown out of the backfield, and is expected to continue his development as the most targeted weapon by Joe Flacco. On the Eagles side of things, this week doesn’t bode well for QB Carson Wentz. No rookie quarterback has ever been able to beat the Ravens ever since coach John Harbaugh took over in 2008. During this period, the highest passer rating registered is 60.6, and a completion percentage of 52.4.
Winner: Baltimore bounces back at home against a tough Eagles team.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals.
Daniel: The Bengals, who look to play the role of spoiler for this Steelers team, will look to upset them at home as they welcome back wide receiver A.J. Green. The Steelers defense has come alive these past weeks, since week 11 they are only allowing 12.5 points per game; they are getting after the quarterback. The disappointing O-line of the Bengals will have their fits handled with that defense, Andy Dalton will look to test how healthy his All Pro wide out is. If they can get it going they will play spoiler, but you can’t forget about that Steelers offense of Le'Veon Bell, Ben Roethlisberger, and Antonio Brown.
Winner: Steel curtain in a close battle, but only because the Bengals show up for this division rivalry.

Eddie: RB Le’Veon Bell is going to takeover headlines all throughout the week after a videogame-like performance against the Bills. Bell amounted to 298 total yards from scrimmage, and 3 touchdowns, after the Steelers decided to funnel all of their offense through the Michigan State product. Additionally, since week 4, 57.5% of Pittsburgh’s offense runs through Bell (highest in the NFL). The Bengals would have to depend on other results to at least have playoff consideration, and that looks difficult against this impressive Steelers offense.
Winner: The Steelers take care of business on the road.

Indianapolis Colts @ Minnesota Vikings
Daniel: In a battle that both teams need to stay playoff relevant; who do you have more faith in, the Colts offense led by Andrew Luck? Luck will look to gain form against a strong Vikings defense who will look to hold the fort down at home. Despite his shaky offense Andrew Luck is the 5th best quarterback in the league with 281.8 passing yards per game. Vikings defense, despite the loss of Harrison Smith, will look to hit the quarterback and they likely will. They only allow 17.3 points per game, ranked second in the league. The Vikings are also coming off their best offensive game of the season last week, and will look to build off that as they hope for running back Adrian Peterson to come back just in time to help strengthen the offense if they do indeed make a playoff run.
Winner: In the words of Lil Yachty, it “get cold like Minnesota”, expect a cold front in the Vikings D-line to take this one.

Eddie: With the Colts being swept by the Houston Texans this season, and a game behind the Tennessee Titans, this visit to the NFL’s newest stadium is a must win. A key storyline here should be QB Sam Bradford, who has had a career resurgence in Minnesota. Perhaps the statistics don’t reflect so, but Bradford has been one of the brightest spots for the Minnesota this season making great throws, keeping them in games and staying strong despite having a bottom-of-the-barrel offensive line. Someone to consider for the “Comeback Player of the Year” award.
Winner: Vikings stay relevant this week with a win.

Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears
Daniel: NFC North game, which will showcase a Packers offense that is as flame as the flame emoji right now. After losing four in a row, the Pack have won three straight. Packers need to win to help continue their playoff hopes alive with the duo of receivers who lead the league with the most TDs as a duo, Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson. Packers are 7-1 currently when they score 30 points this season. Matt Barkley will look to improve his stock by doing well in his third start of his career.
Winner: Rodgers and company continue the streak of litness in this offense and win the game.

Eddie: The Packers need this game if they want to stay in this race for the division, however they do face a sneaky good defense at Soldier Field. The absence of RB James Starks due to a car accident will thin them out at the position, forcing them to play former Seahawk Christine Michael. However, none of this matters because you have QB Aaron Rodgers shredding historically great defenses like Seattle’s week after week.
Winner: Packers on the road.

Tennessee Titans @ Kansas City Chiefs
Daniel: In what could be a real possibility of a postseason battle between these two that could occur in the upcoming weeks; this game will feature a strong O-line of the Titans, against a strong D-line of the Chiefs. The Titans o-line, which fuels the emblematic “exotic smash mouth” rushing attack, average 3.0 rush yards before contact, 2nd best in NFL. While the Chiefs d-line, led by Justin Houston, Dee Ford, and Tamba Hali, can play multiple sets to either blitz the quarterback or set up in an eight man box and stop the run. The D of the Chiefs have 19 sacks since week 8, which is 4th most in NFL, pick your poison on who you want to double with that secondary. While the Titans who have a three headed monster of a run game will go up against a defense allowing 122.9 yards rushing, 27th in NFL. Can Marcus Mariota continue his learning curve?
Winner: Kansas City, they find a way like they have been all season.

Eddie: Marcus Mariota is one of the best quarterbacks in this conference with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in the year. He also delivers in the crucial moments, making a statement with a victory over the Broncos last week. As long as his teammates don’t get in the way, much like they did last week with penalties, Mariota’s protection should hold up and he should be able to lead these Titans to a win.
Winner: Tennessee continues to win and starts to terrorize some coaches on their way to the playoffs.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans
Daniel: The Texans who have a very good defense despite the loss of J.J. Watt, will look to create turnovers from a turnover-prone Blake Bortles. This game features two quarterbacks who haven’t proven their worth yet for their respective franchise, hopefully this changes since it is a divisional game. Brock Osweiler, who has zero games with a passer rating over a 100, will look to provide the H a win to help secure the first division with an easy schedule. Marqise Lee has been the weapon of choice for Blakey B. Lee will look to see if he can build off his second 100 yard plus performance last week.
Winner: Jacksonville, stir up the pot in that division.

Eddie: The Texans defense will get over a Jacksonville squad that is totally inept on offense. This is an interesting game because both quarterbacks might have to compete for their starting job next season. As the Jaguars continue to fall, they have a better chance at a high draft pick, and while they could blow up the machine at running back and start again, the temptation to pick another quarterback might be too much to pass up. On the Houston side of things, Osweiler is clearly not the answer, and Coach Bill O’Brien’s job might be in peril because of that. At this point it is safe to say that Houston might not pick at the top of the first round, so there is an organizational decision to be made there.
Winner: Houston

New Orleans Saints @ Arizona Cardinals
Daniel: A game that will showcase the leading passing yards per game offense of the Saints, against the second best pass defense of the Arizona Cardinals, who allow 201.8 yards per game. Drew Brees will look to take apart this Cardinals secondary led by cornerback Patrick Peterson. Brees leads the league in passing yards with 4,170, but the Cardinals allow a 79.5 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks which ranks fourth best in the NFL.
Winner: New Orleans

Eddie: New Orleans is coming from back to back awful games both at home and on the road, thus resulting in them being eliminated from the playoffs. The Cardinals also find themselves in the same situation, with their loss against Miami eliminating them from the playoffs as well. This game is shaping up as a potential shootout, but with a top 3 running back in David Johnson, the Cards will take a victory at home.
Winner: Arizona Cardinals

San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons
Daniel: A battle that will showcase the Falcons competing to get a playoff spot, while the 49ers are competing for that number one pick in the draft. Colin Kaepernick can pass the rock and let is sling despite being last in the league only averaging 177.1 passing yards per game, he will go up against a defense that can’t defend the pass for the life of them. The defense is last in the league allowing opponents to throw for 275.2 passing yards per game. The best matchup of the afternoon will be Carlos Hyde vs. Deion Jones; Hyde is coming off a monster game last weekend and will look to build on last week’s game. Deion Jones, who has three interceptions and could possibly be defensive rookie of the year.
Winner: Hotlanta

Eddie: They should hand the 49ers the 2nd overall pick, and a win to every single team they face from here until the end of the season.
Winner: Atlanta

New England Patriots @ Denver Broncos
Daniel: In a rematch of the AFC championship game, the defending champs will host a Tom Brady who has not thrown a road interception in 2016. Brady has 16 TDs in road games, but the Broncos will look to disrupt Brady via the defensive line, a mixture of blitzes by Shane Ray, Derrick Wolfe, or Von Miller himself. The Broncos have 100 QB hits, they average at least seven per game, this is the most by any team since this stat has been tracked for about 15 plus years. Broncos also have 38 sacks which is second in the league. New England should look to run the ball with LeGarrette Blount, but Brady has the best passer rating with 113.6, and will face the best passing defense in the league allowing only 183.5 yards per game.
Winner: Denver at home, Brady hasn’t been Tommy Uggs in Mile High.

Eddie: The stat here is Tom Brady has 16 TDs and no interceptions on the road this season, and after the type of performance he put up against the number one ranked defense last week, a mediocre Broncos offense seems ill equipped to keep up with the Patriots’ pace. However, there is a stat. Against New England here, and that is a 5-7 record against the Broncos. Can Brady break the spell in a magical season?
Winner: New England Patriots

Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers
Daniel: The Oakland team will look to rebound after a divisional loss to the Chiefs; while the Chargers will look to pass the ball on this Oaktown team. The Chargers come into the matchup being led by Phillip Rivers, who is averaging 262.8 passing yards per game, will face a defense that is allowing 264.3 yards per game. The defensive line of the Raiders can be a problem if Khalil Mack can get to Rivers, while the Chargers defense will look to put a hand on Derek Carr. The main thing to look at is if Carr is operating out of the shotgun throughout the game just like he did last week. The x-factor for the Raiders will be Michael Crabtree, when the Raiders get over 100 yards from Crabtree they are three and o.
Winner: Oakland bounces back, and wins in San Diego.

Eddie: The Raiders can feast on a mistake-prone, injury-ridden football team. The Chargers offensive line is going to have a hellish matchup against a hungry Khalil Mack, and overall, a vengeful Raiders team that will pray for a tennessean miracle in order to recapture the crown in the AFC West.
Winner: Oakland Raiders

Sunday Night Football:
Tampa Bay buccaneers @ Dallas Cowboys
Daniel: Mike Evans who is putting some respeck on his name this season has just been dominant, with ten TDs on 80 receptions. He will look to find a groove with Jameis Winston in the Lone Star State. Dez Bryant who should be motivated coming off a lackluster week against the Giants will look to bounce back at home against an emerging Tampa Defense that has brought it these past few weeks. The Bucs are a hot team, and will look to see if they can create turnovers on Dak Prescott.
Winner: Famous Jameis shines on Sunday night backed by a defense that comes to stunt in Dallas.

Eddie: Since week 10 the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been the undisputed best defense in the league:
Points per game allowed: 13.3 (rank 1st)
Takeaways: 11 (rank 1st)
Passer rating allowed: 67.3 (rank 1st)
Third-down percent: 28.9 (rank 2nd)
Sacks: 12 (rank 5th)
Yards per game allowed: 300.3 (rank 5th).
However, I am going to doubt them one more time, only because the Dallas Cowboys have been doing this all season long.
Winner: Dallas gets right at home under the bright lights

Monday Night Football:
Carolina Panthers @ Washington Redskins
Daniel: Washington who has everything to play for will play a Panthers team that is just looking to play spoiler on whoever comes their way. Cam Newton will play with nothing to lose against a Redskins defense that is showing some sort of pass rush, Newton has had four straight games of having a completion rating of under 50 percent. The one that should look to be the Monday night stud should be Captain Kirk Cousins, who will look to sling out that deep ball of his to Desean Jackson or Jamison Crowder.
Winner: Washington

Eddie: A frisky Panthers team that builds up strength as the season goes travels to Fedex Field, and is looking to ruin some playoff hopes along the way. Since their bye, the much maligned Panthers secondary has allowed a QBR of 51 (4th lowest in the league), including the three games missed by All-Pro LB Luke Kuechly. Will this fact heat up a Cam Newton v Josh Norman matchup? Regardless, WR Kelvin Benjamin has not been the weapon the Panthers expected to get back this year, and he will face a shutdown corner in Norman.
Despite all of this, Redskins QB Kirk Cousins seems to command an unstoppable offense, and if RB Rob Kelley can get going in this game, the Panthers could be in serious trouble.
Winner: Washington keeps up the suspense in this playoff race with a win.