2019 Week 15 Predix

Written by Sam DeCoste

There are only three weeks to go in the regular season, and there is still a lot to be deciided. Playoff berths are on the line, jobs are on the line, and everyone's season can change if they win right now. The Rams take on the Cowboys in a must win game for both teams, the Bills and Steelers battle on Sunday Night Football in a showdown between the two current AFC Wild Card teams, and the Colts take on the Saints on Monday night.

Last week saw major improvement in my predictions, and I correctly predicted 10 out of 16 games in Week 14. With three weeks to go, I need to boost my record to try and avoid my worst finish in Predix history, so it's time to finish strong Without any further delay, let's get right into it!

Here are my records over this season: 
My record last week: 10-6
Regular season record: 127-80-1
Lock of the Week record: 10-4

NYJ @ BAL

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson may be the MVP frontrunner, but he has been exposed the previous two games. Against the 49ers and Bills, Lamar Jackson combined for 250 passing yards in eight quarters, which is a mediocre performance for a quarterback. Against the Bills, Jackson only totaled 40 rushing yards and 11 carries, so the NFL now has a blueprint as to how to beat Lamar Jackson. The Ravens offense is in need of a bounce back game to rediscover their dominance and bolster their confidence, and the Jets provide another challenge for them to do so.

The 5-8 New York Jets quietly have the NFL's second best rushing defense this season, allowing just 79 rushing yards per game, which matches up brilliantly with the Ravens run first offense. They have been able to stop the run all season long, but they are losing because their secondary is being carved week to week. The Jets have also proven to be wildly inconsistent this year, so it is difficult to determine if the Jets will be up for the challenge in primetime on Thursday night. 

The Ravens have their eyes set on the number one seed, and they control their own destiny with an easy schedule the rest of the way. With a win over the Jets, the Ravens would take one step closer, and they should not run into any forks in the road to make it happen.

Prediction: NYJ 10, BAL 26

HOU @ TEN

The Titans take on the Texans for the first of two games in the final 14 days of the regular season, each with substantial playoff implications. 

After starting 2-4, the Titans have gone 6-1 in their last seven games, and it comes down to the prolific play of Ryan Tannehill, who is reportedly earning a hefty extension to become Tennessee's franchise quarterback. Tannehill has thrown for 15 touchdown passes in his 7 starts, and has a career high passer rating of 118.5. To go along with an improved passing game, Derrick Henry has ran for over 100 yards in 5 straight games, and has 8 touchdown runs in the same span. Henry has been an unstoppable force for three straight Decembers, and is a difference maker who is capable of carrying the Titans down to the end. The Texans surrender an average of 110 rushing yards per game, while Henry is currently the NFL's second leading rusher. 

Meanwhile, Houston has problems. After a very impressive performance to defeat the New England Patriots, the Texans follow up with a humiliating defeat to the Denver Broncos, in a game which they trailed by as much as 35 points. Who knows which version of the Texans we should expect this week, in a game with playoff implications? The defense proved they cannot be trusted, especially after being carved by a rookie quarterback making his first career start in Drew Lock. With the Titans explosive, yes, I said explosive, offense, the Texans could be exposed again, and lose their mantle on top of the NFC North.

The Texans are proving to be inconsistent week to week, and they have not won in Nashville since 2015. The Titans should be favorites, and take a step towards winning their first division title since 2008.

Prediction: HOU 20, TEN 33

CHI @ GB

It seems like ages ago that the Bears and Packers opened the season in Chicago back on September 5. Today, the Packers sit at 10-3, only half a game behind the 49ers and Saints for a potential first round bye, and the Bears are 7-6, facing long odds to return to the postseason. 

For Chicago, their 4-6 start has led the way for three straight wins, due to the resurgent play of Mitch Trubisky. He has been the liability for the Bears roster all year, but he is coming off a come from behind win in Detroit on Thanksgiving, and a dominant showing against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. The previous two games have also featured the rookie running back, David Montgomery, much more in the offense, complementing he sudden rise in play from Trubisky. 

Meanwhile, the Packers offense has featured a different skill position player every week, which makes their offense one of the most balanced in football. Aaron Jones has evolved into a critical playmaker for the Packers offense this season, and he battled off 134 rushing yards on just 16 carries against the Redskins, in a game which Aaron Rodgers was not at his best. In the receiving core, Devante Adams is one of the most talented receivers in the NFL, and unproven young receivers are continuing to make big plays in big moments, like Geronimo Allison, Marquez Valdez-Scantling, and even Allen Lazard. Their offense may not be the most prolific, but they are getting the job done, and they seem to have the Bears' number when they are in Green Bay. 

Aaron Rodgers has a record of 18-5 against the Bears in his career, and he has created some of his signature career plays at their expense. He will make one or two more of those on Sunday to bury Chicago's season and keep Green Bay's hopes alive for a first round bye.

Prediction: CHI 13, GB 21

SEA @ CAR

For the trajectory the Seahawks were on to finish the season, nobody saw the beating the Rams handed down to them coming. After a thrilling 37-30 win over the Vikings, the Seahawks came out flat against a Rams team which has played like a group of amateurs for weeks, and the Seahawks defense made them look like world beaters. Their defense could be a weakness in the playoffs, but they have a chance to bounce back against Kyle Allen's Panthers this week.

The Panthers are winless since November 3, and have one win in their last seven contests. They have collapsed, the play of Christian McCaffrey has not been able to take over games like it did in the first half of the season, and the defense has been ran over by opposing offenses going back to their return from bye. Their point totals allowed going back to Week 8 include 51, 20, 24, 29, 34, 29, and 40 last week. They do not match up well at all to stop the Seahawks, and they are in for another pummeling. 

The Panthers will be happy to play spoiler, but their season is pretty much over under an interim head coach. Seattle has something to play for, not to mention they are led by an MVP contender in Russ. Only one way this game is going.

Prediction: SEA 24, CAR 13 

TB @ DET

Jameis Winston leads the league in interceptions by 7, which is a different kind of atrocity. Somehow, the Bucs beat the Colts in spite of Winston's turnovers on the count of 456 yards and 4 touchdown passes in addition to 3 interceptions. Their offense has been explosive all year, and Chris Godwin, OJ Howard, and Mike Evans are combining to make an unstoppable offensive force, and their production is being overshadowed by Winston's carelessness. Against the Lions this week, Winston and the offense should be able to move the ball up and down the field, but Winston will throw at least 2 picks and give the Lions an advantage. 

In Minneapolis last week, David Blough turned the ball over twice himself, but Bo Scarborough pounded the ball 19 times, and Kenny Golladay scored a touchdown. People forget that the Lions offense has weapons, including Golladay, Marvin Jones, and Danny Amendola. They have moved the ball efficiently this season, and Blough even led the Lions to a solid offensive performance in his first career start. If the defense can make some stops and force characteristic Winston turnovers, the Lions have a chance to win.

As long as Winston is at quarterback, I will pick against the Bucs. Even if David Blough is stating for the Lions, that is who I'm going with. 

Prediction: TB 20, DET 24

 NE @ CIN

Say what you want about another potential spying scandal from Patriot Place, but I will talk about football. The Pats dominate this game on paper, and their number one ranked defense which leads the league in takeaways should have a field day against Andy Dalton and the lackluster and inconsistent Bengals unit. 

The Pats defense was exposed last week. They surrendered 23 unanswered points to the Chiefs in three quarters of play, and their defense was seeking far and wide for answers until they forced crucial second half turnovers to give the Pats the momentum. Their defense has not been locking it down like they were in the first half of the season. Their strength of schedule was very weak in the first half of 2019, but against the three teams currently leading the other AFC divisions, the Pats are winless against all of them. They are no longer in control of the number one seed, and need to win out and get help to reclaim home field advantage. A road trip to Cincy should prove no obstacle for them to win this week. Beyond this week, there are questions. 

Prediction: NE 27, CIN 9

MIA @ NYG

The fourth Tank Bowl of the season will take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey when the Miami Dolphins take on the New York Giants. Both teams enter this Week 15 clash with a combined 5 wins, and one will walk away with the sixth this Sunday.

For the Dolphins, the season was over before it started, with major roster upheaval that never gave them a chance to win right from the spring. This season has been dedicated to experimenting with fun young players like Patrick Larid and Isaiah Ford, who were focal points of the offense last week. Ryan Fitzpatrick has played at quarterback all season long, and has kept the ship afloat for the most part, but has cost his team with turnovers from time to time. Their offense has the potential to explode at any moment and cause problems for any defense but their own defense is as productive as 11 actual dolphins. I used that metaphor last week, but the same can still be said, because they are just so bad.

The Giants currently hold the longest losing streak in the NFL, at 9 straight games, and they haven't won since the end of September. A series of Daniel Jones turnovers, Saquon Barkley injuries, and offensive inconsistencies have derailed what started as a promising Giants season. Eli Manning actually returned the fold last week in relief for Daniel Jones, and played well. He completed half of his passes for 203 yards and 2 touchdowns, which was enough to hold a 17-3 lead over the Eagles at halftime. The Giants have simply underperformed in every category all season, and it takes a certain amount of mediocrity to lose 9 straight games. 

Whether the quarterback is Eli Manning or Danny Dimes, the Giants are a more talented football team than the Dolphins, and they are the favorites to prevail in this late season Tank Bowl.

Prediction: MIA 14, NYG 28

DEN @ KC

Pat Mahomes stepped up big time with a road win against the Patriots at Gillette. Against the number one defense in the league, the reigning MVP slung the football around the yard and played too well in the first half for Tom Brady and the Pats to catch up in the second half, and the Chiefs earned a signature win their season was calling out for. But as I warned the Texans last week, the Chiefs need to be careful of an emotional letdown. It is easy to overlook an opponent the week after beating the Patriots, and we have seen teams fall for this trap time and time again. The Broncos just destroyed the Texans in their own building on Sunday, led by rookie quarterback Drew Lock, and they are capable of upsetting another division leader this week. As long as Pat Mahomes plays like he did on Sunday in Foxboro, and the Chiefs defense does not fall asleep against a rookie making his third career start, order will be maintained in KC.

While Drew Lock shocked the world last week, it is going to be a different animal to repeat his performance over in Arrowhead against the league MVP this week. Not to mention Denver is winless against Kansas City since September 17, 2015. The Chiefs will handle Drew Lock's Broncos just fine and move to 10-4.

Prediction: DEN 17, KC 24

PHI @ WSH

There is no reason for the Eagles to underperform as woefully as they have thus far. A second half comeback over Eli Manning's New York Giants to follow up a shock loss to Miami Dolphins the week before is not the standard of the Philadelphia Eagles, and it speaks to how poor they have been this season. But their schedule is light from here, beginning with a road trip to Washington. 

Rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins is learning more how to play the game in the pros every week, and he played adequately in Green Bay, throwing for 170 yards and a touchdown with a pick, and the running game has been an asset for the Redskins when the offense has been at their best. Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice combined for an explosive one-two punch at running back, and combined for 25 touches and 118 total yards against the Packers. Their running game can be dangerous against the Eagles, whose defense has been all over the place all season long.

With what is transpiring in Dallas, the Eagles need to capitalize and leap ahead of the Cowboys and take care of business. No excuses. The Eagles should beat the Redskins and move to .500, and set up a must win game against the Cowboys next week at the Line.

Prediction: PHI 22, WSH 16

MIN @ LAC

This week will mark the likely return of Adam Theilen, who has been in and out of the lineup for weeks this season from injury, and he will certainly boost the Vikings explosiveness if he can stay healthy through the postseason. Thus far, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins has been fantastic. He has tossed 24 touchdowns this season to just 4 interceptions, and has a  passer rating of 112. He is an asset for the Vikings offense this year, not just a game manager, and he is living up to his $84 million contract. Not to mention Dalvin Cook is playing like the best running back in the NFL, and Alexander Mattison is stepping up to give Cook a break in the backfield as well and is making plays of his own.

The Chargers showed us what we thought we would be seeing out of them all season long with a dominant 45-10 win over the Jaguars in Duval last week. Philip Rivers played his best game of the season, throwing for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns, and Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon combined for 268 total scrimmage yards and the offense played its best game all year. Where were they all year? They were awesome. I wish we got to see this version of the Chargers more often in 2019. 

Make no mistake, this is a must win game for the Vikings. The Rams are chasing the Vikings in the standings right now, and one slip up on their part could see them outside the playoff picture completely, despite how brilliant they have been this season. A West Coast trip to the Chargers could be difficult, but it will be made easier by the Viking fan presence which should be imminent at StubHub Center. The Vikings will outlast the Chargers, and set up a blockbuster clash with the Packers next Sunday night.

Prediction: MIN 27, LAC 23

CLE @ ARZ

As the Browns season runs down, controversy continues to surround their building, including Baker Mayfield's continued subpar performances, and Odell Beckham, Jr. calling out for other teams to make a trade for him. Last week, against the worst defense in the AFC, Mayfield completed just 45% of his passes for 192 yards and tossed 2 picks, and let Beckham catch just 2 passes all game. The Browns offense has been inconsistent all season long, and the internal dysfunction of this team has continued to carry over, and you have to wonder when their bubble will finally burst.

For the Cardinals, their season has been over for months already, but they are giving Kyler Murray more experience every week. Last week turned out to be a disaster for the rookie quarterback as he tossed 3 interceptions in a loss to the Steelers. The team failed in all three phases, surrendering an 85 yard punt return touchdown, turning the ball over, and failing to make enough stops against Duck Hodges and the Steelers offense. But against the Browns, a poorly coached football team, the Cardinals have a chance to exploit their dysfunction, and Murray has an opportunity for a bounce back game.

The Browns are traveling cross-country with high maintenance baggage, and the Cardinals offense is explosive enough to make plays against the Browns defense and stick a fork in the Browns season this Sunday. 

Prediction: CLE 24, ARZ 29

JAX @ OAK

Oakland's 42-21 home loss to Tennessee is a crushing blow to their playoff hopes, being they lose a head to head showdown and they were completely dominated in all three phases. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has done well to keep the Raiders floating in the playoff race for most of the season, but their lack of talent is becoming increasingly clear every week. Josh Jacobs was stopped for just 53 yards on 14 carries against the Titans, Derek Carr did not stretch the ball downfield, and their defense was carved by an offense with far more dynamism than theirs. The Jags offense does not have nearly as much firepower as the Chiefs or Titans, which presents an opportunity for the Raiders to bounce back and move back to .500 with 2 games to go.

The reintroduction of Nick Foles after the Jaguars bye week threw the rhythm and the momentum of Jacksonville's season completely off. The Jags are winless in November and December so far and Gardner Minshew has been unable to play at the level he did for 8 games as a starter. But the Jags can still finish the season playing spoiler, and they are perfectly capable of causing a stir for teams like the Raiders who still have a playoff say, if they can pound the ball with Fournette and Minshew can continue to connect with DJ Chark through the air.

The Raiders have to keep playing until the math says they are eliminated, which will be sooner rather than later. They should be able to get the job done against the Jaguars, otherwise you can stick a fork in them for good.

Prediction: JAX 17, OAK 20

LAR @ DAL

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers moved to 6-7 on Sunday, and were subsequently eliminated from playoff contention for the year. The Dallas Cowboys are 6-7, and they are the fourth seed in the NFC. There is something wrong with that. From now on, as long as Jason Garrett is at the helm for head coach, I will pick against the Dallas Cowboys, because it is clear that he has lost the locker room. The offense is steering away from its run-first identity and trying to play West Coast offense, but it is failing. Why is Dak Prescott, the young quarterback Jerry Jones refuses to pay, attempting 50 passes per game, while Ezekiel Elliott, the $90 million running back, is not getting 25 touches per game? The Cowboys are not winning because of their coaching. There is no sugar coding it, the Cowboys will not win again until Garrett is out of the building. 

Over in LA, just a few weeks ago, the Rams were finished. Done. Washed up. Sean McVay lost the offense and was found out. But two weeks removed from 39 point loss to the Ravens, they throttled the Seahawks on national television with a prolific offensive performance, led by Jared Goff, who is playing his best football of the season. Cooper Kupp has resurrected from his November slump, Todd Gurley is gaining confidence on the ground again, and he defense has allowed just 19 points in the previous two games. The Rams match up brilliantly with the Cowboys defense which has been exploited the past two weeks by Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky. As long as Goff can avoid turnovers, and move the chains with the loaded Rams offense, they should pick apart the Dallas Cowboys on defense.

Prediction: LAR 30, DAL 14

ATL @ SF

Kyle Shanahan's old squad pays a visit to his new stomping grounds this week when the Falcons take on the 49ers. While Shanahan has struggled to get the 49ers offense playing at a high level, it has finally started to click, and they were firing on all cylinders against the Saints. They racked over 500 yards on offense and Jimmy Garappolo played one of his most complete performances of the season with 349 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes. Emmanuel Sanders has been a revelation in the receiving core since his acquisition from Denver, and George Kittle is proving to be one of the most explosive playmakers in all of football, after his prolific catch and run against the Saints to set up the game-winning field goal. In the aftermath of such a thrilling win, the 49ers need to be wary of an emotional letdown, after coming away with the most thrilling victory of the season in New Orleans. The Falcons offense has the explosiveness to exploit their elite defense, and could easily drop a couple levels if they go on autopilot. The 49ers are better than the Falcons, and are favorites for a reason, but don't be surprised to see the Falcons catch them falling asleep on defense. This is my Lock of the Week.

Prediction: ATL 17, SF 26

BUF @ PIT

The two AFC wild card frontrunners will be under the lights this Sunday night in Heinz Field, when the Bills take on the Steelers. It will be Buffalo's first Sunday Night Football appearance since 2007, and a chance to clinch their second playoff berth in three seasons. 

For Buffalo, their defense showed out like it has all season long and shut down Lamar Jackson on the ground, but mustered only 209 offensive yards. Buffalo's offense served as their own worst enemy on Sunday against Baltimore, as crucial third down drops killed their momentum and never allowed them a chance to compete. The Bills need to find consistency on offense if they are going to win in the playoffs, and it begins with the receiving core, which is not very strong. They do not match up well with the current fifth ranked defense in the NFL, and the league leader in sacks. 

Devlin Hodges for the Steelers is not turning the ball over and is managing the game. He completed 16 of 19 passes for just 152 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals, in a game which the defense surrendered just 236 total yards. And don't forget that Juju Smith Schuster and James Conner will be reintroduced to the offense this week, which will give a significant boost of playmaking ability to Pittsburgh which they have been lacking all season long. The Steelers will need to lean heavily on their defense led by Minkah Fitzpatrick to keep making plays, otherwise Devlin Hodges will need to play off script football, which could lead to mistakes, punts, and turnovers.

This should turn out to be a scrappy field position battle, because of the caliber of both these defenses. In the end, what splits these teams is the experience in primetime, which the Bills do not have. The Bills need to prove they can consistently win when it matters like they did on Thanksgiving, but winning in Heinz Field is a daunting task. The Steelers defense should be able to neutralize the Bills passing attack and cement themselves as a favorite to make the postseason. 

Prediction: BUF 13, PIT 23

IND @ NO

Somehow, in a game which Drew Brees threw for 349 yards and 5 touchdown passes, he did not do enough to lead the Saints to a win. The Saints fell to the 49ers in the heavyweight showdown of the year, and they stay at home for a clash with the Colts. 

The Saints were prolific on offense, but there is still more to be desired from this unit, specifically Alvin Kamara, who only touched the ball 17 times for 43 yards in the highest scoring game of the season. Kamara needs to be more implemented in the game plan and not cost his team with turnovers, because he does not look like the same player as the first two years of his career. As for the defense, the Saints surrendered 516 total yards and 48 points at home, to a 49ers unit which has been stumbling of late. They could easily be exploited by another potent aerial attack this week with Jacoby Brissett and T.Y. Hilton coming into town.

The Colts have continued their second half spiral, going 1-5 in their last six games, including a defeat to Tampa Bay in which they surrendered 542 total yards. Their defense has also allowed over 30 points in three of their last four games, and they have not been able to make any stops over the past two months. The Colts are virtually out of the playoff running as it stands, and their trip to the Dome calls for desperation, which doesn't often end in victory. 

Despite the setback the Saints suffered against the 49ers in the most entertaining game of the season, they are the better team on the field this Monday night, and should find a way to bounce back and keep their hopes for home field advantage alive going right into the final two games.

Prediction: IND 20, NO 26