NFL 2024 Week 15 Prequel
College football is over. The professionals take over the entire weekend going forward. Religious Jews can always tape the Saturday games, just as religious Christians can do when games conflict with church.
Week 15 begins the home stretch. The stakes are sky high.
In September, all 32 NFL teams are like little puppies with dreams in their eyes. This is December. Put the NFL puppies to bed. December brings the words of John Randle and Mike Singletary that ring as true as a quarterback getting his bell rung.
“This is when the big dogs come out.”
You can yap and yelp in September. You better be snarling mad dog mean to win in the National Football League in December.
This is when the big dogs come out.
There is room for finesse in September. The weather is colder in December. The bodies are bruised, beaten, battered and bloodied. The best of these men will refuse to stay down. Talking does not win Super Bowls. The Lombardi Trophy is not hoisted by engaging in words. Winning teams in December bring their battering rams. December is smash-mouth offense, bone-crunching defense, and brutal, blustery football weather.
This is when the big dogs come out.
September brings sunshine and ease at moving the ball. December is a war of attrition where every yard is contested. Fourth and goal at the one is not so easy when the men in the trenches are fighting the elements of rain, snow, and cold as well as each other. Every loss brings a team closer to the season’s end short of the goal. In December, only the very strongest of the strong survive. The very strongest of those men thrive.
This is December football. These are the big dogs. This is when the big dogs come out.
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (-2 1/2) — The Rams looked impressive in their win against Buffalo, but the 49ers in recent years seem to have the Rams number. The home field matters very little in this series. Both teams have offensive weapons. Both teams are desperate, with the 49ers on the brink. Yet go with the 49ers until the trend in this rivalry is broken. 49ers cover
Baltimore Ravens (-16 1/2) at New York Giants — Yes, on paper this should be a major blowout. Yet the spread is simply too high for a road team. The Giants are awful but the Ravens do not blow teams out. A garbage touchdown to beat the spread is possible. Ravens win but fail to cover
New York Jets (-3 1/2) at Jacksonville Jaguars — This is the Stupor Bowl between a pair of 3-10 teams Trevor Lawrence is out for the year. Aaron Jones in theory is better than Mac Jones. The spread is too high to trust a road team as miserable as the Jets. Jets win but fail to cover
Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers (-2 1/2) — The Panthers have improved in recent weeks. Bryce Young is slowly coming into his own. Chuba Hubbard can pound the rock. The Cowboys are in desperation mode, but at home give the team that took Philadelphia to the limit the benefit of the doubt. Panthers cover
Washington Commanders (-7 1/2) at New Orleans Saints — Derek Carr is done for the year. The Saints have improved since interim coach Darren Rizzi took over. The Commanders have cooled in recent weeks since their hot start. The Commanders are the better team but the spread is too high for a road team that has been inconsistent in recent weeks. The Saints defense will rally around their third string quarterback. Commanders win but fail to cover
Cincinnati Bengals (-5) at Tennessee Titans — The Bengals needed dumb luck to beat Dallas, but it counts in the standings. The Titans are awful. Joe Burrow is better than Will Levis. Burrow has more weapons. The Bengals are not blowing anyone away. Bengals win but fail to cover
Kansas City Chiefs (-4) at Cleveland Browns — As bad as the Browns are, the Chiefs win close games. Jameis Winston is exciting but he throws too many touchdowns to both teams. The Browns will keep it close for awhile at home, but Patrick Mahomes has too many weapons to be stopped when it counts. The Chiefs offensive line has allowed too many sacks of Mahomes, making for closer games. Chiefs win but fail to cover
Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans (-3) — The Texans are the better team. The Texans are at home. CJ Stroud and Tua Tagovailoa can both sling it. The Texans defense has more talent than the Dolphins offense. Texans cover
Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos (-4) — Bo Nix is getting better by the week. The Broncos defense is returning to form. Grabbing an early lead will force the Colts to move away from Jonathan Taylor as a focal point of an attack. Anthony Richardson has talent, but the Denver defense will swallow him up as both teams fight for the playoffs. Broncos cover
New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals (-6) — Kyler Murray is talented but the Cardinals are too inconsistent to trust, even against a bad Patriots team. Drake Maye is improving. James Conner could have a big day. Cardinals win but fail to cover
Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions (-2 1/2) — This could be a Super Bowl preview as the 10-3 Bill take on the 12-1 Lions. The Bills are coming off a loss where their defense gave up 44 points to the Rams. Now the Rams defense faced a relentless Lions offense. Jared Goff has so many weapons. Josh Allen is special, but the Lions at home have earned the benefit of the doubt. This should be a great game. Lions cover
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Los Angeles Chargers (-3) — Baker Mayfield and Justin Herbert can both sling it, but the Chargers have the better defense and the better coach in Jim Harbaugh. Home field means nothing for the Chargers. Go with the better defense. Chargers cover
Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles (-5) — This could be a potential Super Bowl as well as the 10-3 Steelers battle the 11-2 Eagles. The Eagles win close games. They barely survived Carolina. Russell Wilson and Jalen Hurts are both playing well. In the battle for the Keystone State, this is a game to just take the home field. Eagles win but fail to cover
Green Bay Packers (-2 1/2) at Seattle Seahawks — Matt Hasselbeck has long retired, but both of these teams can make the playoffs. Jordan Love is good and Geno Smith is competent. The Packers nearly took down Detroit at Detroit last week. This game could come down to who has the ball last. Go with the better quarterback in a good one. Packers cover
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (-7) — The 11-2 Vikings take on a Bears team that has lost 7 straight. Sam Darnold lit up the Atlanta defense last week and should be able to do the same at home against Chicago. Justin Jefferson should be able to torch the opposing defenders. This game is a mismatch. Vikings cover
Atlanta Falcons (-3 1/2) at Las Vegas Raiders — The 2-11 Raiders have lost 9 straight games. The Falcons have been terrible in recent weeks, but not nearly as awful as the Raiders. The Raiders are starting their 3rd string quarterback and former Falcons backup Desmond Ridder with Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew both out for the season. The Raiders have no home field advantage. Their defense usually breaks because their offense does nothing. The Raiders long ago stopped deserving the benefit of the doubt but the Falcons are one team that the Raiders could hang in with. The Raiders lose close games. Falcons win but fail to cover