NFL Week 15 picks: 49ers turn Seattle into their NFC West title town
Long story short, here are my NFL picks for Week 15:
49ers 26, Seahawks 17: NFC West title at stake? All-white throwback jerseys on the 49ers? No Russell Wilson to torment them? Yes, yes, yes, the Niners win and are playoff-bound for the third time in four seasons. Brock Purdy will come away with as many 49ers wins in Seattle as Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith, and Jimmy Garoppolo. Line: 49ers -3
Vikings 31, Colts 7: Saturday’s NFL tripleheader opens with a rout of coach Jeff Saturday’s Colts. Line Vikings -4
Browns 23, Ravens 15: Nick Chubb enters the stretch run to claim the NFL rushing title ahead of Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry. Line: Browns -2 1/1
Bills 27, Miami 14: Three years without Tom Brady in the AFC East yields three straight seasons with the Bills’ clinching the division title. Line: Bills -7
Chiefs 26, Texans 20: Neither the divisional arrival of Russell Wilson (Broncos) nor Davante Adams (Raiders) nor Khalil Mack (Chargers) could keep the Chiefs from winning the AFC West a seventh straight season. Line: Texans +14
Cowboys 23, Jacksonville 14: Dallas better send the NFL schedule czar a holiday gift after winning for a third straight week against the AFC South. The Jaguars’ five wins are as more than they had the past two seasons combined (four). Line: Cowboys -4
Panthers 21, Steelers 16: The Panthers parlay their first road win of the season (at Seattle) into their fourth straight win, and they’re 5-4 since firing Matt Rhule as coach; Rhule was 5-11 and 5-12 his previous two seasons. Line: Panthers -3
Eagles 28, Bears 17: The Bears are coming off their bye week, and they have three more weeks go until an eighth-month bye. Line: Eagles -9
Saints 31, Falcons 26: The Desmond Ridder is in as the Falcons’ quarterback and Marcus Mariota exits for knee surgery, two months after he beat the 49ers in Week 6. Line: Saints -4
Lions 16, Jets 14: This result pushes each team to a 7-7 record, which is quite uncharacteristically respectable in December for them. Line: Jets -1
Broncos 23, Cardinals 21: The Cardinals have lost Kyler Murray to an ACL tear and their general manager Steve Keim to personal leave. But, hey, Arizona, you get to host the Super Bowl in two months Line: Cardinals +2 1/2
Patriots 31, Raiders 24: Does Mark Davis make the Patriots take Josh McDaniels back to New England with them? Line: Patriots +1
Chargers 21, Titans 17: Hard to buy into either team but the Chargers are going to finish strong, just too late to the playoff party. Line: Chargers -3
Bengals 23, Bucs 21: Joe Mixon loves NFC South opponents the way Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel. Line: Bucs +3 1/2
Commanders 21, Giants 17: These NFC East foes entered with matching 7-5-1 records, two weeks after their 20-20 tie. Rather than predict another draw, Washington wins this one in a penalty-kick shootout. Line: Giants +4 1/2
Packers 24, Rams 16: The Packers win after their bye, something they failed to do in last season’s playoffs as the No. 1 seed against the 49ers. What, Baker Mayfield is still on the Rams, after that Cinderella finish in his debut? Line: Packers -7
Last week: 3-10 straight up, 5-8 against the spread
Season: 101-76-2 straight up, 96-81-1 against the spread