Happy Thursday football fans and welcome back to our weekly column in which we attempt to predict the outcome of some of the upcoming football games. Week 14 was a rough one for me, to say the least. I picked wins for the Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Green Bay Packers.
How did I fare with those selections? Not too great. Despite losing six straight games, the Bears decided to have one of their better performances of the season en route to a 36-7 victory. Ouch. Meanwhile, the Steelers suffered their second straight loss at the hands of the Buffalo Bills. Fortunately, the Packers proved to be my saving grace, as they edged the Detroit Lions 31-24.
Despite an unimpressive 1-2 week, my overall record stands at 31-10. That’s not too bad of a winning percentage but I’m hoping to do better this time around. So, with that being said, here’s a look at my top outright picks for Week 15.
Week 15 NFL Best Bet No. 3:
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings (-3)
This is the first (and probably the last) time that I’ve mentioned the Chicago Bears in back-to-back weeks. Could it be because I’m still smarting from their unexpected offensive explosion against the Texans? Perhaps it’s because I believe that their outing in Week 14 was more of an aberration rather than a sign of things to come. While Mitchell Trubisky turned in an impressive performance last week, I don’t see him throwing for another three touchdowns.
James’ pick: Vikings win a close one
Week 15 NFL Best Bet No. 2:
Kansas City Chiefs (-4) at New Orleans Saints
Before I get into my pick for this matchup, I must admit that I’m surprised that the point spread isn’t a bit larger, considering Drew Brees’ status remains uncertain. New Orleans was the hottest team in the NFL going into Week 14, as they had won nine straight. However, they were upended by the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21.
On the other side of the coin, the Chiefs extended their winning streak to eight games following a 33-27 victory against the Miami Dolphins. While Patrick Mahomes II had 393 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns, he also threw three interceptions and was sacked three times. If the Chiefs can win a game in which Mahomes had more INTs than touchdowns, that spells trouble for opposing defenses. For obvious reasons, this will be a high-scoring affair if Brees returns to the mix. But even if that is the case, the Chiefs will come out on top.
James’ pick: Chiefs get their 13th win on the season
James’ NFL Best Bet of Week 15:
Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers (-9)
The Packers were my lone win from a week ago, so I make no apologies in making them my safe pick for the second consecutive week. My second reason for going with the Packers is because Carolina has dropped seven of its previous eight games. On top of that, whether you love him or hate him, Aaron Rodgers is playing at an MVP level (39 touchdowns against four interceptions) and that trend will continue against a team that has forced just five interceptions all season.
James’ pick: Packers continue to roll
