The Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, and Green Bay Packers will all be looking to hold it down at home in their respective Week 15 matchups. With all three teams gunning for a playoff berth this coming season, let’s find out which teams are offering the best value in their respective Week 15 matchups.
2019 NFL Week 15 Must-Bet Games
NY Jets at Baltimore Ravens
- When: Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 8:20 PM ET
- Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
- TV: FOX/NFL
- NFL Week 15 Odds: Baltimore -5.5
While the Jets are looking to bounce back from a difficult 4-12 season under first-year head coach Adam Gase, the Baltimore Ravens will be looking to take another step forward after surprising everyone en route to a fine, 10-6 mark that helped them win the AFC North and reach the postseason. While I definitely like Jets’ second-year signal-caller Sam Darnold and I believe he’s got a really bright future in front of him, I can say the exact same thing about Baltimore’s own second-year quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The big difference in this Week 15 matchup is that the Ravens have an elite defense and a big-time coach that knows how to get it done while the Jets aren’t elite in any one phases of the game and have a head coach that flamed out in Miami in a wet match. Baltimore wins by at least a touchdown to cover the chalk in this one!
Pick: Baltimore -5.5
Jacksonville Jaguars at Oakland Raiders
- When: Sunday, December 15, 2019 at 4:05 PM ET
- Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland
- TV: CBS
- NFL Week 15 Odds: PK
The Oakland Raiders might be playing at home in this Week 15 matchup of playoff hopefuls, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team in this contest that can lay claim to being elite in any single area with their defense finishing fifth overall and fifth in points allowed (19.8 ppg) last season.
The Raiders were a compete and utter mess in going 3-5 at home last season and I don’t think they’re going to be much more than a .500 team in 2019, if that. Jacksonville’s only question mark following last season was at quarterback where Blake Bortles is clearly not an NFL-caliber starter. The good news is that the Jags went out and got a quarterback that knows how to win a Super Bowl in former eagles star backup Nick Foles. With some competent play at quarterback, some power rushing and their still, lock-down defense, I think the Jags could surprise in a big way in 2019. With a potential playoff spot on the line in this one, Jacksonville gets the outright win to cover the chalk.
Pick: Jacksonville as a Pick ‘Em
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
- When: Sunday, December 15, 2019 at 1:00 PM ET
- Where: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI
- TV: FOX
- NFL Week 15 Odds: Green Bay -3
I know Aaron Rodgers is very difficult to beat at home late in the regular season and I suspect the Packers will be fighting for their playoff lives by the time this Week 15 NFC North divisional battle rolls around. Unfortunately for Green Bay and their rabid fan base, I’m gong with the Chicago Bears to get the huge road win in what looks like a really meaningful matchup for both teams.
While these two longtime rivals split their two regular season meetings a year ago with the Pack winning 24-23 at home in Week 1 and Chicago extracting some revenge by winning 24-17 at Soldier Field in Week 15, this time around, I’m going with the Bears to get it done as Khalil Mack harasses Aaron Rodgers into at least one uncharacteristic turnover and Chicago’s defense stuff any attempts the Packers might make to run the ball.
Chicago is statistically better on both sides of the ball and they’ve got a real game-changer in the unstoppable Mack. Aaron Rodgers is going to have his hands full in year 1 of the Matt LaFleur era and I have some real doubts about the Packers defense (again). Chicago wins outright to cover the chalk and improve to 7-4 in their last 11 games as a road dog between 2.5 and 3 points.
Pick: Chicago +3
