Written by: Tyler Deakin
Full disclosure that the best game of this week may have been played in the Chiefs 34-28 overtime win over the Chargers. There are still plenty of good games to discuss this week, albeit many of them could be impacted by Covid. The Eagles-Washington game for example has been postponed to Tuesday due to a Washington Covid outbreak. Let’s see what type of action NFL fans have in store for them as my discussion centers on the best games to watch in Week 15. All games played this late in the year carry more importance as teams prepare for the stretch run.
Washington Football Team at Philadelphia Eagles (Tuesday Night Football)
Veteran journeyman Garrett Gilbert could start at QB for Washington this week due to Covid. The game has been moved to Tuesday night though, opening the door for Taylor Heinicke or Kyle Allen to return & start for the Football Team. Eagles players are upset about having to reschedule the game on such short notice. QB Jalen Hurts will be rusty as he last played football on November 28th after he missed Week 13 due to injury & rested during the Eagles bye last week. There are plenty of reasons why this game is huge for both sides, starting with the fact that it’s a divisional game in December. Not only that, but both teams are 6-7 & on the fringes of the NFC playoff picture as the WFT is the #7 seed & the Eagles are the #9 seed.
Green Bay Packers at Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson will reportedly miss this contest, making this matchup less appealing. The stakes are still very high in this one though, as it has playoff implications for both conferences. Simply put, the Packers would clinch the NFC North division title with a win over the Ravens. Meanwhile, the Ravens need this win to stay ahead of the battle royale at the bottom of the AFC. Backup QB Tyler Huntley almost sparked an improbable win over the Browns last week, but can he do it again against the Packers? Or will Aaron Rodgers have the last laugh in this contest?
Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers
The Titans have an opportunity to separate themselves amongst the elite in the AFC after the Patriots stunning 27-17 loss to the Colts on Saturday night. Titans LB Bud Dupree makes his return from IR just in time to play against his former team. He hasn’t been very good this season, but he’ll certainly be motivated to play well against the Steelers. Chase Claypool’s boneheaded play cost the team against the Vikings last week, and now they need to essentially win out & get some help in order to make the playoffs. Desperation time for the Steelers starts this week.
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos
The AFC’s No. 9 & No. 10 seeds prepare to play in a win or go home type of game this week. Joe Burrow almost singlehandedly carried the Bengals to a comeback victory last week, but the 49ers got a last second touchdown in overtime to win instead. Meanwhile, the passing away of former Broncos star Demaryius Thomas sparked the team to a beatdown over the Lions last week. These two teams are playing inspired football at their best time of the year. I’m giving the edge here to the Bengals as Burrow is simply sensational, but the game will be a close one.
Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers
This is a huge game for the Falcons, with their playoff odds increasing by 30% with a win over the 49ers. A loss, meanwhile, would drop their odds from 12% to 3% which is also a pretty big deal. Two of the league’s most versatile players in the Falcons Cordarrelle Patterson & the 49ers Deebo Samuel square off this week. Plus, the 49ers. Meanwhile, George Kittle has been on quite the hot streak since returning from IR in Week 9. All of this is to say that I fully expect that this game will be a dramatic offensive shootout that could come down to the wire.