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As this year’s season winds down, the playoff race continues to heat up. The week kicks off Thursday evening with a pivotal match up between two AFC teams battling for a wildcard spot. Denver looks to keep their hopes alive with a win over the Houston Texans. With a record of 6-7, this season has been anything but what legendary coach Mike Shanahan expected. One would think momentum is on their side, as rising QB Jay Cutler dialed in with four touchdowns to score a victory over Kansas City last week. The Texans are bound to have something to say in return with a matching record of 6-7 and just as much riding on the line. Denver comes into this one as a slight underdog, making this game very tough to predict. With the Broncos giving up nearly 26 points per game this season and averaging a shade below 22, the smart play would be for Houston, who are putting up 22.4 points per game. It should certainly be a competitive match up and a great way to begin week 15!
As the New England Patriots continue their quest for perfection, the Miami Dolphins are on a mission of their own as they look to avoid a disappointing 0-16 season. The team has looked better in recent weeks, but can’t help coming up short. Their chances in week 15 will be as good as ever when they host the struggling Baltimore Ravens this Sunday. After blowing a late lead against New England in week 13 and being totally dismantled 23-0 last Sunday by the Colts, the Ravens certainly aren’t rolling into Miami with a full head of steam. Even with all of their setbacks and mental mishaps this season, the Baltimore defense still looks good enough to cover the 3.5 point spread against the worst team in the league.
The schedule just doesn’t get any easier for the Lions as they travel west to meet the surging San Diego Chargers. An early 6-2 start had Detroit looking like worthy contenders until they were hit with a stream of bad luck. With five consecutive losses, their playoff chances are rather slim in a conference where they stand on the wrong side of every tie breaker. On the other side of the field, San Diego has been looking rather sharp lately. This team has won three straight and are finally realizing that LT equals TD. This is sure to be an intriguing game, as the Chargers look to reclaim dominating status in the AFC, while Detroit attempts to prove that they’re not “the same old Lions.” San Diego’s offensive is looking sharper as the season progresses, making them an easy 10 point favor over the Lions, who actually beat the point spread last week in a heartbreaking loss against the Cowboys.
One of the most surprising teams in the NFC has to be the Minnesota Vikings. At 7-6, they appear to have the best chance at securing a wildcard spot. After being stomped by Greenbay 34-0 in week 11, the Vikings have retaliated with four straight victories in a very impressive fashion. Adrian Peterson’s return has without a doubt made him and running back Chester Taylor the perfect one-two punch on the ground. With the league’s number one rushing offense, the struggling NFC champion Chicago Bears look to be another team just waiting to get trampled underfoot. This one could end up being a defensive struggle, but that shouldn’t stop the Vikings from dashing their way to victory and easily covering the 10 point spread against Chicago on Monday night.
