The NFL Week 15 slate is filled with matchups that will impact playoff seeding. I’ve looked at the NFL betting odds and chosen the two games where I believe that the favorites have the best chance to cover.
These games are the Carolina Panthers at Buffalo Bills (-10.5) and the New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts (-2).
Looking at the NFL point spreads for Week 15, I see a couple of opportunities for bettors to find value. Read on to see how these teams match up.
Carolina Panthers at Buffalo Bills (-10.5)
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said that he will rotate Cam Newton and P.J. Walker at quarterback on Sunday. Over his past two games, Cam Newton has thrown three interceptions and has zero passing touchdowns. Walker has thrown an interception in each of his past three games.
Now, these struggling QBs will have to go up against a Bills defense that allows the second-fewest passing yards per game in the NFL.
Carolina does have the NFL’s best pass defense in terms of yards allowed per game, but that defense has fallen to eighth in the NFL over the past three weeks. The Bills average two takeaways per game, which is tied for third-highest in the NFL. Meanwhile, Carolina gives the ball away 1.8 times on average per game, which is the third-highest in the league.
I believe that Buffalo will take advantage of the turnover-prone Panthers and cover the spread easily.
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts (-2)
The New England Patriots hold the top spot in the AFC, but they are weak in one area. The Patriots’ run defense ranks 19th in the NFL in yards allowed per game and 25th in that category over the past three games. This Patriots defense now has to face a Colts running game that ranks 2nd in the NFL in yards per game. Over the past three games, Indianapolis has averaged an astounding 203 rushing yards per contest.
On offense, the Patriots have been middle of the pack all season. New England ranks 18th in the NFL in yards per game, so I’m not worried about New England getting a huge lead early and forcing the Colts to pass. New England does have the third-best defense in football in terms of yards allowed, but that is primarily due to a pass defense that has allowed just 113.7 passing yards per game over the past three games.
Colts head coach Frank Reich has shown that he’ll tailor his offensive game plan to his opponent, and I think he’ll be willing to lean on the run game against the Patriots. In Week 12, the Colts played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their third-ranked run defense. Despite having one of the best rushing offenses in the NFL, the Colts gave their running backs just 17 attempts on the ground.
I believe that the Colts will lean heavily on the run game and exploit the weakest part of the Patriots’ defense this week.
Reviewing the Week 15 Pro Football Spreads
The Bills desperately need a win this week, and they get to play a team that can’t figure out its quarterback situation.
In the other matchup, the Colts have a chance to deploy their elite rushing attack against a Patriots team that has struggled in that department. Do you agree that these two teams will cover in Week 15? You can find football spreads for these matchups and others on the BetMGM online sportsbook. Sign up for an account today, and you can get a $1,000 risk-free first bet.
