We’ve reached the point in the season where the playoffs are just a few weeks away, and fantasy football playoffs have begun. It’s a busy but exciting time in the schedule, and there’s much to look forward to in Week 15.
First, let’s look back at some of the biggest headlines from Week 14 because there’s a lot to process. Then, we’ll get into our Week 15 headlines and best bets for the upcoming slate.
Week 14 Storylines
If you didn’t tune in to Week 14, let’s get you up to speed. The week was filled with last-second finishes, a few major upsets and even a game that nearly had 100 points scored. Here are the three biggest storylines from Week 14.
Eagles Survive An Unexpected Scare
The Eagles had looked unbeatable in the last two months. Philly had won 8 straight games and had a fortunate matchup against the Panthers in Week 14. It wasn’t surprising to see the Eagles listed as 13.5-point favorites against one of the worst teams in football. One bettor was so confident in Philadelphia that he wagered $3.1 million on the Eagles to win. That bettor was probably sweating for all 60 minutes because the game went nothing like anyone expected.
QB Bryce Young and the Panthers looked good from the jump. They were finding holes in the Philly secondary, and WR Adam Thielen was the main beneficiary. Plus, RB Chuba Hubbard managed to have a great game on the ground against an elite Eagles defensive line. Carolina held a small lead in the 4th quarter, but a clutch score and 2-point conversion by the Eagles put them up 6 points. Young led the Panthers downfield late in the 4th quarter and appeared to throw a game-winning touchdown pass to WR Xavier Legette, but the rookie dropped it, and the Eagles survived an unexpected scare from the Panthers.
Bills And Rams Put On A Show In L.A.
QB Josh Allen and the Bills traveled to Southern California for their Week 15 matchup against QB Matthew Stafford and the Rams. Both teams had been on a roll recently, and oddsmakers were expecting a solid showing on offense, but I don’t think anyone expected 86 points. The Rams held on for the 44-42 victory in the highest-scoring game of the season. Although the Bills lost, Allen strengthened his MVP campaign by throwing for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns while rushing for 3 touchdowns. That’s now back-to-back weeks of historic performances for Allen.
In the end, the Rams offense was just too much. The three-headed monster of Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua, and Cooper Kupp has become an elite force in the league, and those three playmakers combined for 4 touchdowns against the Bills. Nacua was the main star, with 12 catches for 162 yards and a score. The Rams had a slow start to the year, but they’ve been fantastic lately.
Chiefs Win Again On A Doink
It seems like every week, the Chiefs win with a lot of luck on their side. That trend didn’t stop in Week 14 as Kansas City took down the LA Chargers 19-17 on Sunday Night Football. It was a back-and-forth game between the AFC West rivals, and it finished with a 31-yard field goal attempt from K Matthew Wright to win the game. The kick went up and appeared to be headed directly for the left upright. The ball doinked off the upright and took a Chiefs bounce as it fell through for the field goal.
That win pushed Kansas City to 12-1, but there’s still a lot of talk that the Chiefs aren’t as good as their record says. Their last four opponents of the year are the Browns, Texans, Steelers and Broncos, so won't be easy for Mahomes to keep the Chiefs at just 1 loss.
Week 15 Headlines
It’s a big week with plenty of exciting games in primetime. One of the week's biggest games takes place in Detroit between the Bills and Lions, but there’s a lot more happening. Here are the Week 15 headlines.
Panthers Are The Favorite For The First Time In 2 Years
Here’s something we didn’t expect in the 2024 NFL season: the Carolina Panthers are the favorite in their game against the Dallas Cowboys. It’s the first time the Panthers are the favorite in a game since Week 15 of the 2022 season. The Panthers (3-10) hold one of the worst records in football and are still in the rebuilding stage of the franchise. They have looked more competitive in the last few weeks, especially in Week 14 against the Eagles, but they still have plenty of flaws with a lot of young players.
The Cowboys (5-8) have been the biggest disappointment of all 32 teams. QB Dak Prescott’s injury was essentially the white flag on the season, and being the underdogs against Bryce Young and the Panthers might just be rock bottom for the Cowboys.
Game Of The Week: Bills And Lions
It’s one of the most highly anticipated matchups in the entire season. The Bills (10-3) are the only team to have beaten the Chiefs and are coming off a loss in Week 14 even though they scored 42 points. Josh Allen has become the MVP frontrunner, and the Bills have become a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
The Lions (12-1) have been the Super Bowl favorite for several weeks. Detroit’s offense seems nearly impossible to stop, with RB David Montgomery, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and TE Sam LaPorta as the top weapons for QB Jared Goff. Oddsmakers have listed the Lions as 1.5-point favorites over the Bills, with a total in the mid-50s. Expect a lot of points between two of the best teams in the league.
Is There Drama In Philadelphia?
To circle back on what we discussed earlier, the Eagles nearly lost to the Panthers. That win was a huge wake-up call for the Eagles, who had been coasting through the last three months. However, that win sparked some drama in the Philadelphian locker room. After the game, QB A.J. Brown was asked where they could improve, and he quickly responded with “Passing” - a direct insult to QB Jalen Hurts.
But the drama doesn’t stop there. DE Brandon Graham went on to share that Hurts and Brown aren’t friends like they used to be and insinuated that their friendship has deteriorated. Graham quickly backtracked after realizing his mistakes, but has there been too much damage already?
Week 15 Best Bets
Week 15’s slate starts with a divisional matchup out west with a slew of exciting games following on Sunday and Monday, so here are our best bets for this upcoming week.
Rams +2.5 (-105)
The Rams proved they have an elite offense that could make up for a lackluster defense. The L.A. defense allowed a whopping 42 points, and yet they still won the game, which doesn’t happen often. Plus, the Rams took on the 49ers in September, and the Rams won 27-24.
But that’s not the impressive part. Stafford and the Rams won without Nacua or Kupp playing. Now that both receivers are healthy, I’ll happily take the points with the Rams.
Packers -2.5 (-110)
Green Bay nearly did it. The Packers almost got their revenge on the Lions in last week’s edition of Thursday Night Football, but K Jake Bates nailed yet another game-winning field goal to sink the Packers. Still, Jordan Love and the Packers offense looked great.
RB Josh Jacobs finished with 3 touchdowns and has become an end-zone magnet in the last few weeks. They’ve been incredibly consistent lately, and that should carry them to a victory over the Seahawks on Sunday Night Football.
