NFL Picks, Week 15

Only three full weeks left in the NFL season, and then it's up to the playoffs. It always seems like the season goes by a little faster each year - very weird. And sad, because it means I'm getting older.

Buccaneers at Bears: It used to be that this would be a defensive slugfest with very little offense. Now, it seems, it'll be a defensive slugfest with whatever half of "very little" is. CHI
Steelers at Panthers: What a pair of disappointments. I'm at the point where I honestly could care less what either craptacular-but-was-supposed-to-be-good team does, so let's say CAR
Lions at Packers: Yet another unheralded end to a season, yet another end-of-season "Where will Brett Favre play next year" media blitz. GB
Browns at Ravens: The Ravens can clinch the AFC North crown with a win today. The Browns can play spoiler, but won't. BAL
Jaguars at Titans: Vince Young is 6-4 as a rookie starting quarterback. How many other folks not named Roethlisberger can say that? Not Maurice Jones-Drew (partly because he's a running back). Despite MJD's outstanding work this season, the win goes to Vinny. TEN
Jets at Vikings: People keep prattling on about how good the Vikings run defense is, which is fine, but remember this: the Jets don't have a ground game, so it won't matter. NYJ
Texans at Patriots: As bad as the Jaguars have looked the last season and a half, and as weak as the Colts are on defense, I'd like to pick the Texans as a black-horse wildcard candidate next season. But not this season. And don't look now, but the Patriots are still two games up in their division, and clinch with this win. NE
Redskins at Saints: Ouch, dude. Just...ouch. This will be a laugher. NOR
Dolphins at Bills: The Bills were supposed to be an outside candidate for the playoffs this season, but for some reason it just hasn't come together well for them. Maybe it's because they have a terrible offense? MIA in a win, even without video of J.P. Losman.
Broncos at Cardinals: Anyone else notice that there are four cat-themed teams (Lions, Bengals, Jaguars, Panthers) but only three horse-themed teams (Cowboys, Colts, Broncos) despite horses being more important to the development of the modern USA than kittens? DEN
Rams at Raiders: There is only one sheep-themed team in the NFL. For the best, really. STL
Eagles at Giants: Jeff Garcia owned the Giants as a 49er, and he'll own them again. Bad play and coaching on the G-men side of the field won't hurt. PHI
Chiefs at Chargers: Maybe LaDanian Tomlinson will slow down, now that he doesn't have anything to play for anymore after setting the single-season TD record. Or, maybe not. SD
Bengals at Colts: The question in this game is whether Cincinnati offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski will realize that running the ball early and often is all it will really take to beat the Colts. I don't think he will - in fact, I'd wager that no more than 1/3 of the Bengals' plays in the second half will be runs, regardless of the score. IND