NFL Odds: Here Are Three Underdogs To Bet On In Week 15 Of Season
All three of these teams could score outright wins
It's almost time for January football, folks.
We have three weeks left in the regular season, so the majority of matchups on the remaining December slate will have playoff implications. If not, 2021 draft positions probably are at stake.
For our Week 15 underdog picks, we're focusing on three teams clinging to their playoff hopes, including two from the same division.
(+2.5) New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins
The Patriots are coming off a concerning performance. With a path to the postseason very much in place entering Week 14, New England didn't just lose to the Los Angeles Rams in primetime. The Patriots completely laid an egg and saw their starting quarterback hit the bench in the process.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, are coming off a moral victory of sorts. Miami showed plenty of fight in an eventual loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and even picked off Patrick Mahomes three times.
So, why side with the Patriots this weekend? It really boils down to one person: Bill Belichick.
New England's head coach has a history of tormenting rookie quarterbacks, and Tua Tagovailoa has really struggled at times since taking over as Miami's starter. While the Patriots all but surely aren't playoff bound, perhaps Belichick would take some solace in playing spoiler against a division foe.
Not to mention, the Fins aren't very strong against the run, which effectively is the Pats' only offensive strength.
San Francisco 49ers at (+3) Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys aren't a very good football team, but they might be on a level playing field with Sunday's opponent.
The 49ers' roster still is littered with injuries. While San Francisco has shown heart in the face of adversity, it seemingly does not have the talent at present to keep up with the majority of teams. Just look at Week 14, when the offensively challenged Washington Football Team managed to find some success on the road against San Francisco.
We're expecting to see a desperate Cowboys team, which probably is riding a level of confidence following a 30-point performance last week. With critically important matchups against the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants looming, America's Team will seize this opportunity against the 49ers, who have lost five of their last six.
(+6.5) Philadelphia Eagles at Arizona Cardinals
Doug Pederson was looking for a spark when he decided to change starting quarterbacks.
To say this was a successful move by the Eagles head coach would be an understatement.
Not only did Philadelphia snap its losing streak with Jalen Hurts under center. It did so against arguably the best team in the NFC. The Saints hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher in over three years entering Week 14, and both Hurts and Miles Sanders exceeded that threshold against New Orleans. Philly's defense also seemed to feed off of the offensive turnaround.
We shouldn't scoff at the Cardinals' skid-snapping win over the Giants in the Meadowlands last Sunday. But Daniel Jones clearly was still injured, and New York's offense suffered. Arizona's defense will face a much stiffer challenge this weekend against a thoroughly revitalized unit.
The book isn't close to being out on Hurts, so we're expecting the Cards to struggle against the rookie signal-caller.
