Best picks for Week 15 of the 2023 NFL season, featuring the Broncos, Pats and Bills

After yet another week of excitement and controversy, there’s no time to waste before making our NFL Week 15 picks for 2023. In week 15, there are no more byes, so all 32 teams are in action. We also have three games on Saturday in addition to the usual Thursday and Monday games, making this one of the best weekends of the NFL season.

NFL Week 15 Picks and Predictions

Of course, making predictions for Week 15 won’t be easy. Almost every game will have an impact on the cluttered playoff race in both conferences. The AFC has six teams that are 7-6 while the NFC has six teams that are 6-7, so things are tight. After exploring our options and looking closely at each game, here are our NFL Week 15 picks in 2023.

Broncos vs Lions

After being the talk of the town during the early part of the season, the Lions are fading, losing two of their last three games. They’ve underperformed in recent weeks and haven’t been reliable on defense all season. That creates some cause for concern, especially as a favorite against a red-hot Denver team.

The Broncos have won six of their last seven games, knocking off the Chiefs, Bills, and Browns during that stretch. The Denver defense has completely turned things around and is coming off a strong performance on the road last week. They don’t look like a team that’s going to lose by more than five points against anyone, especially the struggling Lions. In fact, Denver could be a good underdog candidate to win this week.

Pick: Broncos +5

Bears vs Browns

The Browns may have found something with Joe Flacco leading the offense. The veteran looked good in last week’s win over the Jags, moving the Browns to 6-1 at home. It’s hard not to back them given the circumstances, especially without a huge line to cover.

Granted, the Bears have pulled off back-to-back wins and have won three of their last four games. But they’re also 2-5 on the road and have concerns on the defensive side of the ball. Justin Fields isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. The Cleveland defense should contain him enough to give the Browns a comfortable win.

Pick: Browns -3

Chiefs vs Patriots

The Chiefs are upset after back-to-back losses in which controversial calls by the refs helped to turn the game against them. They will certainly be looking to take out some of their anger against a New England team that’s been terrible this season.

However, this may not be a good time to play the Patriots. They are coming off a win and will get a little extra rest. Plus, the New England defense has held five straight teams to 20 points or less, holding three of those teams to 10 points or less. The KC offense isn’t exactly clicking on all cylinders at the moment. If the Chiefs can’t top 20 points, they’ll have a hard time covering a 10-point spread, especially with Bailey Zappe making the New England offense look somewhat viable last week.

Pick: Patriots +10

Cowboys vs Bills

Dallas is riding high after five straight wins, including a 20-point win over the Eagles last week. Not only are the Cowboys leading the NFL in points but Micah Parsons has been on par with some of the greatest defensive players in NFL history throughout this season. There is every reason to think Dallas can keep up this momentum.

Of course, those are usually the times when it’s a good idea to fade the Cowboys. They’ve had some ugly performances on the road this season and haven’t always played well against quality teams. Plus, there’s nothing easy about a mid-December trip to Buffalo. The Bills scored a huge win over the Chiefs last week and know that they’re still playing for their playoff lives every week. Look for that sense of urgency to carry the Bills to another win in Week 15.

Pick: Bills -2