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Here’s a quick look at the Week 15 schedule.
49ers (9-4) at Seahawks (7-6), 8:15 p.m., Prime Video: It’s Geno Smith vs. Prime Time Brock Purdy in an NFC West battle with enormous implications, just as everyone predicted before the season. Purdy has completed 71 percent of his passes with one turnover in two games (the entire game this past Sunday against Tampa Bay, and 55 minutes in relief of Jimmy Garoppolo the previous week against Miami).
Colts (4-8-1) at Vikings (10-3), 1 p.m., NFL Network: Colts-Vikings isn’t exactly a drop-everything viewing destination to kick things off on an NFL Saturday, but it figures to reveal something about Minnesota’s identity on defense after Detroit became the fifth straight opponent to amass 400 or more yards of offense against it. The Colts have scored more than 20 points only twice all season.
Ravens (9-4) at Browns (5-8), 4:30 p.m., NFL Network: With quarterback Tyler Huntley going down with a concussion and regular starter Lamar Jackson not expected back until next week, undrafted rookie Anthony Brown took over against the Steelers this past Sunday and was helped mightily by over 180 yards rushing from J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Huntley was a full participant in practice Wednesday but was still waiting to be cleared from the concussion protocol and given the okay to play Saturday.
Dolphins (8-5) at Bills (10-3), 8:15 p.m., NFL Network: Miami has a short week to prepare for this pivotal AFC East game, returning to Florida early Monday morning after Sunday night’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers capped a dismal two-week stay on the West Coast. For two weeks in a row now, the Dolphins’ offense has been rather underwhelming with 17 points in each of two losses to the 49ers and Chargers. Tua Tagovailoa completed 47 percent of his passes with three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 72.5 passer rating in those games.
Falcons (5-8) at Saints (4-9), 1 p.m.: Congrats to the Falcons, who, along with the Carolina Panthers, trail the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by only one game in the NFC South. The Saints are only two games back in a division that, by rule, somebody has to win.
Steelers (5-8) at Panthers (5-8), 1 p.m.: If Carolina can finish strong — and it doesn’t play a team that currently has a winning record in the final four weeks — it could host a playoff game in mid-January. The Panthers are a game behind the Buccaneers, with games against the Lions, Bucs and Saints left after this one.
Eagles (12-1) at Bears (3-10), 1 p.m.: In Philadelphia’s 12-1 run, Jalen Hurts has made a case for being the MVP by passing for 22 touchdowns and running for 10, with only five turnovers for an Eagles offense that has averaged 41 points per game over the past three weeks. In a 48-22 win over the Giants on Sunday, the Eagles rushed for 156 yards before contact, the most of any team this season, according to Next Gen Stats. (They also had the season’s second-highest total — 155 yards — late last month against Green Bay).
Chiefs (10-3) at Texans (1-11-1), 1 p.m.: Kansas City may have Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, but there are legit concerns on the other side of the ball, where the passing defense ranks in the lower third of the league. Denver’s Russell Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns (with one interception) against the Chiefs last week, a worrisome development considering Wilson’s struggles this season.
Cowboys (10-3) at Jaguars (5-8), 1 p.m.: Dallas has been rather inexplicable over the past month, losing to Green Bay and very nearly to one-win Houston and earning blowout wins over Minnesota and Indianapolis plus a comfortable win over the Giants. One thing that can be explained is the sudden problem Dallas has with injuries at cornerback. Now the Cowboys face a Jacksonville team with whom Trevor Lawrence is enjoying the best stretch of his NFL career. He passed for 368 yards and three touchdowns against Tennessee this past Sunday, and he hasn’t thrown an interception in five games.
Lions (6-7) at Jets (7-6), 1 p.m.: Who knew way back in the spring that this was going to be one of the sexiest games on the Week 15 schedule? The Jets’ road to the playoffs has gotten rockier with a 1-3 performance in their past four games, and now they face a Lions team that improbably is on the playoff bubble thanks to winning five of its past six games.
Cardinals (4-9) at Broncos (3-10), 4:05 p.m.: Kyler Murray is out for the season with a knee injury. Wilson is recovering from a concussion. That means the Cardinals will go with Colt McCoy, and the Broncos may have to start Brett Rypien.
Patriots (7-6) at Raiders (5-8), 4:05 p.m.: A New England team coached by Bill Belichick is struggling to get above .500, while a Las Vegas team coached by his longtime assistant Josh McDaniels is 0-4 when leading by double digits at halftime. Cameras have caught undisguised disgruntlement on the sideline, particularly directed at Patriots offensive coordinator Matt Patricia. “Personally, I don’t know any defensive coordinator that would be a good offensive coordinator,” ESPN analyst Troy Aikman said during the Patriots’ win over the Cardinals on Monday night, “and after watching Matt Patricia I still don’t.”
Titans (7-6) at Chargers (7-6), 4:25 p.m.: Tennessee has lost three games in a row for the first time since 2018. Justin Herbert is coming off a game in which he set a record for most yards passing (13,056) in a player’s first three seasons, passing retired Colts quarterback Andrew Luck (12,957). With 90 touchdown passes over his first three seasons, Herbert and Hall of Famer Dan Marino (98) are the only quarterbacks to pass for 90 or more touchdowns in that span.
Bengals (9-4) at Buccaneers (6-7), 4:25 p.m.: Tom Brady’s future seems uncertain beyond March, at least as far as the Buccaneers are concerned, because he can become a 45-year-old free agent at that time. Somehow, an offense run by Brady looks downright awful and beyond even his talents to fix. Joe Burrow’s future, on the other hand, is in full bloom.
Giants (7-5-1) at Commanders (7-5-1), 8:20 p.m., NBC: This meeting is certifiably odd despite it being a matchup of NFC East teams. Washington, which is coming off a bye, is playing the same opponent in consecutive games, something that has happened only two other times since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. New York is 0-3-1 in its past four games; Washington had won three in a row until that 20-20 tie with the Giants on Dec. 4.
Rams (4-9) at Packers (5-8), 8:15 p.m., ESPN: Baker Mayfield will try to replicate the success he had last week a wacky 48 hours after signing with the Rams. Maybe it shouldn’t have been surprising, though, given that, since 2017, he has had to learn six offenses (in college at Oklahoma, in Cleveland with three coaches, with Carolina and now with Rams Coach Sean McVay). The Packers are one of the NFL’s surprise teams and not in a good way, but at least they have company.
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