In one of the most exciting games of the season, the Bills outlasted the Lions en route to ending Detroit’s 11-game winning streak. And since the Lions were my No. 1 team going into Week 15, you’d think the Bills should take the top spot.
Not immediately. Yes, the Bills scored 90 points in the last two weeks, but they also gave up 86, forcing Josh Allen to be Superman. So after an aerial display against the Steelers on Sunday, it’s the Eagles who are jumping on the bandwagon. The Bills are number 2, and the Lions, who are dealing with a lot of injuries in the defensive area, are down to number 5. The Chiefs and Vikings are still fighting.
Here are my top 10 picks for Week 15 of the 2024 season.
Josh Allen’s MVP campaign is taking off like a runaway freight train after the seventh-year player put on a show against the Lions with 300-plus passing yards and four total touchdowns. As an unstoppable force with the ball in his hands, Allen can single-handedly carry Buffalo’s offense to a postseason championship, using his superior arm talent and athleticism to light up the boards. While the Bills will need a better defense to advance in an AFC bracket full of juggernauts, No. 17 gives them a puncher to knock out any heavyweights in the program.
Andy Reid’s team is closing in on locking up the AFC’s No. 1 seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. While the Chiefs are not a team that has made the playoffs in the last few years, the 2024 version is a formidable group of players who can close out games in the fourth quarter. If the Chiefs win an unprecedented 15 games in one-point games, dismissing the defending champions as they might be in the playoffs would be foolish.
Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores have the Vikings running around the competition with their creative programs. As a special strategist and strategist, Minnesota’s brain trusts have adjusted the X’s and O’s to elevate Sam Darnold and others to lead a playoff run that could lead to a title game appearance.
Injuries could hamper the Lions’ chances of victory this season as the team loses blue-chip defenders to various season-ending illnesses. The loss of Carlton Davis and Alim McNeill further weakens a defense that has already lost Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Ennis Rakestraw and others to long-term injuries. With so many backups and inexperienced players forced into action, it was only a matter of time before the lack of talent and depth affected Detroit’s performance. In the past two weeks, the Lions have dropped 79 points.
After peppering opponents with a punishing running game built around Josh Jacobs’ strengths as an interior rusher, the Packers’ defense suffocates opponents with a hard-hitting game plan that defeats quarterbacks and punters. As Matt LaFleur aims to build a team that can win in a variety of ways, the Packers’ personnel and program diversity creates problems for teams that can’t handle Green Bay’s combined size, strength and athleticism.
Sometimes, a loss is the perfect wake-up call for a sleeping giant. If so, Mike Tomlin’s team should have gotten that message during the Week 15 back-to-back against the Eagles. The NFC heavyweight exposed some of the Steelers’ flaws, giving Tomlin a to-do list to fight down the stretch. Given how the top teams slowly improve towards the end of the season, the Steelers could use their latest loss to learn a few lessons that will help them in the playoffs.
Credit Sean Payton for creating game plans that maximize the Broncos’ strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. In Week 15, the mastermind was up to his old tricks, coaching struggling rookie quarterback Bo Nix and trying to curb his turnover woes. If Payton can continue to dominate games with his excellent clock management and kills, the Broncos could rise up the charts late as a legitimate playoff contender.
Despite owning the deepest and most talented team in the league, the Ravens play up or down to their level of competition. While John Harbaugh has the luxury of leaning on Lamar Jackson to erase his team’s mistakes, the Ravens must get everyone on the same page to advance a roster capable of making a Super Bowl run.
The healthy return of Jayden Daniels gives the Commanders a star player who can close out tough games in the fourth quarter. While the lanky player needs to avoid hitting big as a dual threat, the Commanders need his development skills to spark the offense against the league’s heavyweights. As an incomplete team with a versatile franchise quarterback, the Commanders could be the biggest team in the playoffs.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and co-hosts the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
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