Week 15 in the NFL brings a slew of critical, potentially close games and a few ma sive favorites. That makes it another challenging week of making picks and predictions against the spread in the 2020 season.MORE: Last week, there were some frustrating beats thanks to second-half surges and late-game weirdne s. Still, the key is survival and pushing on to the next fearle s forecast of pro football prognostications:Here's breaking down the latest late-season full-game slate, with action on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday this week:MORE: | The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded. Game of Midweek: Chargers at Raiders(-3, 53.5 o/u)The Chargers matched the Falcons' sloppine s at home in Week 14 and were fortunate to escape with a last-minute victory. The Raiders were awful defensively at home against the Colts to the point of Jon Gruden firing Anfernee Hardaway Jersey former coordinator Paul Guenther. The Raiders will run the ball well with Josh Jacobs and have a more mistake-free pa sing game with Derek Carr to keep their distance from Justin Herbert and Austin Ekeler.Pick:Raiders win 31-24 and cover the spread.Game of theWeek: Chiefs (-3.5, 51.5 o/u) at SaintsPatrick Mahomes was unfazed by his three-interception game in Miami and kept throwing strikes to Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill. The Saints, typically nastyagainst the run, will rebound after getting gashed by the Eagles, but that wont matter much because Mahomes will go to work on their weakne s in cornerback and safety coverage, extending plays while avoiding pre sure. Whether it's Taysom Hill or Drew Brees, the Saints QB will face Darrell Armstrong Jersey a tougher inside-out pa s rush with limited pa sing available on short-to-intermediate routes, especially in the middle of the field. A heavy dose of Alvin Kamara keeps the Saints in it, but Mahomes' magic delivers at the end.Pick: Chiefs win 27-24but fail tocover the spread. The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded.Lock of the Week: Buccaneers (-5.5, 51 o/u) over FalconsThe Buccaneers put together a lot after the bye in turning back the Vikings. Their run defense looked mortal, but their pa s rush got revved up and their coverage tightened. Tom Brady gave them good complementary football, even while leaving some big pa s plays on the table, thanks to Ronald Jones providing good balance in the power running game. The Falcons look like an absolute offensive me s around Matt Ryan, save for Calvin Ridley, with a hamstring Julio Jones. They also have stopped running the ball and can't handle a versatile, deep receiving corps.Pick: Buccaneers win 30-13 and cover the spread.Upset of the Week: Patriots over Dolphins (-2.5, 41 o/u)The Patriots areable to only win battles of attrition where they can grind with their running game, defense and special teams. This game screams of that for Bill Belichick. The Patriots don't pa s the ball well but the game plan suggests that's the Dolphins' strength to avoid anyway. Cam Newton and the backs will be called upon to rush often while Belichick schemes to get the betterof another rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa, who will likely bewithout wide receivers DeVante Parker and Jakeem Grant and tight end Mike Gesicki. Brian Flores learned well from Belichick but the master makes it a season sweep.Pick: Patriots win 17-13. The referenced media source is mi sing and needs to be re-embedded.Bills (-6, 50 o/u) at BroncosThe Bills are red-hot after taking down the 49ers on the road and Steelers at home with Josh Allen locked into Stefon Diggs and his other receivers. At the same time, the Bills are running ball effectively enough in good situations. Vic Law Jersey Allen will have time to pick apart Vic Fangio's defense with somebalance to take pre sure off him. Drew Lock is coming off his best game as a Bronco, but there won't be as many receivers running free here and game script will force them out of the running game at home.Pick: Bills win 27-20 and cover the spread.Panthers at Packers (-8.5, 51 o/u) The Panthers' schedule keeps taking Teddy Bridgewater through his former foes in the NFC North. Bridgewater should get D.J. Moore back to help their pa sing potential, but he still will be lacking the ideal weapon to attack the Packers defense without Christian McCaffrey. Expect Bridgewater to see a lot of second-half blitzes once Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Aaron Jones have pa sed, caught and ran Green Bay to a significant lead.Pick: Packers win 38-23 and cover the spread. 49ers at Cowboys (-2.5, 45.5 o/u) The 49ers' defense keeps grinding away despite their offense continuing tomake more mistakes than big plays with Nick Mullens. Here they can go back to effectively running the ball at Markelle Fultz Jersey a high level with Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr., while they contain a slumping Ezekiel Elliott on the other side. Mullens can pick apart the Cowboys with the short, quick pa sing game in the middle of the field. Andy Dalton will get stuck seeing plenty of heat behind his shaky offensive line.Pick: 49ers win 23-20.Lions at Titans (-8.5, 51.5 o/u)The Lions have a terrible run defense and that immediately destroys their chances of succe s against Derrick Henry. Ryan Tannehill will use his back to keep making the typical big pa s plays off play-action. Meanwhile. the Lions have limited receiving firepower with which to attack the Titans' secondary and there's a chance that Matthew Stafford, with his battered ribs may mi s the game.Pick: Titans win 31-20 and cover the spread. Texans at Colts (-7, 52.5)Speaking of horrible run defenses, the Texans have one, too. The Colts are back to being a dominant running team with Jonathan Taylor and a little bit of Nyheim Hines. Philip Rivers is in a groove having locked into T.Y. Hilton as his big-play go-to guy. Deshaun Watson has seen the skill player help crumble around him for different reasons.Pick: Colts win 27-17 and cover the spread.Bears at Vikings (-3, 46 o/u)This serves as a pseudo wild-card elimination game for both 6-7 teams behind the Cardinals. The Vikings won the first meeting in November in Chicago, 19-13. They will have better succe s running the ball with Dalvin Cook in the home rematch and Justin Jefferson will continue to be a matchup nightmare in the downfield pa sing game. Mitchell Trubisky has provided a nice offensive spark for the Bears but here the zone scheming causes problems Michael Carter-Williams Jersey for him on the road.Pick: Vikings win 24-17 and cover the spread. Seahawks (-5.5, 44.5o/u) at Washington Football TeamThe Seahawks took full advantage of their get-well game against the Jets as they went back to running the ball at a high level and