GERRY DULAC’S WEEK 15 FORECAST
• LAST WEEK: 9-7 (.563) • SEASON RECORD: 134-74 (.644)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5) at Atlanta Falcons (4-9): 1 p.m. … Tom Brady now has eight seasons with at least 30 TD passes. Matt Ryan is closing in on his 10th consecutive season with at least 4,000 passing yards. May the best gunslinger (with the best RB) win. Prediction: Buccaneers, 40-28 Jacksonville Jaguars (1-12) at Baltimore Ravens (8-5): 1 p.m. … Forget about wondering if the Ravens make the playoffs. Be more concerned how far they might go. The win vs. the Browns, the manner in which they won, will fuel the rest of their season. Quoth the Ravens to the NFL — nevermore. Prediction: Ravens, 48-14 San Francisco 49ers (5-8) at Dallas Cowboys (4-9): 1 p.m. … The Cowboys are watching their slim chance of winning the division dwindle. Andy Dalton beat his old team last week, only the Cowboys’ second win in four games. The defending NFC champ 49ers are a displaced, injury-riddled mess. Prediction: Cowboys, 27-23 Houston Texans (4-9) at Indianapolis Colts (9-4): 1 p.m. … The Colts are tied for the best record in the AFC South, but the Titans own the tiebreaker — at least right now. The Colts finish with three AFC teams, including the Steelers. Prediction: Colts, 38-27
New England Patriots (6-7) at Miami Dolphins (8-5): 1 p.m. … New England’s hopes for making the postseason are all but gone, but they get a chance to influence the AFC East with back-to-back games vs. Miami and Buffalo. Tua Alert: Bill Belichick has made life miserable for young QBs. Prediction: Patriots, 24-23
Chicago Bears (6-7) at Minnesota Vikings (6-7): 1 p.m. … The Bears’ offense has suddenly wakened from hibernation with Mitch Trubisky, averaging 30.3 points in the past three games. The Vikings outplayed the Buccaneers last week, but still lost by 14. That put a big dent in their playoff horn. Prediction: Vikings, 23-21 Detroit Lions (5-8) at Tennessee Titans (9-4): 1 p.m. … The Titans own the tiebreaker on the Colts in the AFC South right now because of a 7-4 conference record. The Lions can score points, but they allow them, too. Good luck with Derrick Henry. Prediction: Titans, 41-27
Seattle Seahawks (9-4) at Washington Football Team (6-7): 1 p.m. … Washington has put itself in position to win the NFC East. However, QB Alex Smith was injured vs. San Francisco and might give way to Dwayne Haskins. Three of the Seahawks’ four losses have been on the road. Prediction: Seahawks, 24-20
Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1) at Arizona Cardinals (7-6): 4:05 p.m. … The Eagles got a big lift from rookie QB Jalen Hurts in their victory against New Orleans. Why, Eagles fans haven’t been this excited since Carson Wentz burst on the scene. Wait ... what? Prediction: Eagles, 30-28
New York Jets (0-13) at Los Angeles Rams (9-4): 4:05 p.m. … The Rams don’t need outside assistance to win the NFC West. They have won four of five and can break the division tie next week vs. the Seahawks. That makes it sound as though the Rams are looking past the Jets. Uh … yeah. Prediction: Rams, 43-6 Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) at New Orleans Saints (10-3): 4:25 p.m. … This is the last real hope the Steelers have of being able to reclaim the No. 1 seed in the AFC. After the Saints, the Chiefs have the Falcons and Chargers at home. At worst they go 2-1 in the last three weeks. Prediction: Chiefs, 26-21 Cleveland Browns (9-4) at New York Giants (5-8): 8:20 p.m. … After a huge emotional game that ended with a crushing defeat to the Ravens, the Browns might show up with all the energy of a three-toed sloth. The Giants’ fourgame run to the top of the division has ended. Prediction: Browns, 27-20 Steelers (11-2) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-10-1): 8:15 p.m. Monday … The Steelers have scored just five TDs and no more than 19 points in their past three games. But they are 19-3 all time at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals have scored just 50 points in a five-game stretch. Prediction: Steelers, 19-9