Mark Craig's Week 15 NFL picks against the spread

A week after predicting nine upsets – and actually winning four of them – only two were tossed at the wall this week.

The only one for Sunday's lineup of games is Washington over the visiting Seahawks.

The thought of adding cold weather to Seattle's long flight as reasons for this upset was nixed because some of us have seen Russell Wilson perform when it's a bit nippy. Eh, Vikings fans?

Washington is on a roll and could give the NFC Least its first .500 team since Washington and Dallas were 1-1. The only time an NFC Least team has been above .500 this season was Week 1 when Washington was 1-0.

The Football Team has won four straight games. The last time it won five in a row, Norv Turner was the head coach.

Norval won five straight in 2000. Then he lost four of five and was fired with three games left that season. And it's been a long 20 years since.

In other games, the Rams get the week off against the Jets, no one will be watching the Steelers trounce the Bengals on Monday night, and the Vikings finally will come out on the right side of a 1-point win in what is essentially a playoff game against a Bears team that has missed fewer kicks this season (three) than the Vikings missed last week (four).

Last week's picks: 9-7; vs. the spread: 8-8.

Year to date: 133-75-1; 106-102-1

Vikings games: 8-5

Here are this week's picks:

Chargers (+3½) at Raiders: Chargers by 3

The Raiders are the desperate team on Thursday night. And probably the better team. And they won the first meeting in Los Angeles. But they've grown soft and dysfunctional, losing three of four and firing defensive coordinator Paul Guenther after giving up back-to-back games of 200-plus yards rushing. In the first meeting, the Chargers ran for 128 yards while Justin Herbert threw for 326 and a 105.9 passer rating.

Panthers (+8½) at Packers: Packers by 17

Remember when Aaron Rodgers was doomed because Green Bay didn't draft a receiver? Well, he just clinched another NFC North title. He enters Saturday night's game with 39 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions, 13 sacks, a 119.7 passer rating and a strong case for league MVP.

Bills (-6) at Broncos: Bills by 5

Denver is a worrisome opponent. The Broncos are 10^th in points allowed (26.7) and held Kansas City to a season-low 22 two weeks ago. But the Broncos won't have enough firepower Saturday to derail the 6-1 run that Buffalo is on.

Bears (+3) at Vikings: Vikings by 1

Their 6-7 seasons have been yo-yoing in opposite directions all season. Right now, Da Bears are up and the Vikings are down. Chicago's kicker is way up and the Vikings' kicker is way down. But don't get too carried about with Chicago's 36-7 win over Houston. The Vikings' defense has more fight left in it than Houston's. And their offense will score enough points to get past Mitchell Trubisky in what basically is a playoff meeting. Score prediction: Vikings 22, Bears 21

Texans (+7) at Colts: Colts by 9

Since the Colts' 6-point win at Houston 14 days ago, Houston scored 7 points in a loss and the Colts scored 44 in a win.

Lions (+11) at Titans: Titans by 7

Matthew Stafford, Chase Daniel, the ghost of Bobby Layne. Whoever lines up as Lions quarterback isn't going to beat Derrick Henry when he's in playoff mode.

Jets (+17) at Rams: Rams by 44

Seattle beat the Jets by 37. The Rams beat Seattle by 7. The Jets are fried. So, enjoy the week off, Rams fans.

Buccaneers (-6) at Falcons: Buccaneers by 7

The Falcons aren't good. The Bucs aren't as good as some of us thought they were (guilty). But Tom Brady over Matt Ryan has a familiar sound to it. Ryan goes up 28-3 but loses 34-28.

Patriots (+2½) at Dolphins: Dolphins by 3

Uncle. I give. No mas. I'm not picking the Patriots to win. Even though they will.

Jaguars (+13) at Ravens: Ravens by 10

Unless Lamar Jackson misses the entire game with cramps, the Ravens have a 99.999% chance of winning. But covering 13 points on a short week after that emotional win in Cleveland might be a bit much.

Browns (-4) at Giants: Browns by 7

Browns coaches who have won 10 games in their first NFL season: Paul Brown (10-2 in 1950), Blanton Collier (10-4 in 1963). Kevin Stefanski should join them on Sunday.

Eagles (+6½) at Cardinals: Cardinals by 3

Yeah, Jalen Hurts beat the Saints in his NFL starting debut last week. But let's consider that a typical NFL aberration and go with the better team here.

Chiefs (-3) at Saints: Chiefs by 7

The Chiefs won't let off the gas. And even if they do, they'll just come back and win anyway.

49ers (-3) at Cowboys: Cowboys by 6

Not sold on a win over Cincinnati meaning the Cowboys are improving all that much. But the 49ers are 1-5 in their last six games and have been KO'd by a season filled with nightmarish luck.

Steelers (-12½) at Bengals: Steelers by 14

How do you right a ship that was perfect but is now 11-2? Play the Bengals for all to see in prime time Monday.

UPSET SPECIAL

Seahawks (-5) at Washington: Washington 20, Seahawks 17

Yeah, it's tough to predict that Russell Wilson will lose to an NFC Least team for the second time in three weeks. But Washington has one of those NFL momentum waves going. Look for Washington to post its first five-game winning streak since 2000.

Last week's upset special: Raiders (+3) 31, Colts 27.

Result: Colts 44, Raiders 27.

Upset special record: 5-9.