NFL Week 15 Tips and Predictions
Lorenzo Reyes is back with his best curls for NFL Week 15.
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NFL fans don't have to wait until Sunday to get their football fix in Week 15.
Saturday will feature three NFL games in a tripleheader packed with playoff contenders looking to get one step closer to the postseason.
Now, temper your expectations: There will be two matchups between teams relying on their backup quarterbacks to finish the season. But the prime-time finale between two of the NFL's hottest teams should be a treat.
Here's what you need to know about Saturday's games between the Minnesota Vikings at home to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Pittsburgh Steelers at home to the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos away at the Detroit Lions.
How to watch Saturday's NFL games?
The Vikings and Bengals kick off at 1 p.m. ET. The Steelers and Colts start at 4:30 p.m. and the Broncos and Lions start at 8:15 p.m
All three games will be televised on NFL Network.
It won't be Kirk Cousins vs. be Joe Burrow. And Vikings backup Joshua Dobbs, who led Minnesota to three wins in the last five games, will also not be in the starting line-up.
Instead, it will be the Vikings' fourth starting quarterback of the season, as Nick Mullens takes on Bengals backup Jake Browning, who has helped Cincinnati score 34 points in each of the last two games.
The Vikings hope to keep the No. 6 seed in the playoff mix as they enter the week at 6-7, one game ahead of five other NFC teams. The Bengals are in last place in the AFC North but are still in the race for the playoffs, split into a group of 7-6 teams that play with four weeks to go.
Mitch Trubisky vs. Gardner Minshew is the quarterback duel in this battle of 7-6 teams fighting for a wild card spot in the AFC playoffs.
Trubisky will start his second straight game in place of Kenny Pickett, who is out with ankle surgery. Trubisky wasn't great last week against the New England Patriots, completing 22 of 35 passes for 190 yards with two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) and one interception.
Minshew has since adjusted to his role as the Colts' starter, starting nine games this season in place of No. 3 Anthony Richardson, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in October.
The Colts will likely again be without star running back Jonathan Taylor, who recently underwent thumb surgery.
The Lions have cooled off, losing two of their last three games, but remain one of the NFC's heavyweights in 2023.
Meanwhile, the Broncos' resilience was on display as Denver rebounded from a 1-5 start to win six of its last seven games and sit one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
Denver's defense – which gave up 70 points to the Miami Dolphins in Week 3 – sparked the resurgence, leading the NFL with 24 takeaways, resulting in a plus-6 turnover margin. Sean Payton's offense also scored timely touchdowns in the final stretch.
While Detroit lost to the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, Dan Campbell's Lions still lead the NFC North and are battling the San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles for a spot in the conference's top three this postseason.