Key Divisional Games Highlight Week 15 NFL Betting Slate

Sunday's Week 15 NFL action features 10 divisional matchups among 14 games on the schedule, with nine of them including teams that are still fighting for the playoffs. Three AFC teams can win division titles, as the New England Patriots (AFC East), Indianapolis Colts (AFC South) and Denver Broncos (AFC West) will clinch if they each earn a victory as favorites over their next closest competitors.

Even a Carolina Panthers team that is 4-8-1 and playing backup quarterback Derek Anderson has a shot at the postseason in the dismal NFC South as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as 3.5-point favorites at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook (click here to check latest NFL odds). The Panthers saw starting QB Cam Newton suffer two small fractures in his back from a car accident Tuesday but are just a half-game behind the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints for the division lead.

In fact, the only game that does not involve teams capable of making the playoffs this year takes place in the NFC East, with the Washington Redskins visiting the New York Giants as 6.5-point underdogs. Both the Redskins (3-10) and Giants (4-9) have been awful this season, and each of their coaches are on the hot seat right now. Washington QB Colt McCoy (neck) has been upgraded to probable and is expected to start his fourth game despite beginning 2014 as the team's third-stringer behind Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins (click here for update NFL injury report).

However, the Sunday Night Football matchup pits two NFC East teams who both have more wins than the Redskins and Giants combined while battling for the division title all season long. The Philadelphia Eagles (9-4) host the Dallas Cowboys (9-4) as 3.5-point favorites at Lincoln Financial Field just two weeks after winning the first meeting on the road 33-10 as 3.5-point underdogs at AT&T Stadium.

The Eagles are coming off a 24-14 home loss to the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks as 1.5-point dogs and will try to hand the Cowboys their first setback on the road this year. Dallas beat the Chicago Bears 41-28 as 3.5-point favorites away from home to kick off Week 14 on Thursday Night Football, improving to 6-0 straight-up and 5-1 against the spread as the visiting team. Philadelphia is 4-1 ATS in its last five home games and 7-3 vs. the line in its past 10 overall.

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