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Dan Leach's NFL Locks: Week 15 'Just Livin' The Dream' Edition

Follow Dan on Twitter @dtmleach

With the NFL season heating up, so do my NFL picks, which will be here for you each and every week to help you win your pick-em-pool, embarrass your friends and just become a more whole football fan and human being. I will take a look at five games each week with the best value and rate them on a sliding lock of the week 1-10 scale.

As we enter the home stretch, I have been on fire for you all season long and do not expect to slow down anytime soon. Off another 4-1 week, my ninth of the year, let's get to 5-0 yet again! And....Here....We....Go!

DTM Song Of The Week:  "Interstellar Main Theme" Hans Zimmer

While one of the year's best movies got shut out of the main 2015 Golden Globe award nominations, the exquisite and powerful soundtrack by the Barry Sanders of movie scores, Hans Zimmer, did get the transcendent movie's only nomination. Zimmer's score makes you feel you are right along for the ride into deep space and all the possibilities that come with it.

 

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears  8:30 p.m. Monday TV: ESPN  (Saints -3)

You can call this Sean Payton's Last Stand as the Saints have to win this game or they will likely miss the playoffs and Payton could find himself roaming the sidelines in Ann Arbor (hey, a boy can dream right?). Bottom line, the Bears are atrocious and Jay Cutler is showing he is not worth even half the pennies of his absurd $126 million contract extension. While the Saints are a shade of what they were last year, they will absolutely roll in this one by the shores of Lake Michigan.

5.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Saints -3 (Buy down to 2.5) 

 

Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns 1 p.m. EST  Sunday TV: CBS 62  (Browns -1)

Well, it took longer then some thought and many hoped, but the Johnny Football era begins as the Browns play in a must-win type game against their bitter AFC North Rival Cincy. This has all the makings of one of those miracle debut type of games for one of the most divisive rookies in recent memory. Before you go all man-of-god Tebow on me, lets just talk honest for a minute.

The Browns are not playing good football, Manziel is going up against a solid D with a very aggressive pass rush and those are both recipes for disaster. The Bengals should be playing better than they have, but have been good enough to still lead the North going into Week 15 and will come out of this game still on top of football's grittiest and most competitive division.

6.5 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Bengals +1

 

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles  8:30 PM EST Sunday TV: NBC  (Eagles -3.5)

This game could basically be what decides the NFC East crown with the way these two teams are playing, as the winner might not lose again this regular season. Chip Kelley has been masterful leading the Eagles with the Sanchize after Nick Foles went down, with the offense not skipping a beat. The Eagles went down in a tough game at home last week to Seattle, but have been solid for the better part of the last six weeks.

Dallas just went down to Philly in flames at home back on Thanksgiving and now have to travel to the City Of Brotherly Love where they will be welcomed with the opposite of by open arms. This game has the feel of a shootout and could be a "last possession wins" type of game. The Eagles just seem to have more on both sides of the ball and playing at home will be just the edge they need in this one.

7.1 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Eagles -3.5 (Buy down to 3)

 

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions  4:25 p.m. EST Sunday TV: FOX Radio: 97.1 The Ticket  (Lions -7.5)

Yet another chance for the Lions to move towards their first playoff appearance since 2011 and third since 1999 in yet another game they should win. The Vikes have been impressive over the past five weeks and rookie QB Teddy Bridge "Over Troubled" Water has clearly been the best of the 2014 class. This game will likely start out like the Bucs game did last week for Detroit. Contentious and disjointed in the first quarter or so until the Lions take a double-digit lead in the second quarter and never look back.

The Lions are a much better team then they are getting credit for and are led by the league's top ranked defense. As the offense continues to come to life, this is a team that will be very tough to beat down the homestretch. The Lions know that 11 wins likely gets them in and with Chicago next week on the road, Detroit seems primed to get to 11 and then lay it all on the line against the Packers for a chance to win NFC North crown in Week 17. The Lions will be tested at the beginning of this one, but will coast to a victory in the final three quarters, getting to 10 wins which matches their win total from their last playoff appearance in 2011.

DETROIT 31 VIKINGS 13

7.4 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Lions -7.5 (don't even worry about buying the half point:)

 

San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks  4:25 p.m. EST Sunday TV: FOX (Hawks -10)

Call it Harbaugh's last stand, call it Kaepernick's Little Big Horn. Whatever you want to call it, this could be the game where the Niners get eliminated from playoff contention in what is likely the last year for Harbaugh as the head man by the Bay. The Niners have only been an underdog 11 times during Harbaugh's tenure and are 9-2 in those games. This is also the first time they have ever been a double-digit underdog with him as the coach and don't pretend like he doesn't know that.

While the Hawks are playing great football and come off a huge win on the road in Philly last week, the Niners are going to lay it all on the table against their bitter division rival. While San Fran isn't likely going to win this game, they will keep it close throughout and will give the Seahawks all they can handle in Kaepernick's best game in weeks.

8 on DTM Lock of the Week Meter – Niners +10

 

ODDS TIDBIT----- Lions currently 20-1 to win Super Bowl XLIX, down from 25-1 before last week's win over Tampa Bay and are 10-1 to win the NFC (4th selection behind Green Bay, Philadelphia, and Seattle). Detroit now +$500 to win NFC North, their longest odds of the season with Packers the fave at -$1000, their highest odds of the season.

Last week 4-1

DTM'S 2014 Record ATS:46-27

DTM's 2013 Record ATS:43-26

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