5 betting tips for Week 15 of the NFL season

Need a cheat sheet or some help spotting situational edges with a new slate of NFL action fast approaching? We've got you covered.

Here are five tips to consider as you do your homework for Week 15.

Lions trending under

The Detroit Lions' offense has gone missing following the Week 9 trade of Golden Tate and the loss of Marvin Jones Jr. to injured reserve. Averaging a respectable 26.1 points per game and hitting the team total over in five of their first six games, the Lions have seen an incredible downturn, posting 16.2 points per contest and going under the team total in six of their last seven. They've also been a solid play to the first-half under, which is currently on a 4-0 run.

An underwhelming offense averaging 5.4 adjusted yards per play heading into Week 14 racked up a dismal 4.0 against the Arizona Cardinals in a 17-3 win on Sunday. Things won't get much easier for Matt Stafford and Co. when they face the Buffalo Bills, who rank third in the NFL in yards per play allowed this season (4.8).

Expect the Buccaneers' defense to come back down to earth

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' home defense has made life difficult for opponents after forcing Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton into four interceptions and making the New Orleans Saints look like a below-average offense for three quarters. However, no other defense has more volatile home/road splits:

• Home: 20.6 points per game allowed; opponent's team total 6-1 to the under
• Road: 39.8 points per game allowed; opponent's team total 6-0 to the over

The Bucs will now head to Baltimore for their first road game in roughly a month to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Baltimore's yards per play clip hasn't been anything to write home about while operating under the rookie quarterback, but the Ravens are 3-1 to the team total over with Jackson, averaging 27 points per game in his four starts. The Ravens are also calling designed runs more than 60 percent of the time with Jackson taking snaps, which could turn out to be beneficial against a Tampa Bay defense ranked No. 25 in the league in yards allowed per rushing attempt this season (4.8).

Fade the Dolphins on the road off divisional games

The Miami Dolphins are already a tough team to trust when playing on the road, covering just two of their previous 11 games away from Hard Rock Stadium. The Fins become even more of a fade when on the road coming off a game against a divisional opponent.

Over the previous six road games in this situation, the Dolphins are 0-6 against the spread, 6-0 to the team total under, and are being outscored 31-12 on average. Although the "Miami Miracle" will go down in Dolphins history, perhaps a letdown is lurking against a Minnesota Vikings team that was outplayed in prime time with a playoff berth on the line.

Consider the Bears on the first-half spread

If you're pondering a play on the Chicago Bears but don't feel comfortable laying six points against the division rival Green Bay Packers, take a look at the first-half spread.

Chicago has covered each of the previous six first-half numbers and has been lights out at home. At Soldier Field, the Bears are currently 5-2 against the first-half spread and are outscoring opponents roughly 17-6 in the first two quarters this season.

Look for the Saints to get back on track offensively

The Saints have struggled over the previous two games but might be in for a turnaround against the scuffling Panthers. Drew Brees and the offense have feasted on Carolina's defense in the past, averaging 31 points per game against their division rival while seeing the team total over hit in five of the previous six matchups. The two NFC South clubs have also gone over the full-game total in seven of the previous eight meetings.

Alex Kolodziej is theScore's betting writer. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 11 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AlexKoIodziej.

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