Top 5 betting plays for Week 15 of the NFL season

After uncovering some betting tips and offering our picks for every NFL team total in Week 15, here are our five best plays for the weekend.

Oakland Raiders at Cincinnati Bengals

Wager: Over 45.5

Two of the league's worst defenses meet when the Oakland Raiders travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals. This should finally be a favorable matchup for Bengals quarterback Jeff Driskel, whose third career start comes against the NFL's No. 31 in points allowed this season. Driskel hasn't done a whole lot to inspire confidence in his first two outings but should benefit from the ground game again, as Joe Mixon - who racked up 111 yards and a score against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 14 - will get a Raiders defense allowing 144.5 yards on the ground per contest.

Oakland's offense might be a bit undervalued in the market as of late. The Raiders are averaging 24.5 points per game over the previous four - six points more than their season average - despite playing three of the top six defenses in yards allowed per play this season. Now they get the NFL's worst scoring defense that's given up 24 points or more in the previous eight contests.

It might not be an aesthetically pleasing game on paper, but it's one that should be advantageous for both offenses.

Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings

Wager: Dolphins team total under 17.5

A letdown might be in the cards for the Miami Dolphins, who are coming off one of the craziest finishes in NFL history that culminated with a win over the New England Patriots. The Dolphins have had a tough time coming through for bettors away from home, covering just two of the previous 13 games. They've also struggled offensively on the road following a divisional game, going 0-6 against the spread and averaging an even 12 points in the previous six situations. The Minnesota Vikings are fighting tooth and nail for a playoff berth, so expect a defense No. 4 in yards allowed per play this season to get the job done.

Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos

Wager: Broncos -2.5

We would have played the Denver Broncos at -4 or better, which makes the move from -3 to -2.5 late in the week a no-brainer. This feels like a case of recency bias in the market with all the love for the Cleveland Browns, who have won three of their last four games against teams who currently own a combined 15-24 record. The Browns are certainly on the rise, but in no way do we think these two teams are evenly matched on a neutral field.

Extra PointsTampa Bay Buccaneers at Baltimore Ravens

Recommended Pick: Over 46.5

It's tough to bet on a team that has burned you in back-to-back weeks, but this will likely be the best price on a Tampa Bay Buccaneers total all season long. For the first time in a month, the defense will go back on the road, where it's allowing nearly 40 points per game this season.

Despite the Baltimore Ravens going over the team total in three of his four starts, rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn't been great outside of basic metrics. He has missed on a majority of big plays through the passing game, but they'll continue to open up as Baltimore is running the ball a whopping 63 percent of the snaps with Jackson under center. The rookie will get another shot against a Buccaneers defense that surrenders plenty of deep passes.

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears

Recommended Pick: Over 45

The Chicago Bears convincingly beat the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football despite starting quarterback Mitchell Trubisky finishing with three interceptions and just 110 yards through the air. Sunday's game presents a good opportunity for Trubisky and the league's No. 7 scoring offense to bounce back, as the Green Bay Packers' defense is allowing 28.8 points per game on the road this season. After holding Jared Goff and the Rams to a mere six points, we wouldn't be surprised to see Chicago's defense take a step back against Aaron Rodgers, who has consistently burned the Bears over his career.

Top plays: 24-15-2 (61.5 percent)

Overall record: 39-28-1 (58.2 percent)

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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