Players to Watch
Zach Ertz • TE • Philadelphia Eagles • Fourth season • @ZErtz_86
As he did in 2015, Ertz is closing out his season in Philadelphia on a high note. He has caught at least six passes in five of the past six games, and has been targeted 60 times by Carson Wentz in that span. Over his past two games, the tight end has caught 19 of 28 targets for 191 yards and one touchdown. He will be tested against the Baltimore pass defense, which ranks seventh in the league, according to Pro Football Focus.
Ty Montgomery • WR/KR • Green Bay Packers • Second season • @TyMontgomery2
Ty Montgomery's role could yet increase in Week 15 with running back James Starks questionable with a concussion. With 214 all-purpose yards over his past two games, Montgomery has contributed heavily to Green Bay's much-needed three-game winning streak. His transition from wide receiver to running back was made official on Monday when Mike McCarthy said that Montgomery hadn't been to a receiver meeting in weeks. Eddy Lacy, who is out for the 2016 season, will be an unrestricted free agent in 2017, giving Montgomery a chance to cement himself as the Packers' lead back.
Trent Murphy • DE/OLB • Washington Redskins • Third season • @TMurphy_93
Trent Murphy is making a name for himself in his third NFL season. With three games to play, Murphy has already set career highs in sacks (nine), quarterback hits (14) and hurries (23), and holds an average Pro Football Focus grade of 83.0 on the season (20th in the league out of 110 eligible edge defenders). At 7-5-1, Washington is a half game out of the final wildcard spot heading into a clash with Carolina on Monday night.
Matchup to Watch
Colts at Vikings
Sunday's trip to Minnesota is a must-win game for Andrew Luck and the Colts, who sit a game behind Houston and Tennessee for the division lead. Indianapolis needs help from both teams, but can do themselves a favor by winning out to get to 9-7. Luck looks to bounce back after a subpar outing against Houston in Week 14, while David Parry comes off a game in which he made a career-high four run stops.
Injury Report
Blake Martinez was a limited participant in Green Bay's practice on Thursday, having been sidelined with a knee injury since Week 11. Jordan Richards was also a limited participant in New England's Thursday practice. Richards has missed the past two games with a knee injury sustained in Week 12. Andrew Luck was a limited participant in Thursday's practice after missing Wednesday's session with right shoulder and right elbow injuries.
Week 15 Schedule
| Date | Time (PT)/TV Network | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Dec. 15 | 5:25 p.m./NBC/Twitter | Rams at Seahawks (Doug Baldwin, Richard Sherman) |
| Saturday, Dec. 17 | 5:25 p.m./NFL | Dolphins (Michael Thomas) at Jets |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 10:00 a.m./FOX | Packers (Blake Martinez, Ty Montgomery, Kyle Murphy) at Bears |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 10:00 a.m./CBS | Browns (Kevin Hogan, Ed Reynolds) at Bills |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 10:00 a.m./FOX | Eagles (Zach Ertz) at Ravens |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 10:00 a.m./CBS | Steelers (David DeCastro) at Bengals (Ryan Hewitt) |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 10:00 a.m./FOX | Lions (Johnson Bademosi) at Giants |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 10:00 a.m./CBS | Colts (Henry Anderson, Andrew Luck, David Parry) at Vikings |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 1:05 p.m./FOX | Saints (Andrus Peat, Coby Fleener) at Cardinals (Josh Mauro, Stepfan Taylor) |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 1:05 p.m./FOX | 49ers (Joshua Garnett) at Falcons (Austin Hooper, LeVine Toilolo) |
| Sunday, Dec. 18 | 1:25. p.m./CBS | Patriots (Cameron Fleming, Jordan Richards) at Broncos |
| Monday, Dec. 19 | 5:30 p.m./ESPN | Panthers (David Yankey) at Redskins (Trent Murphy) |