The weekend opened with a huge NFC West matchup between the 49ers and Rams in Santa Clara. The Rams pulled out the 12-6 win and find themselves firmly in the mix for the NFC West title. That was the first of what is a busy Week 15 for the playoff picture.

Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy (left) and linebacker Eric Kendricks (50) celebrate leaving the field after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Dallas won 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

At 6-8, it kind of feels like their season is over, but it's NOT, and that's because they could still make the playoffs.  Thanks to their 38-27 win over the Titans in Week 15, the Bengals are still alive for a playoff spot.

The NFL is coming down the home stretch with just three weeks left in the 2024 regular season. While teams are still jockeying for playoff position, the postseason is beginning to crystalize. That is expected to continue with a number of marquee matchups with playoff implications on the Week 16 slate.

NFL Week 16 has arrived and we asked USA TODAY Sports' staff for their top bets for the entire NFL slate. Here are their picks and predictions.