GKJ
Global Moderator
- Feb 27, 2002
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The inundation of football is not reserved just for college. Every team in the NFL is playing on Thanksgiving week, before one last round of byes next week - one of the dumbest things the NFL does. It’s almost definitely to fill enough TV windows. There are SEVEN full-national games.
THANKSGIVING
CHI @ DET - 12:30pm CBS
The Lions endured their trap game trip to Indianapolis and keep on rolling as they have to do because the Packers and Vikings aren’t losing either. A home game against the Bears is important as it is a division game. The way the Lions are rolling, and the way the Bears can’t find winning plays, makes it seem unlikely both trends don’t continue. However, the new Golden Age of Detroit Lions Football still has a Thanksgiving Hex to shake, as they’ve not won on Thanksgiving since 2016, which includes 3 losses to the Bears.
NYG @ DAL, 4:30 Fox
It’s dinner time in most time zones, and Thursday afternoon in Canada. Nobody is forcing you to watch this game unless you’re desperate to speak to nobody.
MIA @ GB, 8:20 NBC
Tua Tagovailoa was talking about changing narratives, and winning a cold weather game in Green Bay would go a way in that direction during this hot streak the Dolphins are on. Forecast is 20’s and cloudy. This is a clear trap game for the Packers after railroading a depleted 49ers team on Sunday, and getting another shot at the Lions in Detroit next Thursday.
BLACK FRIDAY
LV @ KC, 3pm Prime Video
The NFL put these two teams on Christmas last year in Kansas City, and decided that we need to do that again. Chances are the Chiefs won’t give away another one like that. Raiders are getting Aidan O’Connell back. ABC is counter programming with the Egg Bowl, or perhaps your favorite NHL team is playing. KC can clinch a playoff spot by the end if the week.
MAPS
AZ @ MIN - I expected a bit more out of the Cardinals last week, but they failed to score a touchdown in Seattle, and ceded first place in the division. The Vikings are keeping pace one game behind the Lions, waiting for another shot at them.
SEA @ NYJ - the Seahawks scored two huge wins in a row, while all three other NFC West teams took an L. They get a cross-country trip against the Jets before the return game against the Cardinals next week. So naturally, the books want everyone to bet on the Jets. The line is SEA -2.
HOU @ JAX - It was a bad loss for the Texans at home to Tennessee, and now they get a road division game against a Jags team who had the week off after losing by 46 to the Jets. Guessing this will be closer than people think.
LAR @ NO - The Saints are 2 games out of the division all of a sudden, as they come off their bye. The Rams just had Saquon Barkley run all over them, and face a Saints team who want to keep running.
TB @ CAR - The Panthers are showing signs of life under Bryce Young 2.0, taking the Chiefs to the buzzer, and only lost 9-0 at home to Tampa last year in a game the Bucs had to win, in a Baker Mayfield revenge game.
PIT @ CIN - The Bengals had a week off to sit and stew over another sickening loss, and it wasn’t any more palatable of a loss for the Steelers in snowy Cleveland last Thursday. Should be a pretty angry game.
LAC @ ATL - The Chargers come east to play a Falcons team that lost two ugly road games before their bye.
TEN @ WSH - Washington Football Team are clearly off course since Jayden Daniels’ injury, wild finish against Dallas last week not withstanding. Does anyone trust the Titans to win consecutive road games against winning teams?
IND @ NE - Colts offense hasn’t looked any more hopeful with the return of Anthony Richardson. He was 11 for 28 last week. Drake Maye is running for his life, which means he’ll get hurt eventually, and the Patriots play some dumb football to boot.
CBS LATE FULL NATIONAL
PHI @ BAL - only one late CBS game, and it’s the matchup of the weekend. Two sets of birds flying back from Los Angeles after some huge wins. Appropriate for Thanksgiving, even though neither are turkeys. The Eagles did theirs in style - 255 yards rushing from Saquon Barkley in a 37-20 win over the Rams, their 7th in a row. The Ravens got a huge bounce back win over the Chargers, and now are a half game back of the Steelers. The takeists will be out in full-force trying to determine who the NFL MVP could be between Saquon and Lamar Jackson. The Ravens are standard 3-point home favorites. The Eagles do not have to get on a plane again until possibly the playoffs. In fact, 4 of their last 5 games are at home, prime position awaiting a stumble by the Lions. The Ravens will follow this with their bye.
SUNDAY NIGHT, NBC
SF @ BUF - The 49ers are in deep shit: a depleted roster and a hard schedule. Without Brock Purdy, they got boatraced in Green Bay. Now, they gotta make the trip to Buffalo to play SNF against the Bills who are off their bye. They’re last in the NFC West at 5-6 and are in 11th in the NFC. The year after losing the Super Bowl is a bitch. The Bills could wrap up the AFC East with a win and Dolphins loss.
MONDAY NIGHT, ESPN
CLE @ DEN - The Browns are coming off the half-bye with their snowy win over the Steelers. But the Broncos look like a team that is past getting their shit together. Bo Nix had a rough start, but now has valid claim on Rookie of the Year, and they’ve only given up 20 points in a game once since Week 1. But, again, the Browns do have a pulse with Deshaun Watson out of the way. Again. Too late at 3-8, though. Jerry Jeudy Revenge Game?
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend and enjoy all the football.
THANKSGIVING
CHI @ DET - 12:30pm CBS
The Lions endured their trap game trip to Indianapolis and keep on rolling as they have to do because the Packers and Vikings aren’t losing either. A home game against the Bears is important as it is a division game. The way the Lions are rolling, and the way the Bears can’t find winning plays, makes it seem unlikely both trends don’t continue. However, the new Golden Age of Detroit Lions Football still has a Thanksgiving Hex to shake, as they’ve not won on Thanksgiving since 2016, which includes 3 losses to the Bears.
NYG @ DAL, 4:30 Fox
It’s dinner time in most time zones, and Thursday afternoon in Canada. Nobody is forcing you to watch this game unless you’re desperate to speak to nobody.
MIA @ GB, 8:20 NBC
Tua Tagovailoa was talking about changing narratives, and winning a cold weather game in Green Bay would go a way in that direction during this hot streak the Dolphins are on. Forecast is 20’s and cloudy. This is a clear trap game for the Packers after railroading a depleted 49ers team on Sunday, and getting another shot at the Lions in Detroit next Thursday.
BLACK FRIDAY
LV @ KC, 3pm Prime Video
The NFL put these two teams on Christmas last year in Kansas City, and decided that we need to do that again. Chances are the Chiefs won’t give away another one like that. Raiders are getting Aidan O’Connell back. ABC is counter programming with the Egg Bowl, or perhaps your favorite NHL team is playing. KC can clinch a playoff spot by the end if the week.
MAPS
AZ @ MIN - I expected a bit more out of the Cardinals last week, but they failed to score a touchdown in Seattle, and ceded first place in the division. The Vikings are keeping pace one game behind the Lions, waiting for another shot at them.
SEA @ NYJ - the Seahawks scored two huge wins in a row, while all three other NFC West teams took an L. They get a cross-country trip against the Jets before the return game against the Cardinals next week. So naturally, the books want everyone to bet on the Jets. The line is SEA -2.
HOU @ JAX - It was a bad loss for the Texans at home to Tennessee, and now they get a road division game against a Jags team who had the week off after losing by 46 to the Jets. Guessing this will be closer than people think.
LAR @ NO - The Saints are 2 games out of the division all of a sudden, as they come off their bye. The Rams just had Saquon Barkley run all over them, and face a Saints team who want to keep running.
TB @ CAR - The Panthers are showing signs of life under Bryce Young 2.0, taking the Chiefs to the buzzer, and only lost 9-0 at home to Tampa last year in a game the Bucs had to win, in a Baker Mayfield revenge game.
PIT @ CIN - The Bengals had a week off to sit and stew over another sickening loss, and it wasn’t any more palatable of a loss for the Steelers in snowy Cleveland last Thursday. Should be a pretty angry game.
LAC @ ATL - The Chargers come east to play a Falcons team that lost two ugly road games before their bye.
TEN @ WSH - Washington Football Team are clearly off course since Jayden Daniels’ injury, wild finish against Dallas last week not withstanding. Does anyone trust the Titans to win consecutive road games against winning teams?
IND @ NE - Colts offense hasn’t looked any more hopeful with the return of Anthony Richardson. He was 11 for 28 last week. Drake Maye is running for his life, which means he’ll get hurt eventually, and the Patriots play some dumb football to boot.
CBS LATE FULL NATIONAL
PHI @ BAL - only one late CBS game, and it’s the matchup of the weekend. Two sets of birds flying back from Los Angeles after some huge wins. Appropriate for Thanksgiving, even though neither are turkeys. The Eagles did theirs in style - 255 yards rushing from Saquon Barkley in a 37-20 win over the Rams, their 7th in a row. The Ravens got a huge bounce back win over the Chargers, and now are a half game back of the Steelers. The takeists will be out in full-force trying to determine who the NFL MVP could be between Saquon and Lamar Jackson. The Ravens are standard 3-point home favorites. The Eagles do not have to get on a plane again until possibly the playoffs. In fact, 4 of their last 5 games are at home, prime position awaiting a stumble by the Lions. The Ravens will follow this with their bye.
SUNDAY NIGHT, NBC
SF @ BUF - The 49ers are in deep shit: a depleted roster and a hard schedule. Without Brock Purdy, they got boatraced in Green Bay. Now, they gotta make the trip to Buffalo to play SNF against the Bills who are off their bye. They’re last in the NFC West at 5-6 and are in 11th in the NFC. The year after losing the Super Bowl is a bitch. The Bills could wrap up the AFC East with a win and Dolphins loss.
MONDAY NIGHT, ESPN
CLE @ DEN - The Browns are coming off the half-bye with their snowy win over the Steelers. But the Broncos look like a team that is past getting their shit together. Bo Nix had a rough start, but now has valid claim on Rookie of the Year, and they’ve only given up 20 points in a game once since Week 1. But, again, the Browns do have a pulse with Deshaun Watson out of the way. Again. Too late at 3-8, though. Jerry Jeudy Revenge Game?
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend and enjoy all the football.
