Thanksgiving is an iconic American holiday, in which we unite with our families to enjoy delicious turkey, mashed potatoes and pie.
Additionally, it is a day that football fans look forward to, as the annual NFL Thanksgiving games allow us to escape family conversations. This year’s slate looks to add to the list of memorable games that’ve occurred on this holiday.
To open this season’s Thanksgiving action, the Green Bay Packers visit the Detroit Lions. The Lions tradition of hosting a Thanksgiving game dates back to 1934, and while there’s been past outcries to remove them from playing on this date, this year’s Lions are a sleeper team for the Super Bowl.
On the other hand, the Packers are amidst a new era, as longtime QB Aaron Rodgers departed for the New York Jets. Their new QB, Jordan Love, has had his ups and downs in his first full season of play. Meanwhile, the Packers defense seems like a mismatch against the potent Lions offense that ranks top 5 in various statistical categories.
The Washington Commanders take on the Dallas Cowboys in the afternoon game. The struggling Commanders decided to trade some of their most valuable players earlier this month, including defensive ends Montez Sweat and Chase Young. While QB Sam Howell has looked promising at times, the offensive line doesn’t allow the offense to elevate to the next level.
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are on an upward trend; wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has arguably been a top 5 player in his position. Meanwhile, Micah Parsons continues to wreak havoc in the defensive line.
The Thanksgiving night game promises to be the best of the day, as NFC West rivals San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks fight for the division.
This is the first of two meetings within three weeks, but this feels like a game Seattle needs more due to playing at home. However, the 49ers running game and defense might turn out to be too much for a Seahawks team that tends to be consistent.
Here’s to hoping this year’s Thanksgiving games are good enough so we can spend the entire day watching football instead of talking to our relatives!