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NFL games and Thanksgiving have been a long-standing tradition since way back in 1920. Every home in America, and now more internationally, has celebrated decades of eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and watching some of their favorite teams duke it out on live television.
Without football, Thanksgiving would feel a bit duller, but that will not be the case this season. Three games are slated to fill homes on Thursday.
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
Las Vegas Raiders vs. Dallas Cowboys
Buffalo Bills vs. New Orleans Saints
NFL Thanksgiving games preview
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
The Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions are set to play an early game on Thanksgiving. The game will start at 12:30 PM EST.
The Lions have been a part of Thanksgiving games for decades on end. This time, however, they are dealing with a disastrous season that has all but run away from them. The Lions go into the game with a 0-9-1 record. They have all but locked up the #1 pick in the 2022 draft. However, they may want to play season ruiner for other teams. They tied the Steelers last week, nearly beat the Browns on Sunday, and could look to try and take the Bears out of further playoff contention.
The Bears have been struggling as of late as well. They currently hold a 3-7 record and have also lost star linebacker Khalil Mack for the season. Justin Fields was also beaten up on Sunday as he suffered bruised ribs and is now considered week to week. With a short break, the Bears may start Andy Dalton. Another loss on Thursday would all but end their chances of reaching the postseason.
Las Vegas Raiders vs Dallas Cowboys
The Raiders and Cowboys game is the midday Thanksgiving game. It will begin at 4:30 PM EST. Both the Raiders and Cowboys are looking to bounce back after tough losses. The Raiders, especially, as they are currently falling behind the Chiefs and now the Chargers. They are still deep in the playoff hunt but will need to find a way to win some important games if they are to make the playoffs.
The Raiders are 5-5, and the rest of the AFC will not wait for them to get themselves together. They have a tough matchup against the Cowboys, and on short rest, they will need to play their hearts out to make sure they can rise above their .500 record.
The same can be said for the Dallas Cowboys, who are 7-3. They are another team that has been a fixture for Thanksgiving games, but they dropped the ball heavily to the Chiefs on Sunday, where they lost 19-9. Though the Chiefs were in the Super Bowl last year. The Cowboys will need to beat tougher opponents if they are going to be taken seriously as Super Bowl contenders. That should start on Thanksgiving.
Buffalo Bills vs. New Orleans Saints
The final NFL game for Thanksgiving is the Bills vs the Saints. The game will start at 8:20 PM EST.
This will be a very important matchup for the Bills, as they were embarrassed by the Colts with a final score of 41-15. The Bills were said to be the next Super Bowl contender, but they are looking like they may not make it out of the playoffs. They currently hold a 6-4 record and have lost their first-place spot to the New England Patriots. They will need a big win here to secure their spot back at the top of the AFC East. A short break and playing on Thanksgiving is never the best way to bounce back, but they will need to try.
The Saints have struggled throughout the entire season, and it's not looking as though they are gearing up for a playoff run. They are 5-5 and have lost three games in a row to the Falcons, Titans, and Eagles. The Saints will need to rebound, and fast, if they want to steal the NFC South from the Bucs.
