Thanksgiving 2021: What Can Jets & Giants Fans Be Thankful For? Week 12 Preview & Predictions
Thanksgiving Day has arrived!
While many are getting together with family for the first time in two years after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed last Thanksgiving dinner onto Zoom and Skype, the holiday is also synonymous for being a day to not only gorge on food, but football.
Which also means it’s the NFL’s annual passage of making people suffer through a Detroit Lions football game. And what better way to celebrate Thanksgiving in 2021 than having to watch the 0-9-1 Detroit Lions take on the equally horrible 3-7 Chicago Bears. Fun! (insert sarcasm!)
What do Jets and Giants fans have to be thankful for this year? Well, in a word, not much. There are no playoffs in the future for either team. There are legit questions about the futures of both coaching staffs. Giants head coach Joe Judge threw Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett to the wolves on Tuesday after another loss, signaling changes are coming soon to Big Blue on a Black Monday in early January near you.
Meanwhile, for the Jets, quarterback Zach Wilson is coming off a PCL sprain, and hopefully, maybe, he figured something out after a month on the sideline, and won’t be the turnover machine he was at the start of the year. At the same time head coach Robert Saleh is trying to figure out why his 32nd ranked defense (which is dead last in case you’re wondering) has been so porous this season.
We shall see.
If there is one thing Giants and Jets fans can be thankful for as the commiserate around the Thanksgiving Day table it is this: in seven weeks this season is history.
Mike Cohen’s Fox Sports New Jersey Pick Six (Special Turkey edition)
Last week: 4-2
Season: 24-12
Bears (3-7) @ Lions (0-9-1): The 2021 Turkey Bowl. The Lions are still looking for their first win, and are hopeful quarterback Jared Goff is healthy enough to play on that oblique that kept him out on Sunday in Cleveland. As for the Bears, it could be head coach Matt Nagy’s last game. Rumors are win or lose, he is out in Chi-Town. This is a good opportunity to rake those leaves that were gathering on your lawn the last six weeks before your guests arrive for dinner! PICK: LIONS 27 – BEARS 19.
Raiders (5-5) @ Cowboys (7-3): Dallas is looking to rebound from a physical and draining 19-9 loss to Kansas City last week. While Dallas’ defense did an outstanding job slowing down Patrick Mahomes and company, the Dallas offense couldn’t get anything going against KC’s defense. Look for Dak Prescott, Zeke Elliot and company to have some fun at the Raiders expense. Las Vegas is mired in a three-game losing streak, and were blown out in their last two games: 41-14 to the Chiefs, and 32-13 to the Bengals. PICK: COWBOYS 38 – RAIDERS 16.
Bills (6-4) @ Saints (5-5): Two desperate teams in Prime-time on Thanksgiving. The Bills have lost three of their last five, including inexpiable losses to the Jaguars and Colts. Not only could Bills quarterback Josh Allen use a bounce back game after last week’s 41-15 thumping to the Colts, so too could this Bills defense, which was ranked number 1 before their collapse against Indy. The Saints have a plethora of injuries, and its unknown if running back Alvin Kamara will be back, putting a lot of pressure on quarterback Trevor Siemian to get it done. PICK: BILLS 34 – SAINTS 24
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 24: Zach Wilson #2 of the New York Jets looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Jets (2-8) @ Texans (2-8): Zach Wilson makes his return under center for the Jets. It also marks the third straight game the Jets will have a different starting quarterback under center. Can Wilson settle down and show signs of improvement? This is a great test against a bad Texans team. On the flip side Tyrod Taylor gets the ball for Houston. They upset Tennessee last week, but this is a team that is still last in the NFL in total offense. That’s right the 32nd ranked offense of the Texans against the 32nd ranked defense of the Jets, and if that’s the case, I take defense all the time. PICK: JETS 19 – TEXANS 16.
Eagles (5-6) @ Giants (3-7): Will the Giants offense look any different with Freddie Kitchens calling plays? As long as Daniel Jones is throwing off his back-foot, it’s unlikely. The pressure is starting to turn up on Big Blue as we hit the stretch drive. A loss to the Eagles, and the cries from fans to change course away from GM David Gettleman and Head Coach Joe Judge will grow louder. It doesn’t help they play an Eagles team that has figured it out. Philly has won two straight, and is 4-2 on the road. Jalen Hurts has also been playing inspired football. PICK: EAGLES 27 – GIANTS 20.
Titans (8-3) @ Patriots (7-4) The Game of the Week! What an incredible match-up. The Titans are coming off their worst loss of the year at home to the lowly Texans, while New England has been rolling with five straight wins. Patriots quarterback Mac Jones gets better every single week, and the New England defense has been one of the best in the NFL. The Patriots are playing so well right, people are talking Super Bowl already. In fact seeing how Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill can navigate against that Patriots D, without Derrick Henry behind him is going to be the key to the game one way or the other. Bear in mind, the Titans love playing the underdog. They were underdogs against the Seahawks, Rams, Bills and Chiefs and won all of those games. PICK: UPSET ALERT: TITANS 29 – PATRIOTS 27.
