New York Giants

New York Giants

New York Giants

ARLINGTON, TX - NOVEMBER 28: Fan of the Dallas Cowboys on the sidelines before a game on Thanksgiving Day against the Buffalo Bills at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. The Bills defeated the Cowboys 26-15. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

There are certain traditions that come with the Thanksgiving holiday. A trip to grandma’s house; backyard football; food; sitting around the couch talking to relatives while pretending to be interested; more food; that moment when certain relatives starts talking politics; more food (probably flying across the room toward someone’s face at this point); lines at the bathroom; more food, and of course, NFL football.

Nothing says a good Thanksgiving day time than a little football — especially with the never-ending, God-only-knows-why tradition of having the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys host games on Turkey Day. (Insert eye roll).

Anyway the NFL features three games that might … dare I say … actually be pretty good this Thanksgiving. Let’s take a peak and make some picks.

  • NY Giants (7-3) @ Dallas Cowboys (7-3) (-10.0)

    Cowboys Giants

    ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 10: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys scores a tohcdown against Tae Crowder #48 of the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images)


    It is tempting to take the Giants just on the fact that they are getting +10.0 in the point spread vs. Dallas as many expect Big Blue to fall flat on its face like it did versus Detroit. Facts are this is an NFC East rivalry, and for both teams this is the best chance they have of swinging momentum with sights set on first place Philadelphia.

    The Giants, no doubt, come in beaten up. Wan’Dale Robinson is out for the year on an already thin Giants receiving corp and they need desperately for Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones to carry the load with their legs. Turnovers killed Big Blue on Sunday vs. Detroit, so it is imperative for Jones to protect the football. If The Giants are going to win this game, it must be a fairly low-scoring affair with Barkley dominating on the ground, and the Giants defense making things uncomfortable for Dak Prescott.

    Speaking of Dak and the Boys, they are coming off an impressive 40-3 showing up in Minnesota on Sunday. While Prescott was good in throwing two touchdowns for Dallas, the game was really all about the Dallas defense. The Cowboys held Kirk Cousins to 105 yards passing and sacked him seven times. They also kept Dalvin Cook in check with 73 yards rushing.

    Note: Dallas has lost seven of its last 10 games on Turkey Day, including the last three. That slump ends Thursday.
    PICK: COWBOYS 30 – GIANTS 17.

  • Buffalo Bills (7-3) (-9.5) @ Detroit Lions (4-6)

    Jared Goff

    EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 20: Jared Goff #16 of the Detroit Lions throws a pass during the second quarter of the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on November 20, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

    Let’s be honest, we all underestimated the Detroit Lions. They are pretty, pretty, pretty good. They have had some bad luck early in the year, but with a three-game winning streak of late, the Lions are back in the thick of the NFC Wild Card race.

    Facing Buffalo, however is another task. The Bills are well rested having played in Detroit on Sunday against the Browns thanks to the lake effect snow storm that dumped six-plus feet of snow in Buffalo. And, yes, the Bills did quiet well on the fast track posting 31 points vs. Cleveland.

    Expect this to be a fast track game with both teams scoring into the upper 20’s. It might end up being the most fun game of the day.

    PICK: BILLS 34 – LIONS 26.

  • New England Patriots (6-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (8-2) (-2.5)

    Vikings

    ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 13: Duke Shelley #20 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates after knocking a pass away in the end zone during overtime against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on November 13, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)

    The Vikings got plenty of pie this Thanksgiving, trust me. Humble pie that is with their no-show vs. Dallas on Sunday. Expect a different Vikings team on Thursday night against New England. The Patriots are not that good. Had the Jets had competent play from Zach Wilson on Sunday, the Jets would have won that game going away.

    Mac Jones completed 80-percent of his passes, but couldn’t get New England into the end zone. While he should have some better success against the Vikings, it will not be fun if this game turns into a track meet.

    Plus, I don’t like the match-up of Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook going up against an ‘ok’ Patriots defense. Those two stars are going to go off.

    PICK: VIKINGS 27 – PATRIOTS 17.

  • Thanksgiving BONUS: Chicago Bears (3-7) @ NY Jets (6-4) (-4.5)

    Mike White

    EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – DECEMBER 26: Mike White #5 of the New York Jets walks onto the field before game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at MetLife Stadium on December 26, 2021 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

    What’s not to love about Thanksgiving then leftovers, which means in this case, bonus football come Sunday. The Jets are moving on from Zach Wilson — even if its in the interim — as Mike White will get the start under center against the Chicago Bears.

    The Jets are a ready made team with a ferocious defense and a talented receiving corps. They just weren’t getting the goods from Wilson. White was impressive in his three starts for the Jets last year, especially against the Cincinati Bengals when he threw three touchdowns and scored on a two-point conversion. Plus, unlike Wilson apparently, the players gravitated toward White when he did play.

    As for the Bears, they appear to be without Justin Fields this week. If that is the case, it will be ex-Jet Trevor Seimion under center.

    PICK: JETS 24 – BEARS 14.

  • Madden and Summerall Thanksgiving

    Oh, how I miss these two! Pat Summerall and John Madden. Nothing said football and Thanksgiving like John Madden breaking down the Turkducken every Thanksgiving. Man, I miss these days!

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