Thanksgiving has always been a major North American holiday and it’s an especially important day in the NFL.
Tomorrow will be the chance to enjoy turkey, stuffing and yams while gobbling up three relatively entertaining football games that will mark week 13.
The first game of the day at 12:30pm sees two of the NFL’s biggest surprises in top team Tennessee and woeful Detroit. The Titans defense has them sitting pretty in the AFC South and marking down the days to the playoffs. The Lions meanwhile are wondering how they turned worthless on both sides of the field.
Their match-up should be a chance for anyone still sceptical of the Titans to see how their run game and pass rush makes them an NFL juggernaut.
At 4:15pm a traditional game involving ‘America’s Team’ kicks off. The Cowboys will be in action as they host the underachieving Seahawks. Dallas are desperate for wins and to keep their playoff hopes alive while the lowly Seahawks are trying their best to salvage the season.
This game boils down to the run game. Even though Felix Jones is out, Dallas need to give Marion Barber 15-20 carries to set up Owens and company downfield. For Seattle the combo runners of Duckett, Jones and Morris need to pull together at least 150 yards to stand a chance.
The last game of the day at 8:15pm will arguably be the most meaningful in the standings. Arizona needs a statement game that shows their defense is more than paper-thin and that they can make a difference in the playoffs. Meanwhile Philly needs as much wins as they can to negate their position at the bottom of the air-tight NFC East.
The passing game will loom large for both sides as Warner has to have rhythm and hit receivers to be effective while McNabb needs to be accurate. Don’t be surprised though if the play of both defenses decides the outcome.
Once Sunday rolls around there will be no shortage of leftovers and gridiron stuffing.
The Niners have a notable offense but the linebackers have much to prove. They’ll have their hands full with a balanced Bills offense which features a great but underused back in Marshawn Lynch.
Baltimore’s defense has proven consistently that it can win ball games. The reason why they’re on the cusp of the playoffs this year is the emergence of Joe Flacco. Flacco should have a statement game against the woeful Bengals.
Indy’s offense is very much Jekyll and Hyde. One minute it’s methodical, efficient and scoring easily. The next it’s an uncontrollable mess that’s hindered by dropped passes. They’ll need the good side to come out against a Cleveland offense that has looked impressive under Quinn.
Even with Rodgers, Green Bay has a rollercoaster defense that only plays well on occasion. The linebackers will need to be on full alert against a Panthers team that loves to run the ball up the gut.
Miami are on the cusp of getting a surprising playoff berth. The run game has come alive in a big way this year but Jerry Porter and company are the reason they’re winning often. Look for another good game from Ricky Williams against a porous Rams squad.
The Saints are in a dog-fight out in the NFC South. Brees is using his weapons to outscore teams well but he’s looking up at three teams in the division. He’ll face one of those sides in the Buccaneers who boast a stout defense the New Orleans side sorely lacks.
New York-Washington is a premier match-up. Look for the Giants defense to rush Campbell into making mistakes. A Redskins win comes only if he shows more poise.
Atlanta and San Diego are two different sides. Look for the Falcons to run the ball with authority and sets up deep throws. The Chargers secondary has to step up to give Rivers and company a chance to make big plays downfield.
The Steelers and Patriots are good AFC clubs though not the powers they once were. This game boils down to the run game and who can tire out the opposing linebackers.
Denver needs to get more distance atop the AFC West so they can plan their playoff run. The Jets know the Broncos secondary is iffy and Favre will ensure Cotchery and company put it to the test.
From what I’ve seen the Kansas City-Oakland game has no significance at all.
Chicago have a playoff-calibre defense that can shut down any run game. However history has not been kind to them when they face Adrian Peterson and the Vikings. Orton’s play will be key if the Bears hope to maul Minnesota with deep throws.
Monday’s Jacksonville-Houston match-up will be a semi-intriguing affair. Run defense will be the difference as both have exceptional running backs.
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