CINCINNATI —
Thanksgiving Games
Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions – 12:30 p.m. on FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Tony Boselli)
I guess one positive for the Lions this season, outside of not losing at Pittsburgh, is having a nationally televised game on Thanksgiving. And they may have a chance to win this game as the Bears come in reeling.
Andy Dalton- remember him, Bengals fans?- will be starting Thursday in place of Justin Fields, who left Sunday’s game against Baltimore with a ribs injury. On the other side, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said quarterback Jared Goff is leaning in the direction of playing after missing Sunday’s game with an oblique injury.
For as bad as the Lions season has been, a win on Thanksgiving for them would be like winning the Super Bowl. This is a winnable game, but until the Lions actually win a game, I can’t pick them to do so.
Game pick: Bears 17 Lions 14
Las Vegas Raiders @ Dallas Cowboys – 4:30 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson) Radio: Westwood One (Dave Pasch, Ross Tucker)
I feel like Dallas’s season is going to culminate the same way most of their best seasons since 1995 have; getting to the playoffs but then losing in the divisional round. After starting 6-1, the Cowboys have lost two of their last three games. Dak Prescott had his worst game of the season at Kansas City Sunday, and the Cowboys offense was held under 10 points for the first time this season.
On the other side, Las Vegas’s season is, at least for now, culminating in the same way their previous two seasons have in enduring a mid-season swoon after a strong start. Derek Carr has lost his magic that he had through his first seven games with just four touchdowns to four interceptions in his last three games. Perhaps losing Henry Ruggs proved bigger than originally thought to the Raiders passing attack, and their nonexistent running game doesn’t help combat Ruggs’s departure.
Game pick: Cowboys 27 Raiders 17
Buffalo Bills @ New Orleans Saints – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Mike Tirico, Drew Brees, Michele Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Bill Rosinski, Rod Woodson)
What is wrong with Buffalo? Through five weeks, they were the best team in the NFL. Now? They’re not even in first place in their own division. They need to win this game against a depleted Saints team to have some breathing room going into a difficult stretch run to end the season.
New Orleans is another team that is struggling. Since beating Tampa Bay in week eight to pull within a half-game of first place in the NFC South, they have lost three straight games. And in Philadelphia on Sunday, their defense got ran over by Jalen Hurts and the Eagles dynamic offense.
Worth noting: this is New Orleans’s third appearance on Thanksgiving in the last four years. It is kind of getting old- then again, so is Detroit and Dallas playing on Thanksgiving every year. And this Saints team isn’t as fun to watch as Saints team in the past, and Drew Brees retiring is a big reason why.
Buffalo is a fun team to watch, but they have been too inconsistent of late. For a team with Super Bowl aspirations they are close towards their season falling off the rails, making this game a must-win.
Game pick: Bills 30 Saints 20
Tennessee Titans @ New England Patriots – 1 p.m. on CBS (Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn)
Before the season started, I would have told you that Tennessee would roll New England in this game. I didn’t think after watching New England get steamrolled by dynamic offenses last year that they would be able to keep up with the Titans this year.
But, now I think the exact opposite will happen. The way New England is playing isn’t flashy, but they can beat any team in the league. Case in point: they held Tampa Bay to 19 points in a game they really should have won. The way they’re playing reminds me of a lot of Patriots teams when Brady was there.
Tennessee was doing fine without Derrick Henry until an inexcusable loss at home to the Houston Texans. When Ryan Tannehill is forced to throw 52 times, as was the case Sunday, he’s vulnerable to mistakes. The Titans defense has performed admirably well recently, but it will have to win a difficult battle in the trenches and stop a potent Patriots run game to win this rematch of the AFC Wild Card game from 2019.
Game pick: Patriots 27 Titans 17
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Indianapolis Colts – 1 p.m. on FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver)
Speaking of Tom Brady, he and the Buccaneers have a road game this week against another team no team in the AFC should want to face, and that’s the Indianapolis Colts. Like New England, they’re not flashy, but they are fundamentally sound in two key areas of playoff-hopeful teams: running the football and defense. And their quarterback, Carson Wentz, rarely turns the ball over, another key element to playoff-hopeful teams.
Tampa Bay isn’t as vulnerable as they were through their first seven games, and that includes Brady. You see, he actually has thrown an interception in three straight games. You thought he couldn’t get any better after winning his seventh Super Bowl? Au contraire, that could not be further from the truth. Even the greatest are prone to mistakes.
It was this time last year Tampa Bay lost three out of four in November. A loss Sunday would equal that again this year, and I think it is going to happen. Even in their 20-point win over the Giants Monday night, I didn’t think Tampa Bay was necessarily great. And going up against a Colts team that’s rolling on a short week, I think an upset is prime to happen.
Game pick: Colts 31 Buccaneers 24
Los Angeles Rams @ Green Bay Packers – 4:25 p.m. on FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi)
This is my favorite game of the week. It’s warm-weather team versus cold-weather team in the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field. On top of that, both these teams have Super Bowl aspirations.
Los Angeles has suddenly hit a funk. They’ve lost two in a row, and they just looked bad in both games. Matthew Stafford suddenly has four interceptions in his last two games after starting the season with just four interceptions over his first eight games of the season against 22 touchdown passes.
Green Bay also lost their previous game, but they have arguably been the league’s most consistent team throughout the season. Despite all their injuries, here they are 8-3 atop the NFC North and a game out of the top seed in the NFC. Not only has their offense been doing its part, but the Packers defense this year brings an element of physicality not seen from that side of the ball in a long time.
This is one of the NFC’s marquee games of the year, and it can go a long way to determining the Rams division title hopes and the Packers playoff positioning.
Game pick: Packers 28 Rams 21
Sunday Night Football: Cleveland Browns @ Baltimore Ravens – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Tom McCarthy, Ross Tucker)
I think this game will be one of the worst games this week. I just do not trust Cleveland whatsoever. Baker Mayfield continued to struggle last week with two interceptions against the Lions. Nick Chubb ran for 137 yards in his return from a bout with COVID-19, but the Browns can’t be so dependent on him and their run game. They have to at some point show they trust Baker Mayfield or else the lack of being dynamic on offense will continue.
Meanwhile, John Harbaugh continues to work magic despite all the adversity the Ravens have faced on the injury front. Last week they won without quarterback Lamar Jackson, who missed the game with an undisclosed illness, and still managed to win an ugly, low-scoring game at Chicago.
The last time these two teams played in prime time, they produced an epic Monday Night Football thriller in Cleveland that saw the final score be 47-42 in favor of the Ravens. I don’t think this game will be like that, and I don’t think it will be that close either. The Ravens will have their way with the Browns again, and all of the sports talk world will once again be spinning their wheels about Mayfield and his struggles the following week and into the Browns bye week.
Game pick: Ravens 31 Browns 14
Monday Night Football: Seattle Seahawks @ Washington Football Team – 8:15 p.m. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters) Radio: Westwood One (
Seattle has easily been the most disappointing team in the league this season. A team that came in with postseason aspirations is now 3-7 and a head coach who is very likely on the hot seat right now. Would things be different had Russell Wilson not missed a few weeks during the season? Maybe, but they have still struggled even when Wilson has been healthy.
Washington has also been a disappointment this season, especially on defense. This year their defense ranks 24th in yards allowed and 28th in points allowed. That’s a year removed from ranking second and fourth respectively in those categories. Offensively they’re starting to come around, and that can be attributed to the season-long growth of quarterback Taylor Heinecke. But the defense’s regression is why they’re not in the thick of the playoff race and, instead, on the outside looking in.
The good news for Washington is they’ve won two in a row and welcome in a reeling Seahawks team. Also worth noting: last year Washington started 2-7 and made the playoffs as the NFC East champion. Proof that anything is possible.
Game pick: Football Team 24 Seahawks 17
New York Jets @ Houston Texans – 1 p.m. on CBS (Spero Dedes, Jay Feely, Amanda Balionis)
This game is on CBS. It should be on Comedy Central. The only thing that makes this game interesting is Zach Wilson returning for the Jets.
Game pick: Texans 20 Jets 10
Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants – 1 p.m. on FOX (Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Shannon Spake)
The Giants will be playing their first game following the firing of offensive coordinator Jason Garrett. In his place? Freddie Kitchens- remember him Browns fans? They actually should. The Browns offense ascended when he took over as their offensive coordinator midway through the 2018 season.
Philadelphia has been, perhaps, the surprise of the NFL. Maybe moving off Carson Wentz and rolling with Jalen Hurts was a smart move after all as the Eagles are eighth in the NFL in scoring on offense. They’re strong defensively, too, ranking 13th in yards allowed per game.
Philadelphia is the better team talent-wise in this matchup. But I’m going with the Giants because, I think, a new offensive coordinator can cause some unfamiliarity for an opposing defense. And maybe Freddie Kitchens can finally get Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to reach his potential.
Game pick: Giants 24 Eagles 21
Carolina Panthers @ Miami Dolphins – 1 p.m. on FOX (Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Jennifer Hale)
Cam Netwon is back, but he and the Panthers had a setback last week against Washington. The NFC playoff race is too crowded for any more of those setbacks.
Miami has won its last three games, but it may be too late for them to make a run at the playoffs. But at least they are maybe seeing if quarterback Tua Tagavailoa is the long-term answer at a position they have struggled to figure out since Dan Marino retired.
Game pick: Dolphins 24 Panthers 17
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals – 1 p.m. on CBS (Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins)
More on this game in the game preview show edition of my podcast I do with Justin Cashman. The big thing here is I think the Bengals matchup well with Pittsburgh, and I think they will win this game and continue to shatter old narratives. This week it’s beating Pittsburgh three straight times for the first time since 1990.
Game pick: Bengals 27 Steelers 20
Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville Jaguars – 1 p.m. on FOX (Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin)
Atlanta’s offense has hit rock bottom with just three points COMBINED over their last two games. But this is the game for them to rediscover it against a struggling Jaguars team.
Game pick: Falcons 28 Jaguars 20
Los Angeles Chargers @ Denver Broncos – 4:05 p.m. on CBS (Greg Gumbel, Adam Archueta, AJ Ross)
This is a big game. If you’re the Chargers, you can’t overlook this game for next week in Cincinnati for the Herbert-Burrow showdown. Denver may not stand out, but they are lurking at 5-5 with a stingy defense and offense that can score.
The good news for L.A. is they are more explosive than Denver, and I think will be able to handle playing in the Mile High City in late November.
Game pick: Chargers 34 Broncos 20
Minnesota Vikings @ San Francisco 49ers – 4:25 p.m on FOX (Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Sara Walsh)
A crucial game between two playoff hopefuls and two teams coming in with momentum. Once again, here’s Minnesota showing why they should be taken seriously. But it’s winning these games that truly make them contenders, which they should be with all the talent that they have.
San Francisco is finally healthy and playing their style of football, and they can beat any team in the league with their roster and style of play.
Game pick: 49ers 31 Vikings 28
Let me be Frank and Cut to the Chase 