Plymouth Rock, MA: Thanksgiving is already here already and I’m ready to feast and be grateful. We have a solid lineup of football on the big day, which does not include the pitiful Giants, who blew another fourth quarter lead. I am grateful they do not play until Sunday. But let’s keep it positive, the future looks brighter for Big Blue. All the best to you and yours.
Appetizer
The Turkey Day football lineup is rock solid. The internet says the Lions record on Thanksgiving is 37-45-2. I would’ve guessed it was much worse, as I recall watching them get trounced with my pumpkin pie as a youngster many many times. They were the Thanksgiving Day whipping boy, like Uncle Eddie, who always showed up with the marshmallows in the sweet potatoes dish. Come on Eddie. I guess he didn’t know that at the first Thanksgiving, Governor Sam Bradford (no relation to the QB, according to the MtM Head of Research, Junoir Blaber) and Wampanoag Native Americans decreed that “marshmallows do not belong on a Thanksgiving table. Ever.” And they feasted.
This year I would put the Lions in my VBD category, vulnerable but dangerous. This is a team that is not likely to make a serious playoff run, but could knock off anyone on any given playoff Sunday. Or Saturday. Er, or Monday now.
The 7-4 Lions are coming off a win against the hapless Giants (more on this later) and face off against the 7-3-1 Packers, another flawed but decent team. This one has serious playoff implications and should be a good game to start off the festivities.
Main Course
Another team that could be creeping into the VBD category is the Dallas Cowboys. They pulled off a stunning win against the Eagles on Sunday, coming back from 21-0. The 5-5-1 Cowboys are trying to sneak into wildcard contention. After a tough one @ Detroit, their last 4 games are winnable tilts – home vs Vikings and Chargers, then road games vs the Commanders and Giants. Dak is having a great year.
On Thursday, Dallas takes on the Chiefs at home in the marquee game of the day. The 6-5 Chiefs are currently outside the playoffs and are in 3rd place in their own division. The got by the Colts on Sunday, but are not firing on all cylinders, as expected by many at this point in the season. Hopefully Taylor will be there, to make it fun for the whole family!
Jerry Jones, desperate to make something happen, as he looks like an extra from the Walking Dead, gave up a shocking amount of draft capital for Quinnen Williams. Maybe it will pay off? Crazy like a fox? Dallas should be able to hang with the Chiefs and keep this one close. It’s likely to a high scoring affair, and fun to watch with the top button loose.
Dessert
The Bengals Ravens nightcap looked like the least fun game on the docket, but now it appears that Joe Burrow will return. The Ravens are climbing out a hole and caught the Steelers for first place in the AFC North, thanks in part to the Joe Flacco led upset of the Steelers. Flacco performed admirably in Joe’s absence, but it’s hard to win with that defense. Joe B’s return and the Bengals attempt to derail the Ravens’ return to respectability makes this one exciting, as we contemplate hitting the leftovers.
Giants Blow Another One, Send Shane Packing
A lot of people didn’t like the Giants’ decision to go for the TD on 4th and goal from the 5 with about 3 minutes left and up by 3. Kick the FG, go up by 6, make Detroit have to get in the end zone. Great strategy…if you have a defense. I thought it was the right call.
Had the Giants made the FG, the Lions would have started at about the 30 and had 3 minutes to score a TD: Does anyone think the Giants would have stopped them? Did you watch the game? Gibbs was cutting through them like butter. The Giants haven’t come up with a play on D in those situations all year. The best chance was to score a TD there and lock it up. The decision was based on a complete lack of confidence in their own defense. So far, the Kafka Giants look a lot like the Daboll Giants, plus a few trick plays.
On a related note, they fired Shane Bowen, the D coordinator yesterday. What took them so long?
That’s all. Enjoy thanksgiving and come back tomorrow for Angry Ward.
