As essential to Thanksgiving as turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and all the fixings are the Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and NFL football.
Week 13 of the NFL season starts with a loaded holiday slate and the return of Joe Burrow.
We break down the three Thursday games and Friday game with score predictions and thoughts on each …
(All game times ET; all point spreads via ESPN Bet)
Thanksgiving Games
Green Bay Packers (7-3) at Detroit Lions (7-4)
1 p.m. on FOX
A pivotal NFC North matchup kicks off the Thanksgiving schedule, with the Packers and Lions both trailing the Bears (8-3) in the standings.
Green Bay finally looked like a playoff team last week in a 23-6 win over the Vikings last week, but of course that was against J.J. McCarthy. It will be a much different challenge going on the road with Jared Goff (dome version!), Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and Co. Gibbs is coming off a career-high 219 rushing yards (on just 15 carries, with 45 receiving yards and 3 total touchdowns) last week vs. the Giants.
Really, neither of these teams has asserted itself as most expected this year, so this could be a tone-setting game for the final stretch of the season for the winner.
Running back Josh Jacobs (648 rushing yards, 11 TDs) is back for the Packers after missing one game due to a knee injury
Detroit is a 3-point favorite
Prediction: Lions 29, Packers 24
Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) at Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)
4:30 p.m. on CBS/Paramount+
Who would have expected these teams to be a half game apart record-wise this late in the season?
The Chiefs staved off true peril last week, overcoming an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to beat the Colts in overtime (23-20) and get above .500, though they’re still presently outside the playoff picture with a lot of work left to do.
And now they catch a surging Cowboys team that may have found some answers on defense with the acquisitions of DT Quinnen Williams and LB Logan Wilson and the return of LB DeMarvion Overshown from injury. Dallas has won two straight over the Raiders and Eagles, overcoming a 21-0 deficit in that game for a momentous 24-21 win that now has it back in the playoff hunt. The Cowboys can’t be ignored with their offensive firepower with George Pickens (67 catches for 1,084 yards and 8 TDs) having a career year alongside CeeDee Lamb (44-632-2).
While the Chiefs haven’t shown the same offensive firepower as in past years, Patrick Mahomes is second in the NFL with 2,997 passing yards (18 TDs and 7 INTs) just ahead of Dak Prescott (2,941-23-7).
The Chiefs will have WR Rashee Rice (hamstring) as he was able to practice this week, but right guard Trey Smith, tight end Noah Gray and cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace have been ruled out. The Cowboys will be missing left tackle Tyler Guyton.
Kansas City is a 3.5-point favorite
Prediction: Chiefs 27, Cowboys 24
Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) at Baltimore Ravens (6-5)
8:20 p.m. on NBC/Peacock
Star QB Joe Burrow is back after missing nine games with a turf toe injury. It’s likely too late to rally the Bengals for a playoff berth, but Burrow made clear there was no way he was going to sit out if he was cleared to play. The Bengals won just one of those nine games without Burrow.
Cincinnati also gets star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase back from a one-game suspension for a spitting incident, while fellow wideout Tee Higgins will miss the game due to a concussion.
But none of that does anything to change the fact that the Bengals have an abysmal defense that ranks dead last in points (32.7 per game) and yards (415.8 per game) allowed.
Meanwhile, Baltimore knows all about the impact of a star quarterback returning. The Ravens have won four straight since QB Lamar Jackson returned from his hamstring injury (Baltimore has won five in a row overall), even if he hasn’t quite looked like his usual self. Jackson hasn’t been running much since the injury, totaling 14, 36, 10 and 11 rushing yards in those four games.
While the Ravens have been winning, they haven’t been collecting many style points in doing so, but they’ve nonetheless overcame that 1-5 start to tie the Steelers atop the AFC North standings.
Baltimore is a 7.5-point favorite
Prediction: Ravens 31, Bengals 27
Friday
Chicago Bears (8-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)
3 p.m. on Prime Video
For two 8-3 teams, the vibes couldn’t be any different for the Bears and Eagles.
Chicago is enjoying a breakout season under first-year head coach Ben Johnson and surging second-year quarterback Caleb Williams (2,568 passing yards, 16 TDs and 4 INTs). The Bears have won eight of their last nine games to take the lead in the NFC North, and Johnson’s postgame locker room victory speeches have become must-watch content each week.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, remains one of the most confounding teams in the league.
The Eagles’ defense is as good as any in the NFL, and their offensive talent should be as well with QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley and star WRs A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but that’s not the case. Brown has been disgruntled with his role all season, Hurts isn’t using his legs like in years past, Barkley is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry after his 2,000-yard rushing campaign last year, the Eagles rank 24th in yards (303.6 per game), 17th in scoring (23.2 PPG) and the fans want first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo fired or demoted.
Philadelphia will be without right tackle Lane Johnson, while Smith missed practice Tuesday and Wednesday due to illness and Barkley has been limited by a groin injury with his status uncertain for Friday.
Chicago is expected to get key cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon back from injured reserve for this game.
Philadelphia is a 7-point favorite
Prediction: Eagles 24, Bears 17