NFL Thanksgiving Games Review

Okay, so we had three intriguing games yesterday, and almost each one featured two teams with realistic playoff hopes.

The first game featured the red hot Vikings visiting the Lions in Detroit. The next had the Chargers visiting the Cowboys in Big D. And the final one featured the lowly New York Giants visiting the nation's capital for a Thanksgiving evening game.

Minnesota's defense seemed to have taken yet another NFC North quarterback out, although Matthew Stafford came back into the game. Still, there are plenty of question marks now left for the Lions, including how well Stafford can lead this team after what seemed like a serious injury. 

The Cowboys are basically done, as the Chargers continued their incredible momentum to keep increasing pressure on the struggling Kansas City Chiefs.

And the Giants at least did not get embarrassed in Washington, and even had a chance to pull off an upset. But in the end, they fell to 2-9 on the year with yet another loss.

So, let's take a look at the Thanksgiving Day that was this time around:

Minnesota Vikings 

vs.

Detroit Lions 

Minnesota 30, Detroit 23 - Well, the Lions were enjoying a good season up to yesterday's game. But this was a painful and sobering loss, and it now compromises Detroit's chances of qualifying for the postseason, seriously putting their chances in doubt. Minnesota, meanwhile, further established themselves as one of the elite teams this season in the NFC, and perhaps even in the NFL. They will win the NFC North, and will be fighting for one of the top seeds in the playoffs. They perhaps have a chance at the number one seed, although they still have some very tough games coming up to get through first. But the Vikings looked very strong and efficient in this one, grabbing the lead and momentum early, and basically holding onto the advantage for the entire rest of the game. They kept Detroit at arm's length the rest of the way, managing to stay calm and milk the clock while capitalizing on turnovers late in the game to doom Detroit's chances and hopes for a comeback. Matthew Stafford suffered an injury in the fourth quarter, and it was unclear just how serious the injury was, although one good sign was that he did play again. Still, the Lions just were not able to take advantage of enough opportunity's in yesterday's game, and now, they are very much on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in, well behind Carolina, and behind the Seahawks and the Falcons for that final spot. Tough loss for Detroit but an impressive win for the Vikings, who avenge a loss at home to the Lions with a huge, decisive win on the road, and a de facto division title along with it.  My pick: Inaccurate



Los Angeles Chargers    

vs.

Dallas Cowboys

L.A. Chargers 28, Dallas 6 - It seems pretty safe to say that the season is pretty much over for Dallas now, right? Unlike when they played tough against Philly last weekend, the Cowboys were never really in this one. The Chargers seemed to dictate the tempo from the beginning, and Dallas was unable to mount any kind of a comeback, or even really make much of a game of it. They just came out looking and feeling completely flat. The Chargers, in the meantime, looked like a team peaking just in time to make what appears to be a serious push for the playoffs. Strange, because these teams have the same 5-6 record. Yet, the Chargers have a better chance in a seemingly weaker AFC, while the Cowboys are quite distant from the more serious NFC contenders. This game really felt like a story of two teams going in the opposite direction. A huge road win for the Chargers, who now get a little extra time to rest. For Dallas, meanwhile, a dispiriting loss that probably ends any hopes that they had for this season. Now, they will need to begin to focus on rebuilding for next season, and dealing with all of the distractions that hurt them this season. My pick: Accurate

New York Giants 

vs.

Washington

Washington 20, N.Y. Giants 10 - Frankly, I was just glad that my Giants were not humiliated again. That said, they did not play well. Or, at least, the offense did not play well. The defense played fairly well, and kept Washington in check for most of the game. With a halfway decent offense, the G-Men would have had a chance to win. However, with the offensive issues that they had this year so far, you kind of knew that this was the way that this game would work out. In fact, the rushing game looked solid at times, and for a while, they were moving the ball. But that did not translate to points, and points are clearly what this team needs more of, more than anything. Washington earned a solid divisional victory, although it may be too little, too late, as they are well behind in the race to qualify for the postseason. My pick: Unfortunately Accurate