Thanksgiving Day Picks

We all wish this guy was calling one of the games today.
John Madden + football + turkey = Thanksgiving.
(Photo courtesy of Bleacher Report)

Thanksgiving. the best holiday of the year.

I have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving from a great family, great friends, a beautiful girlfriend to the Bengals still being in playoff contention. Every NFL team also has something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. What could each team be thankful for, you ask? Well....

Green Bay, New England and Denver are thankful that they all have future Hall of Fame quarterbacks who have each of them poised to win another Super Bowl.

Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Cincinnati are thankful that after 12 games, they are all still in the hunt for a division title. Bad news is, all four have a good chance of not making the playoffs at all.

The Colts are thankful that Peyton Manning got hurt when he did or they wouldn't have been able to draft Andrew Luck. And they are very thankful they decided to chose Luck over RGIII. Another bonus is that the AFC South is not very good, so the Colts should wrap up the division by mid-December.

Jacksonville, Tennessee, Washington and the New York Jets are thankful that the 2014 season is almost over and that they will all have a chance to draft Marcus Mariota or Brett Hundley in May's draft.

New Orleans is thankful that Carolina, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are as bad as they are. Carolina is thankful that New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Atlanta are as bad as they are. Tampa Bay is thankful that New Orleans, Carolina and Atlanta are as bad as they are. Atlanta is thankful that New Orleans, Tampa Bay and Carolina are as bad as they are.

Dallas is thankful for Jerry World and that for the first time in the last three years, they won't finish 8-8, just as long as they don't finish the season on a five game losing streak.

Charles Woodson (24) and Sio Moore (55) had a lot to celebrate last
Thursday as the Raiders got their first win of the season.
(Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports)

Oakland is thankful they got at least one win this season.

Philadelphia is thankful that Chip Kelly's offense is so good that it can make any quarterback, even Mark Sanchez, play better than they're capable of playing.

Arizona is thankful that Bruce Arians is such a good coach that he can make any quarterback, even Drew Stanton, play better than they're capable of playing. Arizona has a terrific defense too.

San Diego is thankful for Philip Rivers and the constant sunny skies and 70 degree temperatures year round.

The New York Giants are thankful that Odell Beckham Jr. is a freak of an athlete and gave them one good moment in what has been a dreadful season.

Minnesota is thankful they hired Mike Zimmer to be their head coach and not Jay Gruden. Watch out for the Vikings in 2015.

Houston is thankful for J.J. Watt.

Chicago is thankful for...nothing. They have a ton of talent on offense and still can't seem to score points consistently. And their defense, one that has been known as the heart and soul of the organization since it's founding, stinks.

St. Louis is thankful that they didn't draft RGIII.

Kansas City is thankful they have running backs and tight ends who can catch touchdown passes, because a wide receiver has yet to catch a touchdown this season.

San Francisco is thankful for their new stadium and a good defense, one that has been without All-Pro linebackers Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman and Aldon Smith for much of the season. Jim Harbaugh would probably tell you he's thankful for his khakis, black long sleeve shirt and 49ers hat -- his daily outfit.

Seattle is thankful for the 12th man, Beast Mode, Richard Sherman and that Lombardi Trophy they won in February.

Detroit is thankful that they may be headed to the playoffs for only the second time in the last 15 years. Detroit should also be thankful that they fired Jim Schwartz and hired Jim Caldwell, who is a much better coach.

Buffalo is thankful for snowmobiles and all other types of snow removal equipment or not all of their players may have made it out of Buffalo and on plane to Detroit last week.

Miami is thankful that they never have worry about a home game being moved due to their stadium being under seven feet of snow.

As a football fan, be thankful that their is a great triple-header of games on Thanksgiving. Bears vs. Lions, Eagles vs. Cowboys and Seahawks vs. 49ers. I plan to sit and watch all three games while stuffing my face with food, which I'm sure I will regret later.

My picks for the Thanksgiving Day games are below.

Week 13: Thanksgiving Picks (Home team in CAPS)

DETROIT over Chicago: It has been a rough go of it offensively for the Lions the last two weeks, scoring just 15 points, but thankfully that the Bears are coming to town on Thanksgiving. Chicago has given up the second most points in football and they rank 21st overall in total defense. The Lions have not fared well on Thanksgiving in recent memory, winning only one game in the last decade, but the Lions are one of the better teams in the NFC. Detroit has the third best defense in the league and with a woeful Bears defense visiting the Motor City on Turkey Day, I think Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson will have big days in a Lions win.

If Chip Kelly is to get the Eagles to the playoffs, it will be on the shoulders
of his quarterback, Mark Sanchez.
(Derik Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports)

DALLAS over Philadelphia: The Eagles have never lost in five tries on Thanksgiving, but that will change on Thursday. Philadelphia and Dallas are tied for the division lead at 8-3 and this is the first of two meetings in three weeks for these two teams. The reason I like the Cowboys here is because I still am not a believer in Mark Sanchez. Yes, the Eagles have won three of the four games he has played in this season, but those wins were against the Texans, Titans and Panthers. The one good team Sanchez has played, the Packers, the Eagles got destroyed. In his four games, Sanchez has thrown for 1,187-yards, seven touchdowns, six interceptions and has fumbled five times. That's 11 turnovers in four games and that just won't get it done in the NFL. I think it will be a great game to sit and watch during Thanksgiving dinner and I like the Cowboys to take the lead in the division with a win.

Seattle over SAN FRANCISCO: Expect a low scoring, defensive struggle between two bitter rivals on Thanksgiving night. With both of these teams at 7-4 and two games behind first place Arizona, both Seattle and San Francisco need a win this week. The Seahawks are coming off of a nice win at home against the Cardinals, while the 49ers have won three straight albeit by no more than six points in each game. I like the Seahawks in this one because the 49ers just have not looked good the past four weeks against below average competition. They lost to St. Louis, beat New Orleans by three in overtime, got by the Giants by only six and were lucky to beat the Redskins by four last Sunday. Seattle has rushed for 813-yards in their past four games (203.3-yards per game) and that run game on top of the mediocre play of the 49ers will lead the Seahawks to victory in Santa Clara on Thanksgiving night.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Last Week: 11-4
Overall: 123-52-1