Three posters and six teams on deck on this special day.
Kick-off Thursday at 6:30 p.m.-
Detroit Lions (4-6) – Buffalo Bills (7-3)
Return to Detroit for the Bills. After a home game in Michigan due to snow in Buffalo, Josh Allen’s teammates travel this time to Motor City to play an away game. Facing them, Lions who are on their best series for years: 3 wins. Detroit had not recorded three consecutive successes since 2017. Dan Campbell’s band is still far from the playoffs in this NFC North largely dominated by Minnesota, but it finally manages to transform its good performances into victory. His victims? The Packers, Bears and Giants. This Thursday’s challenge will be much tougher, but it will be a way to test yourself.
Opposite, this match is much more important for Buffalo. After a start to the season and 6 wins in 7 games, the Bills slowed down as they fell to the Jets and Vikings. Result, Miami came back and the Dolphins even went ahead in the AFC East. Each match then becomes crucial, especially to put pressure on the Floridians. With a short week for both teams, several players are expected to be unavailable. Greg Rousseau (ankle) and Tremaine Edmunds (adductors) are officially out and Mitch Morse, center, is a doubt. Opposite, Detroit will have to do without Jeff Okudah (concussion), Jonah Jackson (concussion) and Evan Brown (ankle).
Kick-off Thursday at 10:30 p.m.
Dallas Cowboys (7-3) – New York Giants (7-3)
The only division duel will be played in the second part of the evening in Dallas. After two consecutive trips, the Cowboys find their lair. A stadium where only the Buccaneers came to win at the start of the season (19-3). A setback in the first week and only victories in stride (Bengals, Commanders, Lions and Bears). This Thursday, the Giants will make the trip for the second meeting between these two formations. The first was played in New York and Mike McCarthy’s men won 23-16 after a well-controlled match. For a long time, it was the Giants’ only loss.
Since then, New York has (slightly) come back into line. To the point where the dynamics will be rather opposite during this Thanksgiving. The Giants remain on two losses in the last three games. Conversely, Dallas is perhaps coming out of its best performance of the season. A lesson given to the Vikings from both sides of the field. However, as we know, division duels are always special in the NFL. What’s more in NFC East. The winner of this meeting will in any case be full of confidence.
Kick-off Thursday night to Friday at 2:20 a.m.
Minnesota Vikings (8-2) – New England Patriots (6-4)
The last game of the evening will be played in Minnesota. In prime time, the Vikings welcome New England. The opportunity to attend a new match between Bill Belichick and one of his… former players. Kevin O’Connell. The new Minnesota coach was even drafted by New England in 2008. And if he didn’t stay there long, he was still able to learn and gain the experience of BB which could be useful to him in particular. Especially since the Vikings technician now has a big challenge ahead of him: to restore confidence in a team that went completely through its meeting against Dallas. There’s no fire in Minnesota, but it’s still important to see how this team can react after a slap.
For that, it will be necessary to defeat a team of the Patriots which has made a specialty of playing spoilsports. If New England’s attack is far from efficient and consistent, the defense has established itself as one of the best in the league. Will the Massachusetts defensive squad be able to make life difficult for Kirk Cousins? This is the key question of this part. Last week, Micah Parsons feasted against an offensive line that went through. This Thursday, Matthew Judon, the best NFL sackeur, will face them. The result of this meeting depends a lot on this duel.
