Don’t get me wrong, I love writing about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but sometimes it gets a bit tiring writing about how great they are. With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, I thought I would switch things up a bit and write about the top three Thanksgiving NFL games to ever occur. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into it.
#3 – Dalla Cowboys Vs Green Bay Packers (1994)
No tradition is more prominent on Thanksgiving than that of the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys always playing on a special day. In this game, the Cowboys were looking to secure their 10th win of the season and move to a 10-2 record. Troy Aikman, the now-Hall-of-Fame quarterback, was injured for this contest, so the Cowboys turned to their backup quarterback; the all too familiar Jason Garrett.
Garrett would look like a duck in water in this game, attaining a masterful QB rating and leading the team to victory over the Brett Favre-led Green Bay Packers. Favre was no slouch either in this game, as he actually outdueled Garrett, completing almost all his passes and registering four touchdowns.
Now that’s a great way to spend Thanksgiving!
#2- Minnesota Vikings Vs Detroit Lions (1995)
Who would have known back then that matching up these two teams would give us something so great? This thanksgiving duel would end up turning into an absolute barn-burner, as the Detroit Lions would end up winning the game by a score of 44-38. This game is special for many reasons; the first being that Detroit actually won.
The second is that almost everybody came to ball-out, as Scott Mitchell, Detroit’s QB, threw for 410 yards. Minnesota’s Warren Moon threw for 384 yards, and a slew of other players reached career highs in this game.
You really thought I wouldn’t mention Barry Sanders, Detroit’s all-star running back? Well, Sanders also came to play in this game, as he had a 50-yard touchdown to secure the win for the Lions.
#1- Green Bay Packers Vs Detroit Lions (2007)
Why is this game so special? Because it was held on the first Thanksgiving where they scheduled three NFL games (as they do nowadays). This game was highlighted by the number of field goals that were kicked but was also a game in which Brett Favre shined and accumulated 381 passing yards on the day.
In typical Detroit fashion, the Lions would end up losing this one by a score of 37-26. This was quite honestly my favorite era of football (mid-2000’s), as the game was changing and evolving into a real entertainment league. The games started getting much more interesting, and the competition was becoming much more even (fewer blowouts).
What do you think about the list? What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving games? Let me know in the comments below!