Thanksgiving Day is a one-of-a-kind holiday that brings people together to enjoy food, family and NFL football. The Lions and Cowboys hosting games has become a defining Thanksgiving tradition that has lasted for decades. Dig into these three plays from each NFL game today. Here are tonight’s best bets brought to you by BetOnline.ag. Click here to join. All new players get a 50% welcome bonus and up to $250 in free bets.
First Pick: Detroit Lions -2.5
Rundown: Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions (7-4) host Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) at Ford Field in a pivotal NFC North matchup. With each team within one game of the first place Chicago Bears, today’s game is crucial to both teams goals of winning a division title. Green Bay defeated Detroit at Lambeau Field back in week 1 in dominant fashion, suffocating Detroit’s offense and allowing just 13 points. Thanksgiving Day will mark the first game all season where Green Bay enters as an underdog.
The key to this matchup will be if Green Bay’s 5th-ranked defense, led by first-year Packer Micah Parsons can limit Detroit’s 2nd-ranked offense in terms of points scored. Josh Jacobs is back in the lineup for Green Bay after missing last week’s game against Minnesota. He will be vital to moving the football on the ground against Detroit's 11th-ranked rush defense. The speed of Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams and Amon-ra St. Brown will test Green Bay’s secondary. Detroit has been stronger against the spread this season, posting a 6–5 mark compared with Green Bay’s 4–7 through 11 games. As they look to avoid the sweep, look for Detroit to come out with a sense of urgency and win a critical game at home by three.
Second Pick: Dallas Cowboys +3.5
Rundown: Three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs roll into Dallas to clash with Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys in one of the most anticipated regular season matchups in NFL history. Both teams are coming off comeback victories that may have saved their seasons, with Kansas City rallying from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter against Indianapolis and Dallas overcoming a 21-point hole to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. In games as at least 3.5-point favorites, Kansas City is 3–4 against the spread, while Dallas is 2–1 ATS when entering as underdogs by that same margin.
Dallas has struggled mightily on the defensive side this season, ranking 31st in points allowed at 28.5 per game. With that said, they have played much better the last two weeks, shutting out Philadelphia in the second half of Sunday’s matchup. Dallas added reinforcements to the defense during the trade deadline and added players such as Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson, who have been key to Dallas winning consecutive games. Today features the top two teams in pass yards per game, with Prescott (266.8) slightly edging out Mahomes (257.7). George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb have contributed significantly on the outside and will look to attack Kansas City’s 4th-best scoring defense. This game between two of the most popular franchises in sports should be a thriller. Anticipate the Cowboys keeping this one within a field goal today in Dallas.
Third Pick: Over 51.5
Rundown: The night cap in the NFL features the 3-8 Cincinnati Bengals and the 6-5 Baltimore Ravens from M&T Bank Stadium. Joe Burrow is set to return tonight from his turf toe injury, which sidelined him for nine straight games. The Bengals have clearly felt Burrow’s absence, going just 1–8 without him. Burrow is not the only one returning tonight, as star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase will be back in the lineup after serving his one game suspension.
Burrow has found consistent success against his division rival, throwing 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions in nine career games against Baltimore. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has posted similar results against Cincinnati, recording 22 touchdowns and four interceptions in 12 career meetings.
Both teams have had seven of their 11 games this season go over the point total. The last three times Burrow and Jackson have met, the game has gone over. The most recent matchup between Burrow and Jackson came last November, when the two quarterbacks combined for eight total touchdowns in a 35-34 thriller on Thursday Night Football. Cincinnati owns the worst scoring defense in the NFL, allowing over 32 points per game. It will be a massive test for the Bengals to stop Jackson and the Ravens offense who are looking for their sixth consecutive victory. This matchup should provide chunk plays and points all over the scoreboard.