Thanksgiving is about many issues.
It’s about spending time with household. It’s about getting ready recipes which have been handed down for generations. It’s about avoiding that awkward dialog together with your uncle who actually believes that this yr his enterprise goes to take off, and you could simply get in on the bottom ground.
And naturally, it’s about soccer.
This yr Thanksgiving is dwelling to 3 NFL video games, plus the second “Black Friday” sport on Amazon Prime, then in fact the remainder of the Week 13 NFL slate.
Listed below are some upsets that you just may need to inform that uncle about as a possible Plan B if that enterprise actually doesn’t get off the bottom.
Arizona Cardinals (+4) over Minnesota Vikings — Mark Schofield
The Arizona Cardinals are SB Nation, licensed enjoyable.
They’re discovering methods to be artistic and explosive within the passing sport out of larger personnel packages. Kyler Murray is popping in one in all his greatest years in latest reminiscence, and their protection can create some chaos on the opposite aspect of the soccer.
Sam Darnold generally is susceptible to errors in chaos.
Miami Dolphins (+3.5) over Inexperienced Bay Packers — Matt Warren
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is 0-7 within the NFL in video games that have been underneath 40 levels. The Hawaii-born QB performed his school ball in Alabama and doesn’t have numerous expertise within the chilly, however this week he had some ideas on that.
“Yeah, I imply I’m excited to kill narratives, so let’s go. Carry it on,” he informed reporters after his staff’s win on Sunday.
The temperature at kickoff is anticipated to be 33 levels and falling on Thursday evening with an in a single day low within the teenagers. So why would I choose the Dolphins?
Tua isn’t the rationale the Dolphins have struggled in 2024, at the very least not in video games he’s truly performed. He has a 74% completion share, a 1.7% interception share, and a hit price of 52.2% in response to Professional Soccer Focus. His QB ranking is 106.2. When he fits up, he has been strong.
The Packers protection, in the meantime, is benefitting vastly from turnovers, main the league in forcing them on 17.9% of the opposing drives. Tagovailoa has 4 interceptions on the yr and three got here in a single sport. He’s defending the ball and if he can do this on Thursday, the Dolphins have an incredible likelihood to complete on prime.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love is the other of Tua, and had thrown an interception in each sport in 2024 till this previous weekend. He’s second within the league with 11 picks behind Geno Smith and has the second-highest interception share behind solely Will Levis.
Each groups have a fairly in depth damage report on the brief week, and that’s positive to play an element, as nicely.
Pittsburgh Steelers (+3) over Cincinnati Bengals — JP Acosta
I don’t actually understand how the Steelers preserve doing this, however I’m going to maintain believing of their satan magic till it stops working. I believed the Steelers offense performed nicely contemplating the truth that they performed in a blizzard on Thursday, and if they will get explosives within the run sport it helps make their offense extra dynamic. Nicely contemplating their capability to get explosives and have to do it on the bottom, they’ve the proper capability to do it towards a Bengals’ run protection that also provides up an excessive amount of on the bottom. They’ve picked themselves as much as seventeenth in Success Price on runs towards them since week six, however nonetheless twenty sixth in EPA per carry allowed. They’ve gotten higher at not giving up singles and doubles, however the dwelling run ball remains to be in play towards them. If the Steelers can get explosives on the bottom mixed with the George Pickens chaos machine, the Steelers can win this sport. Add within the TJ Watt variable, and I’m effective with choosing the Steelers right here.
Carolina Panthers (+6.5) over Tampa Bay Buccaneers — James Dator
I really feel like such a grimy homer regularly choosing the Panthers towards the unfold, however I don’t understand how the traces preserve popping out like this. Final week I informed y’all to take Carolina +11 vs. the Chiefs, and that paid off — so I’m doing it right here once more too.
It’s not that I essentially assume the Panthers will win, however relatively that I believe they will preserve this sport shut. All the pieces is beginning to click on for Bryce Younger and the Carolina offense, and with Adam Thielen again within the lineup it provides a wrinkle. He ought to joined by Jalen Coker, one in all Younger’s favourite targets who missed the sport towards the Chiefs as a consequence of a tweaked quad.
On common the Bucs are solely scoring 3.3 extra factors than they permit this season. A variety of their wins have been shut. I believe this might be one other one the place the Panthers both come away with the W, or lose narrowly.
