NFL Fans Get Their Fill With 3 Games On Thanksgiving

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And this Thanksgiving let's consider the three traditional Fs of the holiday - family, food and football. There are three NFL games today, each between division rivals, everyone battling for a playoff spot as my colleague David Greene knows all too well.

DAVID GREENE, BYLINE: Yes I do. There are actually three NFL games today. Each one between division rivals, all the teams battling for a playoff spot. And NPR's Tom Goldman was good enough to interrupt his basting to join us to talk about pro football on Thanksgiving. Hello, Tom.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi, David. More into eating than basting...

GREENE: Oh, you don't do the cooking?

GOLDMAN: ...Sure, we'll go with that.

GREENE: Well, let's start with the prime-time match-up tonight between - actually, the last two teams to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl - the defending champion Seattle Seahawks are playing the San Francisco 49ers.

GOLDMAN: Yes, absolutely. Certainly a marquee match-up heading into the season, but, you know, they've both lost four games each to go with their seven wins. So they've had their troubles, you know. The 49ers haven't put together a complete game. They've gotten narrow wins over so-so teams, but they are wins - three in a row right now.

And Seattle has struggled, and the Seahawks seemed headed for that ignominious list of Super Bowl winners. The last eight have either missed the playoffs or not won a playoff game the year after their title. But they had a very impressive 19-3 win over Arizona Sunday, which had the best record in the NFL. And the Seahawks's defense was at its intimidating, stifling best. Both San Francisco and Seattle are still two games behind Arizona in the NFC West. So tonight's game - very important to win if they want a shot at the postseason.

GREENE: Well, another game involves a team that you just have to talk about on Thanksgiving - the Dallas Cowboys are taking on the Philadelphia Eagles. And those two teams tied for first in the division. And probably the Cowboys - the favorite only because they are home.

GOLDMAN: Well, you would think so. Historically, though, home field advantage hasn't been that significant on Thanksgiving Day. Since 1970, the home team has won 53 games, the visitors - 43 games, so it's not overwhelming. Plus the Cowboys this season have been better away from their enormous stadium in Arlington, Texas. They're 5-0 on the road, 3-3 at home.

Now Philadelphia is led by quarterback Mark Sanchez. You remember last time we talked about him, he was horrible with the New York Jets, most likely because the Jets were horrible. And he's been very good with the Eagles, probably because they've been very good. Although less than two weeks ago, they gave up 53 points to the Green Bay Packers, but they are tied with Dallas for the division lead, as you mentioned. The winner of tonight's game gets first place all alone.

GREENE: Well, the third game - the Detroit Lions. It's a home game. It's a Thanksgiving tradition in Detroit. They're hosting the Chicago Bears. And they're both really scrapping for a playoff spot - neither team playing really good football right now.

GOLDMAN: The Bears have been miserable for parts of the season. They gave up more than 50 points in two straight games. And since that embarrassment, they've patched together a couple of wins, including last week coming from behind to beat the mighty Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-9.

Now, Detroit has some of the best players at the so-called skilled positions - offensive positions like quarterback, wide receiver, running back. But the Lions's offense just has been a big letdown this year. Still, Chicago has a pulse, Detroit has a strong heartbeat, and this game is critical for both. And let's go back in history. It's also the 16th time they played on Thanksgiving Day since 1934. A Detroit win will even their series at eight wins apiece.

GREENE: That's amazing. All right, Tom, thanks a lot. Happy Thanksgiving.

GOLDMAN: You too, David.

GREENE: That's NPR's Tom Goldman.

MONTAGNE: You're listening to NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.