Thanksgiving Game Open Discussion

November 24, 2022, 11:20 am ET

New England Patriots ER Matthew Judon

Photo: USA Today Sports Images

NFL Week 12 - With five teams playing with winning records, it's one of the biggest Thanksgiving days the NFL has ever seen. Buffalo (7-3) visits Detroit (4-6) to get things started. Then the New York Giants (7-3) visit the Dallas Cowboys (7-3) before the night game, which sees the New England Patriots (6-4) visit the Minnesota Vikings (8-2). Use this thread to discuss the game. You can also join Football Outsiders writers and readers on the official Football Outsiders Discord server.

Comments

17 comments, Last at 25 Nov 2022, 6:03pm

#1 by HitchikersPie // Nov 24, 2022 - 12:16pm

Why do we criticise crappy TNF products, but I never hear this levied at the thanksgiving slate (or have I just somehow missed that discourse).

It's at least nice the Patriots and Bills will be on equal rest footing heading into their TNF game next week.

#2 by Lost Ti-Cats Fan // Nov 24, 2022 - 12:19pm

Now if they would just adjust the schedule so that both teams go into Thursday night games after having the bye in the prior weekend. Wouldn't work at the beginning of the year before the byes start, but by mid-year I think it would make for better football.

#3 by coboney // Nov 24, 2022 - 12:28pm

Because its a tradition that predates it and essentially as a once a year thing it had novelty for a holiday game special thing.

#4 by IlluminatusUIUC // Nov 24, 2022 - 2:10pm

Von Miller on a cart ruined my Thanksgiving regardless of the outcome. Do we even have another DE to rotate in? Or is it just Basham and Lawson for the whole game now.

#5 by IlluminatusUIUC // Nov 24, 2022 - 2:19pm

And then a late hit sends Diggs to the sidelines and Dawkins the LT is out. This is a catastrophe

#6 by andeux // Nov 24, 2022 - 2:23pm

Mike Love elevated from practice squad is the third DE.

Diggs back in, but I thought that should have been flagged. Quite late, and to the head.

#7 by coboney // Nov 24, 2022 - 4:05pm

The Bills and Lions teams are two of the dumbest teams in many ways on decisions they make on the field and things that happen

#8 by Hoodie_Sleeves // Nov 24, 2022 - 8:57pm

The patriots offensive play-calling is fucking abysmal.

#9 by Tom Tulpa // Nov 24, 2022 - 10:03pm

The NFL should strike a High Floor Low Ceiling QB commemorative coin and put Daniel Jones' face on it.

#10 by Hoodie_Sleeves // Nov 24, 2022 - 10:05pm

Patriots offense would be much more efficient if every set of downs didn't start with a 1 yard run into the Center's ass.

#11 by Cythammer // Nov 24, 2022 - 11:16pm

The Patriots have really hurt themselves with how often they have been held to FG attempts these past two games. Should have won the Jets game easily... Maybe should have won this one.

#12 by apocalipstick // Nov 24, 2022 - 11:17pm

Jason Garrett makes up for his lack of charisma by displaying no insight.

#15 by mehnsrea // Nov 25, 2022 - 9:10am

Tirico begged him at times to talk offense and he couldn’t or wouldn’t do it.

#13 by Cythammer // Nov 24, 2022 - 11:25pm

Significant yardage advantage on a per play basis for the Pats, though Minnesota ran more plays. They won the turnover battle too. NE should probably have won that game. Minnesota keeps getting lucky close wins.

#14 by Aaron Brooks G… // Nov 25, 2022 - 8:45am

The yardage advantage disappears if you include the return TD.

Now realize Minnesota ran 11 more plays despite a missed drive and an EoH kneel down. They had more successful drives.

#16 by Joey-Harringto… // Nov 25, 2022 - 9:55am

Lions-Bills was weirdly both encouraging and disappointing at the same time.

Campbell’s end of half clock management was an Andy Reid fever dream, and likely cost them the game. He’s rightly getting killed for it in the media.

However, it would only be fair to point out that the only reason his team was even in the game against a consensus top 3 team that easily overmatched him on paper, was because A)he had them motivated and prepared, and B) He made 3 aggressive 4th down decisions.

#17 by LionInAZ // Nov 25, 2022 - 6:03pm

The halftime commentary was that both teams had questionable clock management. The main problem as I saw it was that the Lions D had no answers for Josh Allen running. Aidan Hutchinson sure looked slow trying to chase Allen down. That missed Badgely FG sure cost them too.