Turkey Day Throwdown Picks

It's Thanksgiving and it's football. This year we have three games for our viewing pleasure. While the 12:30 PM and 4:15 PM games look to be massacres, all eyes will be on the 8:15 PM.
Well not all eyes considering that not everyone can get the NFL Network. Therefore, like the rest of the nation who doesn't get the NFL Network, I'll be following it on the Internet like everyone else. Fantastic, the best game of the day, and I have to watch it on the computer.

Nothing like having a great Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family, sit on the couch, unbuckle the belt, and logging on to the NFL Network on the computer to watch the game. It's a Thanksgiving tradition unlike any other.

Well, since this isn't the most eventful year for Thanksgiving Football, you might as well get stupid drunk, curse out all of you family at the dinner table, go home, pass out, and don't remember it the following Friday when you have to call out of work from being hung over. On the other hand, you can bite the bullet and be thankful that there is some football on and watch. I'm going to go with option "B". Although option "C" is do all of above, but I wouldn't advise it, that's too much on the heart.
I will say this, I know it's a time-honored tradition for football fans to see the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, but like the Obama campaign, we need a change. With match-ups like the ones we're having on Thanksgiving, The NFL should consider alternating the games played on Thanksgiving Day.

If the NFL can use the flex schedule for the Sunday games, why not for Thanksgiving and at least there would be some better matchups for viewers to watch and the networks will get some solid ratings. In addition, you'll still have football on the television for Turkey Day. Everybody wins. Then again, that's the way I see it, I might be wrong. Go figure.

So with that said, lets look at the Thanksgiving games:
Thanksgiving Day, 11/27/08 12:30 PM, CBS Tennessee Titans (10-1) at Detroit Lions (0-11)Ford Field, Detroit, MI My Pick: Titans

This was not the season the Lions had in mind back in Week 01. It's been one bad turn after another and on Thanksgiving Day, things won't get any better. Not only are they the joke of the NFL, but now they have to face the Titans on the most bountiful of holidays. The only thing that will be bountiful for the Lions will be the beat down they'll receive from the Titans.

Look, there's no need to get deep in this game. The Titans are the better team overall. They have the better offense and defense against the Lions. They're also mad as hell after their loss to the Jets, you can best believe that their ready to take it out on somebody. Too bad it's on a short week, too bad it's against the Lions.

Unless there's some miracle of sorts, the Lions will lose this game. Only fate or the hand of God Almighty can help the Lions win this game, everybody is betting against them. Now, they can use that as inspiration to go out and throw everything, they have against the Titans, but I wouldn't bet the house on it. You would be a fool to go against the Titans in this game; then again, anything can happen. For now, the safe bet is the Titans.

4:15 PM, FOX
Seattle Seahawks (2-9) at Dallas Cowboys (7-4)
Texas Stadium, Irving, TX
My Pick: Cowboys

Now that most of the Dallas Cowboys have gotten most of their team back from injury, they look to pick up where they left off in the middle of the season and start winning some games. Now that most of the Seattle Seahawks have gotten most of their team back from injury, they look to continue to keep losing the remainder of their games for the season.

Like the Titans, this is the Cowboys game to lose. The Cowboys have the better offense in this match-up and their defense looks like it remembered how to attack the QB in their win against the 49ers. Kudos to all of the Cowboys fans out there who put a hurting on my Niners by the way, much respect due.

The Seahawks are just having a bad year and it doesn't look to get any better. With the nagging injuries and being a team in the midst of transition, the Seahawks need to put this season behind them and look towards next year. They can try to finish the season on a strong note, but it won't begin with this game.

Now I know the Cowboys have won two games since their bye week, but they fought, and won, a hard battle against the Redskins in the Sunday Night Game from two weeks ago, and put a hurting on the 49ers last week. That's what you need to do with four weeks left in the season.

They look to be on the right path as the season is winding down to make that playoff push and no distractions will interfere with their trying to accomplish towards the end of the season. Their ready to make that run, and although they may not win the NFC East, we'll see them playing some football in January.

With the Seahawks still hurting with a few nagging injuries and the Cowboys finding their rhytm in the past two weeks, I have to go with the Cowboys in this game.

Thursday Night Game, 8:15 PM, NFL Network
Arizona Cardinals (7-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-5-1)
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
My Pick: Eagles

This is a must win game for both teams. The Cards need to win this game because they're on the verge of winning the NFC West title and head to the playoffs. They have to prove they can win on the road if they plan on advancing in the playoffs. The Cards have to take their loss to the Giants, put it behind them, and go at it to the Eagles if they want to make a statement.

The Eagles are discombobulated right now. In my opinion, one of two things will hapen at the end of the season; Andy Reid or Donovan McNabb will not be back in Philly next season. I'm going with McNabb's departure. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if both men were out of there at the end of the season and the Eagles decide to start fresh. We'll have to wait and see. What I do know is that the Eagles need the win just as bad as the Cards.

Like the Colts, the Eagles are desperate for a win. They need to win bad just to stay alive in the competitive NFC East. Desperate times, call for desperate measures. With so much on the line, and having the home-field advantage, look for the Eagles to pull out a bountiful and thankful win against on Thursday Night.

Since it's Thanksgiving Weekend, the old Hot Rod has already started throwing down some of the delicious turkey Mrs. Hot Rod has made and the L-trytophan has kicked in. Therefore, I have the "The Itis". With "The Itis" and Georgia Tech playing Georgia this weekend, I'm gonna hit yall with some quick picks for the weekend because I can't focus at the moment. Gonna take a nap now. Until we meet again, see ya when I see ya.

To see the rest of my picks for Week 13, click here.


Have a Safe, Blessed, and Happy Thanksgiving