NFL Thanksgiving Contest Outlooks
Packers, Cowboys and Colts Should Win Big on Turkey Day
Nov 21, 2007
Only one Thanksgiving Day National Football League contest holds any suspense – that of the Green Bay Packers versus the Detroit Lions, and the Packers shouldn’t have much problem taming the Lions. In the other two Turkey Day games, expect the Dallas Cowboys to rope in the New York Jets, and the Indianapolis Colts to roast the Atlanta Falcons.
The Colts eked out a narrow victory last Sunday over Kansas City, 13-10, after dropping two consecutive contests – the first to New England, followed by a stunning two-point loss to San Diego. Yet the Colts, under superstar quarterback Peyton Manning, still had difficulty last weekend.
Expect them to regain their championship mien Thanksgiving night over the struggling Falcons. Even with the loss of Pro Bowl wide receiver Marvin Harrison and this week’s loss of veteran wideout Aaron Moorehead, the Colts should have more than enough in the tank to stomp woeful Atlanta.
Coming off a two-game winning streak behind quarterback Joey Harrington, rookie Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino elected to go with the virtually immobile Byron Leftwich Sunday, with predictable results. Essentially, with the season in the balance, Leftwich – who had a pin surgically emplaced in his ankle – failed to move the Falcons’ offense at all.
Instead, Atlanta walked the plank, 31-7, at the cutlass points of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although the Falcons’ defense played stubbornly, it quickly wore down, giving up two passing and one rushing touchdown, along with a field goal. All told, a weary Atlanta defense gave up 156 yards in the air and 146 yards on the ground.
Although the Jets freeze dried the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Dallas won over Washington in a big way, 28-23, behind four touchdown passes from quarterback Tony Romo to wide receiver Terrell Owens. Although the Dallas defense gave up 348 passing yards, expect their backs to stiffen under defensive guru and head coach Wade Phillips.
As for the most even match up – Detroit versus Green Bay – although the Lions have played over their heads all season, Packers quarterback Brett Favre is having himself a Pro Bowl season, to the surprise of football prognosticators the world over. The Pack is 9-1 on the season, off to their best start since going 10-0 to open the 1962 season.
Detroit is giving up an average of 257 passing yards per game, and is susceptible to the deep pass, as is Green Bay, which features two young safeties. Packers’ receivers Greg Jennings and Julius Jones should prove to be Favre’s favorite targets, as he’s sported a 70 percent completion rate in each of his last four games.
