When did Thanksgiving become more about football than turkey and family arguments? Regardless, it’s time for the yearly tradition, and with the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys competitive of late, it’s lining up to be an exciting Turkey Day.
Recently, favorites have been dominant, winning 55% against the spread (ATS) and an impressive 80% straight up (SU) in Thanksgiving games since 2010.
So what are the Thanksgiving NFL odds and totals for the games on Thursday, November 27? See the preview below.
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Thanksgiving Games
Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) at Detroit Lions (7-4)
- Start: November 27 at 1:00 p.m. ET on FOX
- Spread: Lions -3.0
- Moneyline: Lions -160, Packers +135
- Total: 49
For years, Thanksgiving was an embarrassing day for the Lions. But for the third season in a row, Detroit is playing important football in late November. With the NFC North becoming one of the most competitive divisions in football, Green Bay at Detroit is a matchup that could be deciding factor when it comes to NFC playoff seeding.
Fatigue is always a factor in these Thanksgiving games, with just days removed from Week 12. In that regard, the Packers had an easier contest as their defense easily handled the Minnesota Vikings 23-6 as 6.5-point favorites. The Lions, meanwhile, not only failed to cover as 14-point favorites, but they also needed overtime to beat New York 34-27.
The M.O. when facing Detroit is clear: if you can get home with your front four early and often, you have a chance. The Packers have that ability with a defense that is fifth in points against and passing yards allowed.
Detroit, despite needing overtime to beat the 2-10 Giants, was able to rebound offensively after posting just nine points in a 16-9 loss to Philadelphia. It’s become apparent that their offense is paced by running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He exploded for 219 yards rushing and two touchdowns in the Giants’ win, and the Lions’ four losses this year all occurred when he recorded 65 yards or less.
The Lions are 8-4 ATS on Thanksgiving since 2012 and are 11-2 SU since 1990 when they’re favorites. During the Dan Campbell era, they’re 2-2 ATS and 1-3 SU.
Expect Detroit to try to establish the run early against Green Bay’s defense. Meanwhile, if Detroit continues to struggle defensively, we could be in for a Thanksgiving shootout.
Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) at Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)
- Start: November 27 at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS
- Spread: Chiefs -3.5
- Moneyline: Chiefs -180, Cowboys +155
- Total: 51.5
Game two features two teams riding high and two teams desperate to hold onto momentum. Kansas City relied on its stout defense and another gutsy performance by Patrick Mahomes to secure a 23-20 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Chiefs went on a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter, during which they shut down the Colts’ run game and challenged Colts QB Daniel Jones to beat them. The Chiefs finally broke their losing streak after tough road losses at Buffalo and Denver. With a 6-5 record, their chances of winning the division are slim to none; they’ll need to keep the momentum alive just to stay in the Wild Card hunt.
The Dallas Cowboys have been inconsistent all year, but they might have turned a corner with a comeback from 21-0 to beat Philadelphia 24-21. Dallas looked defeated after trailing 21-0 midway through the second quarter, but they mounted a comeback with a surprisingly tough defense that held running back Saquon Barkley to just 22 rushing yards and forced two fumbles.
Unfortunately, despite the huge win as six-point homedogs, Dallas is just 2-11 ATS on Thanksgiving since 2011.
Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) at Baltimore Ravens (6-5)
- Start: November 27 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC
- Spread: Ravens -7.0
- Moneyline: Ravens -350, Bengals +275
- Total: 51.5
After starting the season 1-5, the Ravens now sit on top of the AFC North after defeating the New York Jets in Week 12, 23-10 – they failed to cover the 14-point spread. Baltimore has won five straight to regain their spot atop their division. However, it’s safe to say Lamar Jackson still hasn’t had an MVP performance since returning from injury. He’s topped 200 yards passing just once and hasn’t run for more than 50 yards. On a short week, it may require another steady performance from RB Derrick Henry, who has been able to provide enough juice on the ground to keep the Ravens in positive down and distance.
The Bengals, meanwhile, have remained competitive with Joe Flacco at QB, but have lost four straight and gone 1-3 ATS. Burrow practiced in full ahead of Week 12, which means he could be available in a division battle against the Ravens. Although Bengals coach Zac Taylor hasn’t decided as of Monday, November 24, the current seven-point spread could be a potential sharp play for bettors leaning towards the Bengals.