This past Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, there were three NFL games. These games were part of an NFL Thanksgiving tradition that has been going on since 1920 of having three games on the holiday each year. This year’s games included the Dallas Cowboys vs. the Carolina Panthers, the Green Bay Packers vs. the Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.
During the Cowboys and Panthers game, fans witnessed the second to last Color Rush game, with the Cowboys sporting all white uniforms and the Panthers in all blue. The game garnered a lot of attention due to the undefeated Panthers. During this game, the Cowboys’ quarterback, Tony Romo, reinjured his left collarbone. Romo’s injury came after the three interceptions he threw, two of which the Panthers ran in for touchdowns. The Panthers’ victory gave them their NFL-best winning streak at 15 regular season games won. While the Cowboys lost 33-14 on Thanksgiving, they will continue to play on the holiday each year.
In 1934, the Detroit Lions hosted a Thanksgiving game and have held up this tradition ever since. So, in the 1960s, when the chance came for another team to host a Thanksgiving game, the Cowboys took it. The Cowboys hosted and won their first Thanksgiving Day game against the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 24, 1966.
This Thanksgiving, the Detroit Lions beat the Philadelphia Eagles 45-14. This is the Lions’ third consecutive win and their fourth win this season overall. On the other hand, this is the Eagles’ third loss in a row. Due to a shoulder injury, the Eagles’ starting quarterback was inactive this game, leaving backup quarterback Mark Sanchez starting. Sanchez completed 19 out of 27 passes, including the Eagles’ two touchdowns.
The third and final game on Thanksgiving night was the Bears vs. the Packers. While the weather in Green Bay was not ideal, both teams continued to play. This is the league’s most-played rivalry, which began back in 1921. The Bears had not beaten the Packers since Dec. 29, 2013, which was the second time the teams went head to head that season. This year, the Bears were able to walk away with a 17-13 win against the Packers due to the Bears’ defense holding the Packers off on fourth and goal with 22 seconds left in the game. NFL.com claims that the highlight of the night for the Packers was the return of retired quarterback Brett Farve. Farve’s number (No. 4) was retired that night alongside legends such as Bart Starr.
Next year, the tradition will continue with the Lions and the Cowboys hosting their annual games on Thanksgiving Day. The third matchup won’t be announced until the 2016 schedule comes out. You can catch the Lions vs. the Packers on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 8:25 p.m. On Sunday, Dec. 6, you can catch the Bears vs. the 49ers, the Panthers vs. the Saints and the Eagles vs. the Patriots. The Dallas Cowboys don’t play until Monday, Dec. 7 versus the Washington Redskins.