Week 13 is Thanksgiving Week in the NFL, with not only the usual three games on Thursday to enjoy with the turkey, but also the ‘new traditional’ Black Friday game as well.

Heading into this feast of football, Week 12 certainly provided some notable highlights. The New England Patriots recorded their ninth-consecutive win and became the first team this season to reach 10 dubs. In that same game, Cincinnati Bengals kicker Evan McPherson made a career-long 63-yard field goal, the eighth successful 60+ yarder this season — an NFL record.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 167 yards and two touchdowns on just eight receptions in his team’s 30-24 win at Tennessee, taking him to a franchise single season record — and it’s only Week 13 remember — 1,313 receiving yards. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, meanwhile, passed for 354 yards and two touchdowns, and added a rushing touchdown for good measure, in the Cowboys’ 24-21 comeback win over Philadelphia and surpassed Tony Romo (34,183) for the most passing yards in franchise history. Prescott now has 34,378 yards through the air.

With McPherson and Prescott both in action on Thursday, let’s get to the games, starting with the Thanksgiving and Black Friday offerings…

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THANKSGIVING GAMES

Green Bay Packers (7-3-1) @ Detroit Lions (7-4)

Detroit will play its 86th Thanksgiving Day game (38-45-2) dating back to 1934, while Green Bay will play on this particular Thursday for the third consecutive season, and 39th time overall (16-20-2).

The Lions left it late, but just about managed to eke out a victory over the feisty New York Giants a week ago, keeping them in the hunt for a wildcard spot in the NFC. The Packers, meanwhile, saw off the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field, their second win a row to keep themselves in contention for the division behind the surprising Chicago Bears.

Last week, Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs had a career-high 11 receptions, a career-best 264 scrimmage yards (219 rushing, 45 receiving) and three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), including the go-ahead 69-yard touchdown run in overtime. His quarterback, Jared Goff, has two touchdown passes, no interceptions and a passer rating of 95-or-higher in each of his four career Thanksgiving starts — and also has two-or-more touchdown passes in each of his past four home starts against the Packers.

Packers counterpart Jordan Love has enjoyed his turkey day outings too, with three touchdowns and a 125.5 rating at Detroit on Thanksgiving in 2023 and two touchdown passes with a 129.2 rating on Thanksgiving last season against Miami.

Micah Parsons, a regular Thanksgiving participant during his time with the Cowboys, has six sacks in four Thanksgiving games, including at least 1.5 sacks in each of his past three. Only Ezekiel Ansah (Lions, 8.5 sacks) and Randy White (Cowboys, eight) have more sacks on Thanksgiving since 1982.

The Packers hold a 107-18-7 lead in this series, but the Lions have taken three of the last five meetings.

PREDICTION: The Lions gain revenge for their loss in 2023 and move to 8-4.

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Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) @ Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1)

Dallas will play its 58th Thanksgiving Day game (34-22-1) since 1966, while Kansas City will appear on the holiday for the 11th time (5-5) — but for the first time in almost 20 years (2006).

Both these teams mounted serious comebacks in Week 12, with the Cowboys overcoming a 21-point deficit to defeat Philadelphia and the Chiefs fighting back from 11 points down to see off the Indianapolis Colts in overtime. Both teams would be out of the playoffs if the season ended today but, while the Cowboys’ hopes are slim, it is unwise to ever write off the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes as the season enters its home stretch.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott ranks fourth all-time in Thanksgiving games in completions (166), passing yards (1,985) and touchdown passes (13), but opposite number Mahomes, while not a regular on Thanksgiving, is no stranger to playing — and winning — on Thursdays. He is 4-1 with 1,468 passing yards (293.6 per game) and nine touchdown passes in his past five such starts.

This will be only the 13th regular season meeting between these two teams, who have a strong shared heritage — the Chiefs started life as the Dallas Texans before moving to Kansas City in the old AFL — and the home team has won nine of the last ten games.

PREDICTION: The Chiefs defy the history books, have their way with the Cowboys and improve to 7-5.

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Cincinnati Bengals (3-8) @ Baltimore Ravens (6-5)

The late game on Thursday, which doesn’t as a rule feature a team with an established track record of playing on Thanksgiving, is an all-AFC North encounter between the Bengals and Ravens. Baltimore has won each of their two previous Thanksgiving appearances (2011 and 2013), while Cincinnati will play on Thanksgiving for only the second time ever (2010).

The Ravens beat the New York Jets last week for their fifth straight victory and are looking to become just the fourth team this century to make the playoffs after a 1-5 start. The Bengals, meanwhile, fell to the Patriots last time out, their fourth straight loss as they stare a top ten pick in next years NFL Draft firmly in the face. Lamar Jackson is expected to play for the Ravens despite a few injury questions, while the Bengals should welcome back talismanic quarterback Joe Burrow, who has missed most of the season with a toe injury.

In two meetings last season, Jackson (four touchdown passes in both games) and Burrow (five touchdowns passes in Week 5 and four touchdown passes in Week 10) became the first quarterbacks since 1970 each with at least eight touchdown passes in head-to-head matchups in a season. Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, who returns after a one-match suspension, had 21 receptions for 457 yards and five touchdowns in two games against Baltimore last season, the most receiving yards by a player against an opponent in a season in NFL history.

The Ravens hold a 32-26 advantage in this series and have taken five of the last six meetings.

PREDICTION: The return of Burrow gives the Bengals a spark on offense, but not enough to stop the Ravens from winning their sixth in a row.

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BLACK FRIDAY GAME

Chicago Bears (8-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles (8-3)

The City of Brotherly Love hosts a clash between two division-leading 8-3 squads, as the Bears travel to take on the Super Bowl champion Eagles on Black Friday in a matchup the schedule planners could only have dreamed of before the season.

Chicago is set to play its fourth Friday game in franchise history (2-1) and first in 59 years, but Friday football is becoming old hat for Philadelphia, who are set to play on the eve of the weekend for the second-consecutive season, with both matches against NFC North competition (Week 1, 2024 vs. Green Bay in São Paulo) and 10th time in team history (3-5-1).

The Bears come into the game on the back of a four-game winning streak — their second of the season after no such runs since 2018 — after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-28 last weekend. Each win has been decided by five-or-fewer points, however, as Chicago keep their fans on tenterhooks.

The Eagles let a 21-point lead over the Cowboys evaporate as they fell to their third loss of the year. Jalen Hurts had his ninth career game with two rushing touchdowns and a touchdown pass, surpassing Cam Newton (eight games) for the second-most such games in NFL history, and now trails only Josh Allen (12), in a race is set to continue for years to come. The loss against the Cowboys has seen the Eagles fall behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC seeding although, if the two share an equal record at the end of Week 18, the Birds would hold a head-to-head advantage in a tie-break situation.

The Bears own a 28-14-1 all-time mark against this week’s hosts, but the Eagles have won each of the last five meetings between the two in the regular season, while also winning the last postseason encounter in the ‘Double Doink’ game in the 2018 playoffs.

PREDICTION: Eagles just about hold off the Bears to keep the pressure on the Rams.

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ALSO ON IN WEEK 13

Los Angeles Rams (9-2) @ Carolina Panthers (6-6)

The Rams, with the league’s top defense (16.3 points per game allowed), have won six consecutive games entering Week 13, the longest active win streak in the NFC. The Panthers are one of eight teams this season with a .500-or-better record after missing the playoffs last year. In this clash between the first two teams to lose a Super Bowl to the Patriots, will the Rams continue their push for the NFC’s top seed, or will the Panthers’ unlikely playoff push get a welcome boost?

San Francisco 49ers (8-4) @ Cleveland Browns (3-8)

49ers running back Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL in scrimmage yards (1,581) and receptions (81) and is tied for third in scrimmage touchdowns (12) entering Week 13. Browns defensive end Myles Garrett leads the NFL with 18 sacks and 26 tackles for loss this season, the most tackles for loss by a player in his team’s first 11 games of a season since 2000. Will the 49ers keep up their own playoff hopes with a third straight victory, or will the Shedeur Sanders-led Browns win their second game in a row and ruin Kyle Shanahan’s return to Cleveland?

Houston Texans (6-5) @ Indianapolis Colts (8-3)

The Colts lead the NFL in scoring offense (31 points per game) and rank second in total offense (384 yards per game). The Texans, who lead the NFL in total defense (264.3 yards per game allowed) and rank second in scoring defense (16.5 points per game allowed), have won three consecutive games entering Week 13. Can the Texans keep their slim playoff hopes alive, or will the Colts bounce back after blowing a large lead against the Chiefs last time out?

New Orleans Saints (2-9) @ Miami Dolphins (4-7)

The Saints are still in contention for the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, while the Dolphins have moved further from top spot having won two games in a row. Can the Saints and Tyler Shough pick up just their second road win of the season, or will the Dolphins make it three wins on the bounce?

Atlanta Falcons (4-7) @ New York Jets (2-9)

The Falcons, with Kirk Cousins back under center for the injured Michael Penix Jr, got back to winning ways last week, but are still staring down the barrel of a lost season. The Jets, meanwhile, are scrappy but still losing games. In the John Abraham Bowl, can the Falcons make it two wins in a row, or will the Jets snap their own two-game losing streak?

Arizona Cardinals (3-8) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5)

The Cardinals have lost their last three games and are one loss away from securing a fifth straight losing season. The Buccaneers have lost their last three games yet still lead an NFC South where only the mercurial Panthers seem able to keep pace. With Baker Mayfield likely out, and Kyler Murray still on injured reserve, will Jacoby Brissett or Teddy Bridgewater come out on top in this Battle of the Backups?

Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4) @ Tennessee Titans (1-10)

The Jaguars are on a two-game winning streak and suddenly on the heels of the AFC South-leading Colts. The Titans have lost six in a row and look like securing a second consecutive first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Will the Jaguars make it three in a row, or can the Titans pull off an upset and salvage some divisional pride?

Minnesota Vikings (4-7) @ Seattle Seahawks (8-3)

The Vikings have lost three in a row and look like being without J.J. McCarthy this week. The Seahawks bounced back from their Week 11 loss to the Rams to beat the hapless Titans last week. Can the Vikings somehow pull of a victory with third-string Max Brosmer starting, or will Sam Darnold have his revenge on the team that let him walk this past spring?

Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) @ Los Angeles Chargers (7-4)

The Raiders have lost five in a row and fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after their defeat by the Browns last weekend. The Chargers are beat up, even after a bye, but are still well in with a shout of earning a playoff berth in the AFC. Can the Raiders offense get a bump under new/old OC Greg Olson, or will the Chargers make it five wins in their last six meetings?

Buffalo Bills (7-4) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

The Bills are coming into this one after a 23-19 loss to the Texans, while the Steelers are hosting after a 31-28 loss to the Bears. Both sides are still firmly in the playoff hunt, but neither offense is giving their fanbase much to get excited about. Which side can bounce back and earn a vital win when it comes to AFC Wild Card tie-breaks?

Denver Broncos (9-2) @ Washington Commanders (3-8)

The Broncos lead the NFL with 49 sacks this season, have won eight consecutive games and are aiming for their second-consecutive 10-win season under head coach Sean Payton. Washington OLB Von Miller holds the Broncos franchise record with 110.5 sacks and will be looking to get after Bo Nix on Sunday Night Football. Can the Broncos join the Patriots in the 10-win club in 2025, or can the Commanders snap their six-game losing streak?

New York Giants (2-10) @ New England Patriots (10-2)

The Patriots are only the second team in NFL history to win nine consecutive games with at least 23 points scored and 23-or-less points allowed in each outing, joining the 1961 Houston Oilers. The Giants have lost six games in a row and added to their growing casualty list by firing defensive coordinator Shane Bowen as a result. In a rematch of two Super Bowls over the last two decades, can the Patriots get to 11 wins in a season for the first time since 2019, or can the Giants pull off another upset and salvage some pride in another lost season?

 

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