NFL picks, predictions for Thanksgiving: Cowboys beat Washington for first place; Lions fall apart vs. Texans

Bill Bender

NFL picks, predictions for Thanksgiving: Cowboys beat Washington for first place; Lions fall apart vs. Texans image

Thanksgiving now only offers two games of NFL action.  

Houston (3-7) and Detroit (4-6) meet in the first game at 12:30 p.m. ET. Dallas (3-7) and Washington (3-7) renew their NFC East rivalry at 4:30 p.m. The prime-time matchup between Baltimore (6-4) and Pittsburgh (10-0), supposed to be the main event, had been posponed to Sunday.

It's a great holiday schedule and a chance to improve on our NFL pick 'em record.  

  • Last Week: 6-7 (before Monday's game)  
  • Season: 62-46 (before Monday's game)  

With that as the mind, below are our picks and predictions for the Thanksgiving games: 

MORE WEEK 12 NFL PICKS: Against the spread | Straight up

The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.

NFL picks, predictions for Thanksgiving 

  • Houston Texans (-2.5) at Detroit Lions   

Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET, CBS  

The Lions have lost their last three Thanksgiving games, and they are coming off a listless performance in a 20-0 shutout against the Panthers. Houston has won two of its last three, and Deshaun Watson hasn’t thrown an interception in five games.  

Pick: Texans 28, Lions 23 

elliott-smith-112320-getty-ftr 

  • Washington Football Team at Dallas Cowboys (-2.5)   

Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX   

Andy Dalton was knocked out the last time the Cowboys played the Redskins, and this game might have NFC East title implications. Dallas plays more inspired, however, and Dalton throws the game-winning TD to CeeDee Lamb late in the fourth quarter.  

Pick: Cowboys 23, Washington 20  

roethlisberger-jackson-112320-getty-ftr

  • Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)  

Update: Ravens vs. Steelers has been postponed to Sunday due to positive COVID-19 tests

The Ravens have lost three of their last four games, and they have been limited to 24 points or less in the last four games. Baltimore will play with a sense of desperation, but they must get to Ben Roethlisberger – who has averaged 302 passing yards per game the last three weeks.  

Pick: Steelers 29, Ravens 26

Bill Bender

Bill Bender Photo

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.