For the first time since 1935, each game played on Thanksgiving Day will feature teams with records of .500 or better.
The trio of games begins with a battle for sole possession of first place in the NFC North as the Minnesota Vikings visit the Detroit Lions at Ford Field (12:30 p.m. ET, CBS).
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The resurgent Lions (6-4) have capitalized on the four-game losing streaks by both the Vikings (6-4) and Packers (4-6), who play Monday night at Philadelphia. The Lions have won five of six and hope to continue a three-game winning streak on Thanksgiving. Defensive end Ziggy Ansah could have a big day against a makeshift Minnesota offensive line. Ansah had 3 1/2 sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble with a recovery during last year's 45-14 Thanksgiving victory over the Eagles.
"It’s a pretty special day," Lions coach Jim Caldwell recalled Wednesday. "You don’t have many like that, but he’s a pretty special guy, too."
The winner of Thursday’s game will be in first place all by themselves. The Lions have been the comeback kids this season, becoming the first team in NFL history to record six wins when trailing in the fourth quarter in the team’s first 10 games. The Vikings finally got back to doing what they do best last Sunday, scoring a pair of non-offensive touchdowns in a 30-24 win over the Cardinals to snap a four-game skid.
The Vikings are 5-1 all time on Thanksgiving, including 2-1 against the Lions, with the only loss coming in 1995, but have not played on Thanksgiving Day since 2000. Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford is 0-3 all time against the Lions, who have allowed an NFL-high 108.5 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks.
After the Vikings and Lions are finished, the Redskins (6-3-1) will attempt to pull closer to the Cowboys (9-1) in the NFC East (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox).
The Cowboys have the NFL’s best record thanks, in part, to rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott.
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Prescott, a fourth-round pick from Mississippi State, has thrown for 2,640 yards with 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions while rushing for an additional four scores. Elliott, the No. 4 overall pick in April’s draft, leads the NFL with 1,102 rushing yards and has 10 total touchdowns.
This could be an old-fashioned shootout worthy of the storied rivalry, with both teams capable of putting up big numbers. Washington is coming off a 42-24 thrashing of the Packers as Kirk Cousins threw for 375 yards and three scores and rookie running back Robert Kelley ran for 137 yards and three touchdowns.
Thursday’s nightcap has a pair of 5-5 teams, with the Steelers traveling to Indianapolis (8:30 p.m. ET, NBC).
The Colts hope to pull closer to the AFC South-leading Texans (6-4), who host the Chargers (4-6) on Sunday. The Steelers are tied with the Ravens atop the AFC North. The Ravens will face the visiting Bengals (3-6-1) on Sunday.
Scott Tolzien will start at quarterback for the Colts as Andrew Luck is out with a concussion.
“It’s my job to always be ready,” Tolzien said. “That’s my goal as a professional to do that every week.”
It will be just the third career start for Tolzien and his first since 2013, when he filled in for an injured Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.
“He has a limited amount of exposure, but he is a pro,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said of Tolzien. “If he has to roll and be the guy, then he will do a great job.”
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Colts safety Clayton Geathers also is in the concussion protocol, meaning Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger could have some success against a Colts secondary minus one of its starters.
Things could get ugly because, even with Geathers, the Colts ranked dead last in pass defense this season and are 30th in total defense.
Seahawks (7-2-1) at Buccaneers (5-5), Sunday 4:05 p.m. (Fox)
Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston will get his crack at Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” at Raymond James Stadium. The Seahawks have the NFL’s top-ranked scoring defense and are tied with the Bills for the NFL lead with 31 sacks. The Seahawks have picked off nine passes this season and Winston has thrown 10 interceptions, though just one in the past four games.
The Seahawks have a comfortable three-game lead in the NFC West, but the NFC South is a different story. The Bucs are a game back of the Falcons, who play the Cardinals (4-5-1) on Sunday at the Georgia Dome. Just behind the Buccaneers are the Saints, who host the Rams in a battle of 4-6 teams, and the Panthers, who travel west to face the AFC West-leading Raiders (8-2).
“The challenge is for us to continue to execute, no matter what they throw at us,” Winston said this week. “We know what they have. They’re tenacious. They have talented players.
“But we have to protect the football and find a way.”
Chiefs (7-3) at Broncos (7-3), Sunday, 8:30 p.m. (NBC)
Both the Chiefs and Broncos want to keep pace with the Raiders. The Chiefs are coming off an upset loss at home to the Buccaneers. The Broncos had a bye last week after escaping New Orleans with a 25-23 victory thanks to a blocked extra point that was returned for two points by Will Parks.
The Chiefs are a confident group and are in a pretty good position, with four of their remaining six games against AFC West opponents. They already have an earlier win over the Raiders in Oakland and will host them at Arrowhead on Dec. 8. Winning in Denver could give the Chiefs a leg up on the division before closing with the Broncos at Arrowhead on Christmas Day and at San Diego in the season finale.
“We’re still 7-3 with everything in front of us,” Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said. “It’s all going to start this week. I think this team realizes it’s a big challenge this week and we need to bounce back.
“The opportunities in general are going to get less and less here. You have to make them count. We have a huge challenge in front of us and you know you have to move on, find a way to go get a win and then you’re right back on top. That’s the nature of this game and the NFL — you live week to week.”