How to Watch NFL Football This Thanksgiving, Best Bets, and More

Thanksgiving Day football is a longstanding tradition, and for the last 19 years, having three games on the schedule has allowed fans from all around the world to find time to catch at least one football game live.

This Thanksgiving Day schedule involves two divisional matchups and a battle between two first-round QBs from the 2020 NFL Draft. We’ve got you covered with all the info you need to get ready for the games, the weather forecasts, and some of the best bets to make.

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions
12:30 PM ET | CBS/Paramount+

Thanksgiving Day football gets underway with a battle between two teams from the NFC North. The Detroit Lions hosted their first Thanksgiving Day game in 1934 after moving to Detroit, and the team has played on Thanksgiving since 1945, and Thursday’s game will mark their 85th Turkey Day appearance.

While the Lions are red-hot, having won their last nine games. On the other side, the Bears are last in the North. Chicago is 4-7 on the season and has dropped its last five games, including three heartbreakers against Washington, Green Bay, and Minnesota.

The weather forecast in Detroit involves highs in the 40s and rain, but it won’t impact the product on the field, since the Lions play in a dome.

The Lions come into this one as 10.5-point favorites, which isn’t a huge surprise, though this is the most points Detroit has been favored by on Thanksgiving Day since 1968 when they were a 12-point favorite against the Eagles.

The Lions have the highest-scoring offense in the league, averaging 32.7 points per game. Meanwhile, the Bears defense has been a bright spot, only allowing 19.7 points per game on the season. Even though the combination of Jared Goff and Dan Campbell has struggled on Thanksgiving (0-3), they’re 2-1 against the spread. Take the Lions to cover in this one.

If you prefer betting the moneyline, the Lions are a great choice at -650 while the Bears are +450. The past may influence the future in this one. The Bears are coming off an overtime loss against Minnesota on Sunday, and teams that played an overtime game who play their next game on seven days rest or less lost 57% of the time.

The O/U for the Bears’ trip to Detroit is 48.5, and this is where things get a bit more interesting. It’s easy to look at the offensive numbers that the Lions have put up this season and assume that all their games will hit the over, but the Bears’ defense is one of the best in the league. Detroit games hit the over 50% of the time, so the under may actually be the safest choice in this one.

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
4:30 PM ET | Fox

The Dallas Cowboys are another Thanksgiving Day staple when it comes to NFL games. While they haven’t been playing on Thanksgiving Day quite as long as Detroit, Dallas has played every Thanksgiving Day since 1966.

When this game was scheduled, fans expected to see Dak Prescott against Daniel Jones. Now, Prescott is out for the season and Daniel Jones has been released. Instead, fans will be treated to Cooper Rush facing off against Tommy Devito.

The season has been a disappointment for both sides and there are questions swirling around both head coaches. Dallas is 4-7 while the Giants are 2-9. While no teams are mathematically eliminated as of yet, both teams have virtually kissed their playoff hopes goodbye.

The weather is expected to be sunny and in the 50s when the game kicks off, so the roof may be open at AT&T Stadium, but it’s unlikely to impact the game at all.

Dallas comes into this one as a four-point favorite, as the Cowboys are coming off a surprising win over the Washington Commanders. The Giants offense has looked lifeless at best, so Dallas being a home favorite in this one shouldn’t come as any surprise. While Rush is no Prescott, he’s played well in his career, especially on short rest. Take Dallas to cover the spread.

While the Giants haven’t been good at much this season (sorry, Giants fans), they have done an admirable job of stopping the pass. They’re seventh in the league, only giving up 194.2 passing yards per game. Take Cooper Rush to pass for under 220 against the G-Men.

Oddsmakers aren’t expecting a lot of points in this one, as the O/U is only 38.5. The Giants have only scored more than 20 points in one of their last six games. Even though Dallas is coming off a 34-point performance, you should probably bet the under if you’re going to get involved in betting the points total in this one.

Miami Dolphins @ Green Bay Packers
8:20 PM ET | NBC/Peacock

Green Bay doesn’t have the long history of hosting Thanksgiving Day games that Detroit and Dallas have, but this is the second consecutive season that they’ll be on the schedule. However, this is only Green Bay’s second home game on Thanksgiving since 1923!

The Thanksgiving Day night cap is a battle between two QBs who went in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, their stories could not have been much more different. Tua was taken first overall and immediately became the starter in Miami while Jordan Love fell to the 26th pick.

The Packers kept him sitting behind Aaron Rodgers until last season, when Rodgers moved on to the Jets. It seems to have paid off, as Love has played well since taking over for Rodgers, though interceptions have been a concern this year.

This is the only game that may be affected by the weather, as the high for the day is only 33 degrees Fahrenheit, and Green Bay is expecting snow. If you’re a fan of tough, old-school, cold-weather football, this game may be your favorite one to watch this Thanksgiving.

Green Bay is only a 3.5-point home favorite in this one, a betting line that has already garnered some attention. This is especially true since Tua has struggled in cold-weather games in his NFL career.

“Struggle” might be an understatement, as he’s 0-4 in games in which the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit at kickoff. Favorites are 14-3 against the spread on Thanksgiving night since the league started scheduling these late games in 2006. Take Green Bay giving the points.

While player-prop bets haven’t been officially dropped yet, there are some expectations. Josh Jacobs to score one touchdown is expected to be one of the hottest bets on the board for this game, and it’s a safe bet to make. Jacobs has scored at least one touchdown in four of his last five games, and is coming off a game against San Francisco in which he found the end zone three times.

The Green Bay moneyline also seems like a solid bet at -185 while Miami’s moneyline is +154. This number may move a bit closer to game time, though. If Jaire Alexander can’t play, Miami could realistically move into a more favorable condition as the Packers’ secondary doesn’t have much of an answer for Hill.