It's neither feast nor famine for NFL Thanksgiving Day football watchers this year, with two interesting if not blockbuster games on the menu.
NFL Football Betting odds by BODOG Sportsbook
Atlanta Falcons -3.5
vs Detroit Lions +3.5
Dallas Cowboys +3
vs Denver Broncos -3
The second game between Denver (8-2) and Dallas (7-3) promises to be the better of the two, with each team atop their divisions six games remaining in the season.
Michael Vick should spice up the opener in Detroit, which may take awhile to play if the Lions reprise their 17-penalty performance from Sunday in Dallas.
With two straight defeats, Atlanta is in danger of dropping out of the NFC South race, what with two teams a game ahead of the Falcons. Detroit's playoff hopes are gone (what else is new?), but the Lions usually make Turkey Day interesting. The Lions are 6-4 on Thanksgiving in the last decade, and their annual tradition has provided a national showcase for great running backs like Billy Sims and Barry Sanders in years past.
The Falcons have lost two straight games, thanks mostly to a rash of fumbles and penalties. But coach Jim Mora isn't worried that his team will overreact. "No one's going to cut their wrists," he said after Sunday's loss. "No one's going to jump off a high building. No one's going to walk around like the sky is falling."
Unfortunately, the runner in the spotlight this week won't be Detroit's Kevin Jones, who's mired in an awful sophomore slump. Instead, Warrick Dunn will get all of the attention, and not just because his philanthropy makes him the perfect pregame feel-good story. The Lions have two top defensive tackles in Shaun Rogers and Dan Wilkinson, but their injury-depleted linebacking corps won't be able to stop Dunn.
This is Dallas' third game in 11 days dating back to that Monday night miracle in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Denver is coming off that bye Sunday against the Jets. Get dinner on the table before 3 p.m. Eat quickly. Skip dessert - it's a store-bought pumpkin pie, and it's not good. This is the game you want to watch.
The Broncos started the season as an inconsistent team with a suspect pass defense and a below average passing game. They've gotten better every week, and now they have few obvious weaknesses. Their offensive line is as dominant as ever, and they boast one of the deepest defenses in the NFL, with an eight-man line rotation and an excellent mix of rookies and veterans in the secondary.
All of that depth and experience will cause problems for the Cowboys. Bill Parcells and coordinator Mike Zimmer have designed a hybrid defense that baffles opponents by mixing 3-4 and 4-3 fronts. But they'll be hard-pressed to adjust to Denver's perfectly timed run blocking schemes. And while the Cowboys' offense exploits mismatches and mistakes very well, the disciplined Broncos defense won't make many careless errors.
The Broncos would be heavy favorites if this game were in Denver. However, they are on the road, and the Cowboys are playing their second straight home game. That makes a huge difference on three days rest.
Prediction: The Falcons will continue Detroit's misery by humiliating the Lions. Atlanta will win by more than ten points. In the second game, the Cowboys will upset the Broncos at the Cowboy Stadium. Dallas will win by less than six points.
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NFL Football Betting odds by BODOG Sportsbook
Atlanta Falcons -3.5
vs Detroit Lions +3.5
Dallas Cowboys +3
vs Denver Broncos -3
The second game between Denver (8-2) and Dallas (7-3) promises to be the better of the two, with each team atop their divisions six games remaining in the season.
Michael Vick should spice up the opener in Detroit, which may take awhile to play if the Lions reprise their 17-penalty performance from Sunday in Dallas.
With two straight defeats, Atlanta is in danger of dropping out of the NFC South race, what with two teams a game ahead of the Falcons. Detroit's playoff hopes are gone (what else is new?), but the Lions usually make Turkey Day interesting. The Lions are 6-4 on Thanksgiving in the last decade, and their annual tradition has provided a national showcase for great running backs like Billy Sims and Barry Sanders in years past.
The Falcons have lost two straight games, thanks mostly to a rash of fumbles and penalties. But coach Jim Mora isn't worried that his team will overreact. "No one's going to cut their wrists," he said after Sunday's loss. "No one's going to jump off a high building. No one's going to walk around like the sky is falling."
Unfortunately, the runner in the spotlight this week won't be Detroit's Kevin Jones, who's mired in an awful sophomore slump. Instead, Warrick Dunn will get all of the attention, and not just because his philanthropy makes him the perfect pregame feel-good story. The Lions have two top defensive tackles in Shaun Rogers and Dan Wilkinson, but their injury-depleted linebacking corps won't be able to stop Dunn.
This is Dallas' third game in 11 days dating back to that Monday night miracle in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Denver is coming off that bye Sunday against the Jets. Get dinner on the table before 3 p.m. Eat quickly. Skip dessert - it's a store-bought pumpkin pie, and it's not good. This is the game you want to watch.
The Broncos started the season as an inconsistent team with a suspect pass defense and a below average passing game. They've gotten better every week, and now they have few obvious weaknesses. Their offensive line is as dominant as ever, and they boast one of the deepest defenses in the NFL, with an eight-man line rotation and an excellent mix of rookies and veterans in the secondary.
All of that depth and experience will cause problems for the Cowboys. Bill Parcells and coordinator Mike Zimmer have designed a hybrid defense that baffles opponents by mixing 3-4 and 4-3 fronts. But they'll be hard-pressed to adjust to Denver's perfectly timed run blocking schemes. And while the Cowboys' offense exploits mismatches and mistakes very well, the disciplined Broncos defense won't make many careless errors.
The Broncos would be heavy favorites if this game were in Denver. However, they are on the road, and the Cowboys are playing their second straight home game. That makes a huge difference on three days rest.
Prediction: The Falcons will continue Detroit's misery by humiliating the Lions. Atlanta will win by more than ten points. In the second game, the Cowboys will upset the Broncos at the Cowboy Stadium. Dallas will win by less than six points.
Bodog is an online gambling site offering online sports betting, online casino gambling and online poker with great betting odds, fantastic customer service and fast payouts.
