Brady and the Pats have their hands full this week.

Off to a solid 2-1 start for week 12, thanks to the Packers and Broncos, I’m hoping to see that success continue into the rest of the weekend. It’s been a while since I’ve scored a big week I must admit. Following an 8-8 week 11 showing, and the 2-1 start to this week, my record on the season is now 93-70, which isn’t bad. However, after starting off hot, I’ve essentially been a 50-50 bettor in the last month or so.

For those who might be interested, here’s my picks for Thursday’s games:

http://masterprocrastinator.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/pass-the-gravy-thanksgiving-day-picks/

As always, remember the picks are for entertainment purposes only. Here’s the remainder of week 12 now:

Houston (+3.5) over Indianapolis

The Texans are talented enough to knock off the Colts. They are also maddeningly inconsistent and highly untrustworthy, if you’re planning on gambling on them.

When these teams played each other three weeks ago, the Texans had the Colts on the ropes, but between penalties and turnovers, Houston sabotaged their chances of pulling off the upset.

Knowing the Texans, it’s more likely they’ll find a way to lose than pull out the win. Their season has been littered with close calls. Four of their five losses have been by a touchdown or less. I’m betting on them to cover, nothing more.

Colts 24, Texans 21

Cleveland (+14) over Cincinnati

I suppose the Bengals were due for a clunker. Cedric Benson was unavailable for last week’s stinker against the Raiders, and that played a huge role in the outcome of the game.

In fact, the Bengals’ fortunes have been tied directly to how Benson has played. In Cincinnati’s eight wins, Benson has averaged over four yards per carry. In the Bengals’ other two losses, Benson was under four yards per carry. That seems to be Cincinnati’s barometer for success.

Of course, that may not matter much against the Browns, who are among the worst teams in the league and lost a heart-breaker last week to the Lions. Still, assuming Benson plays hurt and the Browns follow up last week’s performance with another strong game, I see Cleveland covering here.

Bengals 27, Browns 17

Minnesota (-11) over Chicago

Remember at the beginning of the season, when the Bears were going to contend for the NFC North title?  Jay Cutler’s been one of the big culprits in the Bears’ lost season but, at the same time, Matt Forte’s disappearance and some key injuries haven’t helped matters.

Chicago’s road woes will definitely continue this week. The Bears are 1-4 on the road, and Cutler’s interception issues are at their worst away from Soldier Field.

The Vikings have played dominant football lately, and Brett Favre has become part of the story instead of hogging the headlines. Some believe the Vikings are the best team in the NFL. While I’m not that much of a believer in them, this should be a relatively easy win for them.

Vikings 31, Bears 17

Philadelphia (-9) over Washington

Washington is down to their third string running back (Rock Cartwright), and their offense is limited already to begin with. The Redskins will need to throw the ball in order to score points, something they’ve been unable to do all season.

The Eagles will be without Brian Westbrook as well, but LeSean McCoy has proven to be a capable fill-in.

It will be interesting to see if the Eagles’ wide receivers can make some big plays against a Redskins’ passing defense that has allowed fewer than 200 yards passing on average. If DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin can break free for some big gains, this game will be a blowout, because the Redskins are unlikely to match the Eagles’ firepower on offense.

Eagles 27, Redskins 9

Miami (-3) over Buffalo

The Dolphins have rallied from an 0-3 start to 5-5 on the season, and a win over the Bills would put them squarely in the playoff picture in the AFC.

The Bills have become a train wreck. The once-proud franchise is on their second coach of the season, has an unsettled quarterback situation, and has basically become irrelevant on the NFL landscape.

I doubted the Dolphins last week, after they lost Ronnie Brown for the season. I won’t make the same mistake this week.

Dolphins 28, Bills 17

Even the normally impartial are swooning over Vince Young these days.

Tennessee

(-2.5) over Arizona

The Vince Young Comeback Tour is so amazing, even referees can’t stop themselves from getting swept up in the euphoria, as evidenced by the picture to the right.

The Cardinals’ run defense will get a challenge from Titans’ RB Chris Johnson, who has an outside shot at a 2,000 yard season. The game will come down to how well Arizona can contain Johnson. If Johnson and the Titans can sustain long drives and keep the Cardinals’ offense off the field, they’ll win.

As great as Arizona has been against the run, and as great as they’ve played on the road this year, it seems that the Titans have momentum, along with Johnson and a rejuvenated Young, on their side. I’m not betting against them here.

Titans 27, Cardinals 21

St. Louis (+3) over Seattle

It appears Mike Holmgren knew what he was doing when he walked away from the Seattle Seahawks after last season. With each passing week, it seems the Seahawks get worse. In the final game of a three-game road swing, the Seahawks get their best shot at their first win away from Seattle all season (they’re 0-5 thus far).

Of course, this matchup represents the best chance for the Rams to win a home game this season. Additionally, the Rams haven’t beaten the Seahawks since a January 2005 playoff game in Seattle. Since then, St. Louis is 0-9 against the Seahawks.

The best player on either team is the Rams’ Stephen Jackson, and Seattle hasn’t done well against the run for much of the season. I’ll bet on Jackson and the Rams to come out on top this week.

Rams 17, Seahawks 14

Atlanta (-12) over Tampa Bay

Sure, Atlanta’s lost four of their last five, but the Falcons are 4-0 at home. Beginning with this week’s game against the Buccaneers, Atlanta begins a crucial three-game homestand. This is a game the 5-5 Falcons absolutely have to have.

Tampa Bay seems to be the perfect foil for a Falcons team desperate for a win. The Buccaneers are a team building for the future and they start a rookie at quarterback. I view this as an opportunity for the Falcons to get back on track. They need it, if they view themselves as a serious playoff contender.

Falcons 31, Buccaneers 13

Carolina (+3) over NY Jets

This game features two 4-6 teams with turnover-prone quarterbacks and offenses built around strong running games.

I hate picking the Panthers, but I believe in the Jets even less. They have lost six of their last seven and seem to be in a tailspin. There is no safe pick here, but the Panthers have the veteran quarterback and coach, while the Jets have rookies in both spots. Perhaps that will make a difference in the outcome.

Panthers 24, Jets 13

Jacksonville (+3) over San Francisco

The Jaguars and 49ers are teams that play close games, for the most part, and the spread reflects that. It also reflects the Jags’ penchant for playing down to their competition lately; they’ve beaten the Bills, Chiefs and Jets respectively by a combined eight points over the last three weeks.

The 49ers have the necessary ingredients to beat the Jaguars. They run the ball well and play solid defense against the run.

I’m surprised the Jaguars are 6-4 and in the mix for a wildcard berth in the AFC at this point. They’ve survived against some awful teams in the last few weeks, and I’m betting this week, on the road, 3,000 miles from home, all the close calls catch up to them. However, as is the nature of these two teams, I’m expecting yet another tight game.

49ers 21, Jaguars 20

Kansas City (+13.5) over San Diego

After a week filled with stories of how the Chargers have regained their mojo, and how the Broncos have collapsed yet again, San Diego goes home to take on the Chiefs.

There is no doubt that the Chargers are hot, having won five straight. Still, they don’t run the ball well, and San Diego was lucky to eek out wins against the Giants and Raiders during their hot streak. I’m not sold on them as a two-touchdown favorite against anyone.

Divisional games go beyond the gambling point spread sometimes. The Chiefs have won two straight themselves, including a surprising, and rousing, win over the Steelers last week. They won’t win this game, but they’ll put up more of a fight than many think.

Chargers 27, Chiefs 17

Baltimore (-2.5) over Pittsburgh

Ben Roethlisberger wants to play against the Ravens, despite suffering a concussion last week. The Steelers, sitting at 6-4, need Roethlisberger to play in this, the first of two matchups against the Ravens this season.

Baltimore, at 5-5, need this game to draw even in the standings with Pittsburgh and push themselves back in the playoff picture. When it gets this deep into the season, most often than not the desperate team wins. The Ravens are at home and are desperate. Enough said.

Ravens 24, Steelers 18

Monday Night

New England (+2.5) over New Orleans

The Patriots and Saints are similarly explosive on offense. Many are predicting a shootout in this one.

In fact, viewers could see a game similar to the one played two weeks ago between the Patriots and Colts, in which Bill Belichick made his controversial decision to try for a first down on a 4^th-and-2 at their 28 yard line. When that failed, the Colts drove for the winning touchdown.

Their recent close calls against teams such as the Rams and Panthers lead me to believe the Saints are ripe to suffer their first loss.

Patriots 34, Saints 31

INTRODUCTION

After the New York Giants went 5-0 many pundits had them ranked as the best team in the NFL in their power rankings. I said then that they were at best a mediocre team. I may not always be right, but I was right about that.

The traditional football games on Thanksgiving Day featured two matchups that really were not that compelling to the average football fan. The still lowly Detroit Lions hosted the solid but struggling Green Bay Packers, while the Dallas Cowboys hosted the usually pathetic Oakland Raiders. Most thought the games would be blowouts and they certainly lived up to the tripe. Green Bay had no trouble rolling over Detroit, and Oakland proved to be no match for Dallas.

Many have wondered if the Detroit Lions should no longer be hosting a nationally televised game on Thanksgiving given their long standing lack of quality teams. A Thanksgiving Day matchup should be a marquee game between two quality teams, right?

I disagree though. The Detroit Lions have been hosting a Thanksgiving Day game since 1934. That’s 75 years of tradition for the Lions, sometimes a good team, lately not, hosting a game on this holiday. The National Football League is built on tradition and after 75 years I don’t see a reason to break that tradition now. Despite not being a great team now, presumably the Lions will be relevant again. And for me, watching any professional football game is enjoyable. And I always know I’ll see the Lions host somebody on this day and I look forward to it every year.

GAMES I WATCHED

Green Bay Packers over Detroit Lions, 34-12

As expected this game was not even close. After Green Bay fumbled the opening kickoff leading to a quick Detroit touchdown, the game was basically over. Detroit’s offense never did much else, while Matthew Stafford threw four picks.

Green Bay played an all around solid game, with Donald Driver catching seven passes for 142 yards and a touchdown. This included a 68 yard grab in the first quarter to set up Green Bay’s first touchdown. Cornerback Charles Woodson had his second sterling game with two interceptions, one that he returned for a touchdown in garbage time.

I’m not sure why the Lions started rookie quarterback Matthew Stafford who played with a separated left shoulder. I think he has the potential to be the franchise quarterback for the Lions and it just doesn’t seem worth risking further damage to his shoulder at this point in the season.

This game turned out pretty much as expected. It was a good game for Green Bay to get back to winning and try to jumpstart an attempt to make the playoffs as Wild Card team. They have a long way to go for that.

MVP: Donald Driver, WR

Dallas Cowboys over Oakland Raiders, 24-7

The NFC East used to be considered the toughest conference in the NFL. Not anymore. Right now the storied franchise of the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles are middle of the road teams, at best. The Washington Redskins are abysmal and shouldn’t even be in the conversation.

The race for the NFC East is going down the stretch and Dallas needs to keep winning with the Giants and Eagles right in the mix. Pundits have even taken to calling Tony Romo not just an average quarterback, but a bad one. And he deserves it given the way he has played this year.

In this game Dallas had no trouble putting the Raiders away. Romo had a very good outing and wide receiver Miles Austin was again fantastic. He had seven catches for 145 yards and touchdown to lead the Dallas Cowboys offense.

On the other side of the ball, the Raiders started fourth year quarterback Bruce Gradkowski over the bust of a number one overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell. Gradkowski, frankly, is never going to be a particularly good NFL quarterback, but he is gutsy and had didn’t play that badly against the Cowboys. The Raiders were just simply overmatched talent wise on the field.

Dallas, like Green Bay, really needed an easy win and to get their offense rolling after a very pedestrian performance against the Redskins last week, a game they should have lost but didn’t.

MVP: Miles Austin, WR

Denver Broncos over New York Giants, 26-6

This was the marquee matchup of the day which most thought we be a closely contested ball game. Both teams have been struggling a great deal the past month, with the Broncos losing four straight games and the Giants losing the last five out of six. Too bad it was on the NFL Network. Many football fans, as a result, didn’t have access to the game. Well, it was an interesting game but not much was missed.

I actually thought the Giants would win this game but they never bothered to show up. They were pathetic.

The Giants, on their second offensive snap of the game, had to call a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty. They followed this up with a minus two yard run by Brandon Jacobs. That basically set the tone for the game as the Giants offense seemed to have stayed in New York.

I watched Brandon Jacobs very closely in this game because he has been struggling of late. What I noticed was disturbing. Even when he got into a good hole he didn’t have the same burst of speed and power to make a good gain like he has in the past. I don’t know if it’s because he has been injured a bit or some other ailment, but he definitely is not the same runner he has been in the past. There were holes that he got to that a Chris Johnson or an Adrian Peterson, or last years Brandon Jacobs for that matter, would have turned into a long gain. Something is missing or gone awry there.

Meanwhile a lot has been said of the struggles of the Giants offensive line. They played reasonably well at all times, more so on running plays. The announcers kept saying they were getting beat physically but they most looked confused by the Broncos tricky defensive alignments than physically dominated.

But the Broncos defense played extremely well. Elvis Dumervil had two sacks and a forced fumble, safety Brian Dawkins was a menace all over the field, and the Denver secondary, led by Champ Bailey, blanketed the Giants’ receivers. In fact the quarterback pressures could often be attributed to superior defensive back play more so than the defensive line dominating the line of scrimmage. But it was a very well played game by the Denver defense all around.

The Giants defense didn’t play terribly but again, they weren’t beaten physically as much as the Broncos just outplayed them. Case in point, if you watched Giants’ defense end Osi Umenyiora against the Bronco’s left tackle, Ryan Clady, he often got good penetration and sometimes pressure on Kyle Orton. But he was completely shut out of the game.

Meanwhile Denver’s rookie running back Knowshon Moreno played very well with a shifty, slithery style of running that netted yards when most backs would have been shut down. I have seen Denver play several times this year and I have not seen these moves by Moreno before. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t watching him at his best or that he has been injured, but now I see why people are so excited about this guy. He has a unique running style that avoids big contact and can make the most out of small openings. And of course wide receiver Brandon Marshall was making some sick one handed catches.

But frankly, at the end of the day I am not sure whether Denver looked so good because the Giants were just plain awful, or if they have come out of their funk. They certainly looked much better than they have the past few times I’ve seen them. I do know one thing, however, the Giants appear to be on the way down an out. See ya!

The MVP could really go to Dumervil, Dawkins, or Bailey. I am going with Champ Bailey because I thought it was the Denver pass coverage that was the key to their success on defense.

MVP: Champ Bailey, CB

I’m consistently shocked by awfulness of the NFL Network’s game broadcasts, they’re simply incredibly bad, I feel like I’m watching high school football half the time. Unlike MLB network whose game coverage is at least as good as the main networks, it’s as though the NFL has no desire to put any solid efforts into their productions or in making THEIR product look good.

The latest example was in their Thanksgiving Day broadcast of the Broncos/Giants game, theoretically one of the most-watched games of the year on the nascent network, it being a major holiday that for many families is centered AROUND FOOTBALL. After coming back from a commercial break they had a highlight package lined up featuring Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talking to his offense who had just failed to capitalize on a 1st and goal situation. You’d think, it having been edited and reeled up they would have noticed that in the first THREE SECONDS he drops a “motherfucker.” Of course, they DON’T notice it, and it goes out on the air, they didn’t even ACKNOWLEDGE it until after the NEXT commercial break, several minutes later. That’s some fine TV production there boys.

When he was asked after the game how he felt about his swearing going out on the NFL network, Josh McDaniels, who clearly knows how woeful the NFL network is, looked completely unsurprised and merely said, “It’s the NFL Network, It doesn’t surprise me.“

With yesterday being Thanksgiving, we here at HMHD wanted to spend today writing about what we are truly thankful for in sports.  Matt is thankful for college basketball and I also love March Madness.  The thing that I’m most grateful in sports is something that makes March Madness so great and that’s the underdog.

There is nothing better in sports than watching an underdog somehow pull out a victory against an opponent that is viewed as far superior.  There have been so many instances in sports where the underdog has come out on top and everyone loves it.  In sports just becuase you are bigger, faster stronger; it doesn’t mean you’re going to come out on top.

Think back to recent memory, every year there are major upsets in the NCAA tournament and that’s what makes it great.  One of my favorite upsets in recent memory belongs to a team that I hate, the New York Giants.  When David Tyree lept up and made that catch against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl I lept out off my couch and yelled along with everyone else in the room and when they came out on top in the end I was left speechless.  That’s what upsets do, they create excitement.

It’s fun when two teams that are evenly matched play one another and after a hard fought battle someone wins, but it’s an instant classic game when David fights to the finish against Goliath and wins.  If your team happens to be that Cinderella then those feelings are only multiplied, I can’t even imagine being a fan of the New York Giants when they won the Super Bowl or how about being a student or alumni during the 1985 Villanova championship run when they took down a supposedly unbeatable Georgetown team.

Sports are great and they only get better when the unthinkable happens.  So this Thanksgiving I just wanted to show my gratitude toward every David who goes toe-to-toe with a Goliath in sports.

The Dallas Cowboys defense has been making up for the offense’s lack of production the last two weeks.  On Thanksgiving, the defense played well again but the Dallas offense showed up too.  The Cowboys defeated the Oakland Raiders 24-7 raising their record to 8-3 and keeping them in first place in the NFC East.  Oakland dropped to 3-8 which is worst in the AFC West.  One of the reasons the Cowboys offense struggled was their ineffectiveness on third downs.  They only converted four of 12 third downs yesterday but were still able to score 24 points.  Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo played well completing 18 of 29 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions.  He threw a nine yard touchdown pass to wideout Miles Austin in the second quarter and a six yard strike to reciever Roy Williams in the fourth quarter.  Running backs Felix Jones and Tashard Choice led the charge as the Dallas backfield compiled 195 yards.  Jones carried the ball seven times for 68 yards including a 46 yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter.  Choice carried the ball three times out of the “Razorback” for 67 yards and Marion Barber totaled 61 yards.  Austin led the recieving corps with seven catches for 145 yards and one touchdown.  Tight end Jason Witten had five catches for 107 yards and could not be stopped all day. 

The Cowboys completely shut down the Raiders on defense.  Middle linebacker Keith Brooking led the team with nine total tackles.  Left outside linebacker Anthony Spencer has been gettting better every week.  Spencer has been dominant against the rush but is now coming into his own as a pass rusher for the Cowboys.  He had eight total tackles and two sacks with one pass deflection and three quarterback hits.  Strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh added six total tackles and one pass deflection.  Right outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware recorded a sack of Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.  Defensive tackle Jay Ratliff had five total tackles, one tackle for loss, and recovered a fumble.  Dallas will travel to New York to face a lackluster Giants team on December sixth.  The image is courtesy of dallasnews.com.

A few thoughts from the three Thanksgiving Day games, in which…
The Packers thumped the Lions 34-12
The Cowboys beat the Raiders 24-7
And the Broncos beat the Giants 26-6

*The Packers, who have now won three in a row, are a dangerous team. The Pack’s biggest shortcoming, the offensive line, seems to be improving a bit, and that allows a dangerous offense to show its explosiveness. Aaron Rodgers has premium targets in the ageless Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, and there is depth at receiver and tight end as well. If the Pack can protect – which will be a stern test against strong fronts like Minnesota has – it can put up enough points to pull an upset against a really good team. At 7-4, the Pack still has a chance to make some noise.
*On defense, Charles Woodson of Green Bay is still a premium player. It’s hard to believe he’s been a top corner for a decade already. His stat line on Thanksgiving – seven tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, two interceptions, and one fumble – should win him player of the week honors.
*Detroit doesn’t have many premium players, but rookie S Louis Delmas probably is going to end up being one. He and Brandon Pettigrew, who was hurt in this game, both look to be high-pick hits from this year’s draft. Detroit needs a bunch more of those to make up the talent gap left by the Matt Millen disaster.
*Dallas isn’t a great team, but it’s a very good team that has the potential to scare some people. The X-factor is Miles Austin, who is a reliable target with explosive ability. That’s something not even Terrell Owens brought to Dallas last year. With Austin emerging, Tony Romo has a chance to avoid the late-season collapse that has plagued him thus far in his career.
*Felix Jones had a long touchdown, but I still don’t believe in him as more than a bit player. Tashard Choice may be the best back Dallas has, because Marion Barber isn’t quite the barbarian he was two or three years ago. The bigger problem for Dallas is the offensive line, which is big but is slow and getting slower. Oakland’s front got some good pressure on Romo, especially from second-year defensive end Trevor Scott, who had two sacks.
*Oakland has some good players. TE Zach Miller is a big-time player, as is stud CB Nnamdi Asomugha. The linebacker crew is decent, as is the front seven. But there is no consistency from many of the consistent players, and the quarterback play is so subpar that the team really doesn’t have a chance. If Jeff Garcia had really gotten a shot to start this year, he could have gotten six or seven wins out of this supporting cast. But too many guys in Oakland aren’t willing to compete on the level that Garcia would. Still, there are guys on this roster I’d take on my team.
*The Broncos caught a huge break from the schedule makers by getting a home game on a short week. That kind of home-field advantage was just what they needed to break their four-game losing streak. Credit goes to them for taking advantage, but don’t think this win solves all their problems. They still need to perform better week to week to make a playoff run. But if Kyle Orton gets healthy with a few extra days off, and if the defense can play more like it did Thursday night instead of how it played the four previous games, Denver still has a shot.
*The Giants have serious problems. Like the Cowboys, the Giants’ offensive line is declining. This group of five used to be an asset, but the guys up front are either getting old or have just been too beaten up, because they simply aren’t a top group anymore. That unit is going to need an infusion of youth via the draft or free agency in the offseason, and it may end up being a critical flaw for the Giants’ playoff hopes this year.

On a day when the finger-pointing should have been at the relative who snatched the last turkey leg, the Giants and their fans were pointing fingers at every aspect of yesterday’s game (and this was before the game) and finding fault. Note to Giants – how ’bout shutting up and playing? Big Blue fans are turning into spoiled brats and the worse part about it is the team is reflecting the attitude.

Nothing worked in the 26-6 loss to the Broncos last night and you could sense that the Giants and their fans were defeated before the game began. I can’t tell you the number of babyish complaints that were registered (note I am a Giant fan) Here are some of them – its not fair to travel across country and play on a Thursday, the air is thin in Denver, the game is not on national television, we have no running game, Eli looks lost, Denver’s line plays dirty. You get my drift. We all know that excuses are for…

The Giants are 6-5 and have home games remaining with Philly and Dallas. Both teams have their own sets of issues and Tony Romo is harder to find in December than a sales clerk in Best Buy. The Giants are playing poorly but the real issue is our beloved BLUE collar giants have become overrated, over-exposed underachievers. Both the Giants and their fans have come to expect success and this is the dangerous part.

The Giants team that won the Super Bowl was a talented group of players, motivated to prove they belong  against a more talented Pats squad. The current same group of players is a self-satisfied group of bullies. Capable of beating the bad teams but backing down when punched in the face by teams as good and talented as they are.

After the latest defeat, it’s past time to put aside all of the accolades and past accomplishments and realize we are 6-5. As Bill Parcells says, you are what your record says you are – mediocre.

Denver’s Josh McDaniels is quickly turning into biggest little fireball head coach the NFL has seen in some time. On Sunday he was busy “owning” the Chargers’ linebackers before a 32-3 loss and yesterday was caught wishing his team a Happy Thanksgiving while mic’d up on the NFL Network. Nice editing job, by the way…

By the way, the Broncos, behind the return of Hall of Fame quarterback Kyle Orton, got back on track with a 26-6 win over the Giants in that motherf—— game. Elsewhere, the Cowboys beat the Raiders 24-7 and the Packers downed the Lions and a poised Matthew Stafford 34-12.

From ESPN.com

This time against the Broncos.

Bill Sheridan is a horrible DC. I know the Giants have had injuries, but come on man. It’s called “pressure.” The guy before you used to apply it all the time. Get better at your job.

The offense is just as anemic right now too. Eli has to play better. And Brandon Jacobs is getting by on reputation alone.

This just isn’t their year.

Raise your hand if you deserve to be employed after this season... not so fast, Billy Boy.

When given the time, Aaron Rodgers is one of the best QBs. Versus Detroit, it's just unfair

Ah, Thanksgiving. It’s the time that to spend with your family, including those really loud cousins that you can’t stand to be around but will put up with for this one day. It’s about the smell of food cooking in the kitchen before savoring at the dinner table. Turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, yams, stuffing, rolls, four different types of desert, one more filling than the last. Nothing to distract you from food and family. It’s all good.

Hopefully that’s how you spent the majority of your Thanksgiving Day because there was certainly no NFL football on TV. At least, no good football anyway. Watching it probably made you dry heave. Plainly, Thursday was a terrible day in the NFL. All three games were excruciatingly listless. But in fantasy, it all still counts. Here’s what I took away from this dreadful holiday of football.

• The Texas/Texas A&M game was the only football game worth watching Thursday. The end.

Ok, fine …

Packers 34, Lions 12

If you own Carson Palmer, Joe Flacco, Kurt Warner, Alex Smith and even Jay Cutler, good things are headed your way. Aaron Rodgers should have shredded the Lions’ pass defense and he did his job. We already knew this defense was horrible, but the fact that the Lions became the second team all season to sack Rodgers fewer than twice in one game should really tell you something. The other team was, of course, Browns. As we’ve seen, they are the Lions are so evenly matched.

Detroit can’t rush the passer. They can’t cover receivers. Embarrassing is now a cliche for that defense.

Donald Driver had another big day while Greg Jennings had to settle for just 53 yards. Defenses are still respecting Jennings enough to send safety help to his side, which is leaving Driver wide open. This touchdown play shows exactly that. Also, Jennings is running the routes that Driver ran last season (slants, short comebacks) while Driver is running the deep posts that Jennings ran last season. Jennings is no better than a middle-of-the road No. 2 WR for the rest of the year. Even last week, which was his best statistical day of 2009, wasn’t very impressive considering that half of his yards and his touchdown came thanks in part to some swift moves and non-existent tackling.

Jermichael Finley may be a nice sleeper week to week because of his athleticism, but he is not going to get much done on a consistent basis as long as Donald Lee is around. Finley is a little overrated right now.

Matthew Stafford probably shouldn’t have played in this game. Some of his throws were atrocious. I still think the loss of Al Harris and Aaron Kampman will have an effect on that Packers’ defense. I’ll chalk up this effort to a case of playing Detroit.

Calvin Johnson looks like he should be put in an old folks home. I got a pinching sensation in my side each time I had to see him get up after every play. He’ll probably be missing practice prior to each game going forward. It’s clear that his knee injury isn’t going away.

Kevin Smith didn’t end up with great totals — 18 rushes for 43 yards, four catches for 41 yards — but he was just a couple of ankle tackles away from having a 150-yard day.

A thin ray of light in the Black Hole

Cowboys 24, Raiders 7

I saw only a little more than a quarter of this game because I went out to Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the day. Why should I slave over a stove cooking food on a holiday?!

Also, I don’t cook.

From what I saw … Justin Fargas got the most carries of anyone in the Raiders’ running back trio and fully deserved it. He ran the hardest of the three and was the quickest to the holes. Darren McFadden and Michael Bush are fantasy bench fodder right now. Hopefully Tom Cable continues to start Fargas. He is clearly the best in that stable right now.

Bruce Gradkowski makes the Raiders better, but that’s like painting a sewer rat baby blue. It’s still a rat. You just made it more pleasing to look at.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wanted to see more of Felix Jones. He responded with one of the few highlights from this game. There is no sense in chasing him. No one’s going to catch him.

Marion Barber ended up with 102 total yards, but a 42-yard reception and a 32-yard run late in the game kept him from being a total disappointment. I believe he ran for just nine yards on his first seven carries. The good news is that he got about 60 percent of the carries split between him, Jones and Tashard Choice.

I was never worried about Miles Austin. He had a tremendous day Thursday and more of the same should be on the horizon as he learns to deal with opposing teams’ best corner and double coverage.

Hey, Roy Williams caught a touchdown. I bet Dallas fans can’t wait for him to catch a bus out of town.

Dallas’ defense used to be so good at pressuring the quarterback. But in consecutive home games against the Redskins and Raiders, they totaled just four sacks and forced two turnovers combined. This is a unit that’s probably getting too much respect because of its personnel.

Broncos 26, Giants 6

All of my Thanksgiving dinner almost came back up while watching this pathetic contest. Apparently, the Giants lodged a protest about playing this game on Thanksgiving Day. That’s appropriate, because it looked as if no Giant cared whether if they won or lost. It’s not hyperbole to say that this is the worst I’ve seen the Giants play since their playoff loss to Philadelphia last season. You know it’s a bad game when Tom Coughlin says during his post-game press conference that he was most impressed by the place kicker. Way to go, Lawrence!

It’s not worth talking about any of the Giants. They were all pretty close to being equally wretched. But I will say a couple of things.

Steve Smith continued to be a PPR monster with seven more catches for 71 yards.

I am done using Brandon Jacobs. The Denver Broncos’ rush defense has been getting flattened in the past month, but Jacobs couldn’t do anything against that front. He looks old/injured/tentative/indifferent while playing. Given his future schedule, I would probably consider playing him only in week 16 against Carolina. Otherwise, he should be dead to you.

Knowshon Moreno has clearly become the Broncos’ top back, even though Correll Buckhalter got 20 carries on Thursday to Moreno’s 19. Don’t let that fool you. A nice chunk of those carries for Buckhalter came late in the game when Moreno was forced to leave due to a hand injury and a Broncos victory was secure. Overall, the rookie looked tremendous, running well inside and out, and breaking many tackles. He should be considered a solid No. 2 RB going forward with the Raiders and two games against the Chiefs on the schedule.

Kyle Orton didn’t have to do much, but at least he looked healthy. His stats are mostly due to Brandon Marshall playing with his gloves lined in double-sided tape.

Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs didn't pick a good time to disappear for a must-win game

Seriously, I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. I always do because I know it never lasts one day. Why? Because the best thing about Thanksgiving is the 10 pounds of leftover, cold turkey that lasts well into next week.

Best. Sandwiches. Ever.

Thanks for reading! Enjoy your weekend and enjoy week 12. Please check back on Monday night for a running blog of the Patriots-Saints game. Good times.

The New York Giants defensive and emotional leader in linebacker Antonio Pierce is out indefinitely with an undisclosed neck-injury.  To add insult to injury, there is  no telling when he’ll return.

This is a huge loss for the Giants considering that the defense is already decimated by injuries on the defensive line and secondary.

Not to mention, they are looking more vulnerable as the season where’s on.  In the last four games, they have given up at least 21 points including 48 to the Saints and 40 to the Eagles.

Linebackers Chase Blackburn and Jonathan Goff will split time to replace Pierce until he returns from this unfortunate injury.

NEW YORK GIANTS (6-4) vs. DENVER BRONCOS (6-4)

1ST QUARTER :
- Broncos (K)Matt Prater kicks 26 Yd. FG (Broncos 3 – Giants 0)

2ND QUARTER :
- Broncos (K)Matt Prater kicks 32 Yd. FG (Broncos 6 – Giants 0)
- Broncos (RB)Knowshon Moreno rushes for TD (Broncos 13 – Giants 0)
- Broncos (K)Matt Prater kicks 47 Yd. FG (Broncos 16 – Giants 0)

3RD QUARTER :
- Giants (K)Lawrence Tynes kicks 39 Yd. FG (Broncos 16 – Giants 3)
- Giants (K)Lawrence Tynes kicks 52 Yd. FG (Broncos 16 – Giants 6)

4TH QUARTER :
- Broncos (QB)Kyle Orton passes to (WR)Brandon Stokley for TD (Broncos 23 – Giants 6)
- Broncos (K)Matt Prater kicks 24 Yd. FG (Broncos 26 – Giants 6)

FINAL SCORE : BRONCOS 26 – GIANTS 6

By Anthony Vertucci,

The New York Giants and Denver Bronco’s 2009 seasons have taken similar, roller coaster-like ups and downs.  Both, despite each starting the season with impressive undefeated streaks, currently stand at  6-4 and trail in their respective divisions.  With kickoff of their Thanksgiving Day showdown about an hour and a half away, both teams look to solidify their playoff chances in a match-up with major implications.

The seasons of New York and Denver are practically mirror images of one another.  The Giants looked poised to qualify for the postseason after starting the season an impressive 5-0.  They then went on the drop their next four, including a 21-20 heartbreaker to the Chargers in Week 9.  The Giants snapped their seemingly endless losing streak with a win four days ago over the Falcons.

Meanwhile Denver won its first six games of the season, before dropping a 30-7 game to the Ravens in Week 8.  Denver are now in the midst of their own four game losing streak, which they hope to snap out of at the Giants expense.  The two teams, currently in playoff limbo with both still technically clinging the sixth and final playoffs spots in their respective conferences, will start their Turkey Day gridiron war at 8:20 at Invesco Field at Mile High.

The aforementioned “technically” stems from the fact that neither team is in sole position of sixth place in either the NFC or AFC, as the Giants remain tied with rival Philadelphia Eagles while the Broncos are locked in a three-way tie with Jacksonville and Pittsburgh.

Eli Manning looks to lead his Giants to victory, and continue the woes of the Broncos and their mix-and-match combo of Kyle Orton and Carlson Palmer.

TOM COUGHLIN

It turns out New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin DIDN’T have a three-way sexual encounter with two young women. What kind of person would even think such a thing was possible? Well…

Police in Philadelphia have arrested what his lawyers are calling a man with mental “disabilities” for sending threatening e-mails to Coughlin. The 30-year-old man sent letters to Coughlin threatening to release details of a nonexistent sexual tryst between the Giants coach and two women unless he was paid $20,000-30,000.

We just finished taping our Football Blitz online sports betting TV show over at BetRepublic.com, breaking down all the Thanksgiving Day NFL games.

Yes, we have to endure the annual Detroit Lions Turkey-Day matchup (this year hosting the Green Bay Packers), but there are two other games on the schedule to fill the day up with football action until late into the evening. That said, all three games do have playoff implications, but only the Giants at the Broncos matchup features both teams competing for a playoff spot.

Watch Thanksgiving Day NFL Live Online

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions
Line: Packers -11
Total: 47.5

Detroit is coming off its second win this season, in a crazy game against the Browns. Matthew Stafford threw the winning touchdown with no time left on the clock and with his left shoulder separated. It was a heroic effort but unfortunately he won’t be around for the annual Lions Thanksgiving game. He is out with the shoulder injury. The Lions could also be without WR Calvin Johnson. Without these two in the lineup there won’t be a lot of celebrating in Michigan.

The Packers have righted the sinking ship winning two straight games beating Dallas and the 49ers. Aaron Rodgers is getting rid of the ball quicker and the Pack have amended the playbook to include more shorter passing routes. Unfortunately for the Packers, they lost two of the top defenders when LB Aaron Kampman and CB Al Harris were both lost for the season with knee injuries. These two injuries could derail the Packers hopes of getting to the post season but they should still have enough to overcome the Lions without Stafford and Johnson.

NFL Trends

- The total has gone over in six of the Packers last nine games.
- Detroit is 3-11 against the spread in their last 14 home games

Packers: 6-4 SU, 5-4-1 ATS
Lions: 2-8 SU, 2-7-1 ATS

NFL Picks: We’re staying away from the side and total on this one. We won’t lay the big points on the Packers and certainly can’t put our money on the Lions.

Oakland Raiders at Dallas Cowboys

Line: Cowboys – 14
Total: Over 40

The Raiders are coming off their biggest win of the year when they battled back to put up ten points in the last minute to beat the Bengals. Bruce Gradkowski started in place of the embattled JaMarcus Russell and made just enough plays to win. The strength of the Raiders is their defense and they played their best game of the year against Cincy.

Meanwhile, Dallas barely beat the Redskins 7-6 last week in a game that they were outplayed, but did get the win over a very mediocre (read: bad) team. Tony Romo was harassed all day long and the Redskins secondary contained the Cowboy receivers all day, side from that critical final drive. In this matchup, the Cowboy running game should be enough to provide them with some balance on offense, as the Raiders will be forced to bring eight men up to support stopping the run, which should allow the passing game to produce more plays than last week. Oakland struggles stopping the run (giving up 157 yards per game) and that will be their undoing this week as early success will allow for the passing game to open up as well.

We also think the Raiders will find ways to score some points, not enough for a win, but they’ll push the Cowboys.

NFL Trends

- The total has gone under in six of the Raiders’ last nine games.
- Dallas is 7-3 against the spread in their last 10 home games

Raiders: 3-7 SU, 5-5 ATS
Cowboys SU, 5-5 ATS

NFL Picks: We lean to the underdog getting 14 points, but the BetRepublic.com TV hosts gave out a play on the “Over” 40 in this one.

Check ESPN for updated injury reports, particularly for Richard Seymour

New York Giants at Denver Broncos
Thursday, November 26, 2009

Line: Broncos – 7
Total: Over 42

The Giants finally stopped their four game slide with an overtime win against the Falcons in New York last Sunday. Eli Manning played a great game tossing for three scores and making a number of difficult throws. The Giants still can’t get their running game going and now could be without Ahmed Bradshaw who injured his ankle last week. Brandon Jacobs is not putting up the numbers that he did last year and he missed all of the fourth quarter and overtime against the Falcons with a leg injury but will go this week. The lack of running game is forcing Manning to put the team on his shoulders. LB Antonio Pierce is the heart, soul and brains of the defense and he is out with a back problem. The Giants still can’t stop the pass and Denver will look to get WR Brandon Marshall in the game early.

Denver will be looking to stop their own four-game slide. The Broncos have fallen out of first place and could be in a big free fall if they don’t win this game. Kyle Orton will play with his injured ankle because the NFL quarterback gene didn’t get passed down to Chris Simms. The Broncos have a huge advantage of playing at home on a short week in the mile-high air of Denver. New York is beat up and traveling across the country with only three days to prepare, but no way can we lay a full touchdown with this Denver team.

NFL Trends
- The total has gone under in eight of Denver’s last ten games.
- The NY Giants are 17-4 against the spread in their last 21 road games
Giants: 6-4 SU, 4-5-1 ATS
Broncos: 6-4 SU, 6-4 ATS

NFL Picks: Looking at this one, we have a small lean to the home team getting the seven points.

Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving from BetRepublic.com. Enjoy all the football action, the food, and family fun.

These picks are going to be only for the three Thanksgiving games. I will post the picks for the rest of the games on Friday in the evening most likely.

Green Bay at Detroit 12:30 PM (Thu)
The Pack’s defense has showed up the past couple of weeks with impressive victories although they have taken a hit by losing a pass rusher in Aaron Kampman and their number two corner, Al “Milli Vanilli” Harris, for the year. However, against a Lions team that is playing Daunte Culpepper at QB and has a banged up star WR in Calvin Johnson I think the Pack’s D will hold up just fine. Offensively the Pack are very strong with Aaron Rodgers playing at a Pro Bowl level and Ryan Grant entering his patented mode of being a great back in the second half of the year. The combined score of the Lions last five Thanksgiving Day games, all losess? 179-62. Throw another log on the fire, boys. Packers 31-13

Oakland at Dallas 4:15 PM (Thu)
I understand why this game is on. The Raiders are a popular team. Due to scheduling quirks, they only play the Cowboys on the road once every eight years. The NFL feels like putting them in this game for that reason. The NFL also figures that since nothing else is on that the people at home will watch a blowout, so why put on a good game? I’d rather see something like Giants/Cowboys or Eagles/Cowboys in this spot. As for the game, the Raiders are pesky at home sometimes. They’ve scored some wins against decent teams like the Eagles and Bengals (I’m still bitter about last week, by the way). On the road they suck big time. Dallas’ offense has struggled a bit the last couple of weeks, so I don’t see them scoring over 40 or anything like that. Defensively they’re strong, though, which should lead to a comfortable win. Cowboys 24-10

NY Giants at Denver 8:20 PM (Thu)
I’ve been seeing all week that people are saying this is a good game. My reaction to that is huh? Denver has lost four straight while the Giants have lost four of five. They barely won last week. A game with two teams that are a combined 1-8 in their last nine total games is good? I don’t think so. The Broncos have predictably fallen back to Earth after a surprising 6-0 start. They’re just not that talented. Teams have figured them out. I’m not sure what to think of the Giants. It’s just that on paper they should be a better team than the Broncos. I like them here even on the road in primetime. It’s must win for both if they want a berth in the playoffs. I’ll go wit the GMen in an ugly, defensive nailbiter. Giants 20-17

I’ll see you on Friday evening for the rest of the picks as well as the results from last week.

Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the games.