Thanksgiving is now behind us, and the traditional Thanksgiving games had a couple of extra twists. The Cowboys and Lions each hosted a game, while a primetime tilt was played in Seattle with the Seahawks facing off against the 49ers with first place on the line. And the NFL established a new tradition, playing a game on Black Friday for the first time.
Overall, the games were duds, without one being overly competitive.
Same Old Thanksgiving Day Lions: The Lions are still 8-3, and they still have a two game lead in the division. But they are now two games behind the Eagles for the no.1 seed, and it is losses like this which can create some doubt with a fanbase dying for a winner.
Cowboys Beat Up On Another Mediocre Team: Every week that the Cowboys beat up a lesser team everyone says they can’t beat the good teams. Well, they are 8-3…so they do beat some good teams, or, there a ton of bad teams in the league. Each of the last two seasons they’ve been 12-5, and are well on their way to reaching that record again this season. But unless they make a deep move in the playoffs, it will be another wasted season.
Dolly Parton Stole The Show: The only thing better than seeing Dolly Parton in a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Uniform, may have been if she came out in a Wonder Woman costume…but that’s quibbling, and wouldn’t have made sense in AT&T Stadium. She is a true icon; and at age 77, as good as ever.
The 49ers Slump Is Well Behind Them: After their three game losing streak, the Niners have won three in a row and are comfortably back in first place, with a two game lead over the Seahawks. They may very well have the best team in the NFC but will most likely have to go cross country, playing the Eagles in Philly.
Dolphins Beat Up On Another Mediocre Team: Similar to the Cowboys, the Dolphins are 8-3 and also have the same knock against them that they can’t beat a good team. The reality is, they may not have to until they get to the playoffs. They are comfortably in first place in the AFC East, two games ahead of the Bills. They may still get the no.1 seed and bye. And, if truth be told, the AFC is down this year, and they may only need to win one game against a “good team” in the playoffs.
There are a handful of pivotal games still to played this week.
Steelers @ Bengals: The Steelers may officially put the Bengals out of their misery this year, knocking them below .500. The Steelers desperately need the win themselves after their tough loss last week against the Browns. A win will get them to 7-4 and still smack dab in the playoff chase. A loss will put them tied with the Bengals at 6-5, diminishing their chances while giving Cincy a glimmer of hope.
Jaguars @ Texans: This is one of those unexpected key matchups. At the beginning of the season nobody looked at this game in Week 12 and thought it would have any playoff implications. Not only are there extreme playoff implications but also divisional ramifications. A Texans win puts them at 7-4 while dropping the Jaguars down to the same record. This is the kind of game that will immediately change the narrative for the Texans and begin to put a target on their backs with opponents having to take real notice of them. Realistically, their opponents should already have been doing that. This is important for the Jaguars too. A tough road win to give them a two game lead and 8-3 record, will get them closer to being a top tier team. At 8-3 they’d still be in the race for the no.1 seed in the AFC.
Browns @ Broncos: All of a sudden, the Browns are 7-3 and the Broncos are 5-5. Something has to give, the Broncos have won four in a row, and the Browns have won three in a row. A Browns win gets them to 8-3, still within striking distance of winning the AFC North, and inexplicably getting the no.1 seed in the playoffs. A Broncos win will give them a five game winning streak and 6-5 record, well within a playoff berth. At 1-5, nobody thought that would be a possibility.
Bills @ Eagles: All of a sudden this is a must win for the Bills. They did right the ship last week defeating the Jets, but going to Philadelphia to beat the 9-1 Eagles team is a different thing altogether. The Eagles do find themselves in an interesting sandwich. They went to Kansas City and won an emotional game, and they may be looking ahead to their matchup next week against the 49ers. This could be a good spot for the Bills. A win will get them back to 7-5 and realistically in the playoff picture, but a loss gets them back to .500, in what could be a lost season.
Next week has a marquee matchup that could be an NFC Championship preview.
San Fransisco 49ers @ Philadelphia Eagles: And speaking of the 49ers, Eagles tilt. This is the marquee matchup of Week 13, and one of the best matchups of the year. It will have huge playoff implications, division ramifications, and seedings. It could very well determine who gets the no.1 seed and bye.