OUT OF BOUNDS: Thanksgiving Throwdown!

Just when I thought I was out… they pull me back in.                              Michael Corleone – The Godfather, Part III   Just when you thought it was safe, I’m back. It’s Thanksgiving, it’s football, and we have some games to discuss. This year we have three games for our viewing pleasure. While the 12:30 PM and […]

Just when I

thought I was out… they pull me back in.

                             Michael Corleone – The Godfather, Part

III

 

Just when

you thought it was safe, I’m back. It’s Thanksgiving, it’s football, and we

have some games to discuss. This year we have three games for our viewing

pleasure. While the 12:30 PM and 4:15 PM games look to be massacres, all

eyes will be on the 8:15 PM.

 

Well

not all eyes considering that not everyone can get the NFL Network. Therefore, like the rest of

the nation who doesn’t get the NFL Network, I’ll

be following it on the Internet like everyone else. Fantastic, the best game of

the day, and I have to watch it on the computer. 

 

Nothing

like having a great Thanksgiving dinner with friends and family, sit on the

couch, unbuckle the belt, and logging on to the NFL Network on the computer to watch the

game. It’s a Thanksgiving tradition unlike any other.

 

Well,

since this isn’t the most eventful year for Thanksgiving Football, you might as

well get stupid drunk, curse out all of your family at the dinner table, go

home, pass out, and don’t remember it the following Friday when you have to

call out of work from being hung over. On the other hand, you can bite the

bullet and be thankful that there is some football on and watch. I’m going to

go with option “B”. Although option “C” is do all of

the above, but I wouldn’t advise it, that’s too much on the heart.

 

I will say

this, I know it’s a time-honored tradition for football fans to see the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, but like the

Obama campaign, we need a change. With match-ups like the ones we’re having on

Thanksgiving, The NFL should consider alternating the games played on

Thanksgiving Day.

 

If the

NFL can use the flex schedule for the Sunday games, why not for Thanksgiving

and at least there would be some better matchups for viewers to watch and the

networks will get some solid ratings. In addition, you’ll still have football

on the television for Turkey Day. Everybody wins. Then again, that’s the

way I see it, I might be wrong. Go figure.

 

So

with that said, lets look at the Thanksgiving games:

 

Thanksgiving

Day, 11/27/08 

 

12:30

PM, CBS

Tennessee Titans (10-1)

at Detroit Lions (0-11)

Ford Field, Detroit, MI

My Pick: Titans

 

This was

not the season the Lions had in mind back in Week 01. It’s been one bad turn

after another and on Thanksgiving Day, things won’t get any better.

Not only are they the joke of the NFL, but now they have to face the

Titans on the most bountiful of holidays. The only thing that will be bountiful

for the Lions will be the beat down they’ll receive from the Titans. 

 

Look,

there’s no need to get deep in this game. The Titans are the better team

overall.  They have the better offense and defense against the Lions.

They’re also mad as hell after their loss

to the Jets, you can best believe that they’re ready to take it out on

somebody.  Too bad it’s on a short week, too bad it’s against the Lions.

 

Unless

there’s some miracle of sorts, the Lions will lose this game. Only fate or the

hand of God Almighty can help the Lions win this game, everybody is betting

against them. Now, they can use that as inspiration to go out and throw

everything they have against the Titans, but I wouldn’t bet the house on it.

You would be a fool to go against the Titans in this game; then again, anything

can happen. For now, the safe bet is the Titans.

 

4:15 PM, FOX  

Seattle Seahawks (2-9)

at Dallas Cowboys (7-4)

Texas

Stadium, Irving, TX

My Pick: Cowboys

 

Now that the Dallas Cowboys have gotten most of their team back from injury,

they look to pick up where they left off in the middle of the season and start

winning some games. Now that the Seattle Seahawks have gotten most of

their team back from injury, they look to continue to keep losing the remainder

of their games for the season.

 

Like the

Titans, this is the Cowboys’ game to lose. The Cowboys have the better offense

in this match-up and their defense looks like it remembered how to attack the

QB in their win against the 49ers. Kudos to all of

the Cowboys fans out there who put a hurting on my Niners by the way, much

respect due.

 

The

Seahawks are just having a bad year and it doesn’t look to get any better. With

the nagging injuries and being a team in the midst of transition, the Seahawks

need to put this season behind them and look towards next year. They can try to

finish the season on a strong note, but it won’t begin with this game.

 

Now I know

the Cowboys have won two games since their bye week, but they fought, and won,

a hard battle against the Redskins in the Sunday Night Game from two weeks ago,

and put a hurting on the 49ers last week. That’s what you need to do with four

weeks left in the season.

 

They look

to be on the right path as the season is winding down to make that playoff push

and no

distractions will interfere with what they are trying to accomplish

towards the end of the season. They’re ready to make that run, and although they

may not win the NFC East, we’ll see them playing some football in January.

 

With the

Seahawks still hurting with injuries and the Cowboys finding their rhythm in

the past two weeks, I have to go with the Cowboys in this game.

 

Thursday

Night Game, 8:15 PM, NFL Network

Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

at Philadelphia

Eagles (5-5)

Lincoln Financial Field,

Philadelphia, PA

My Pick: Eagles

 

This is a

must win game for both teams. The Cards need to win this game because they’re

on the verge of winning the NFC West title and head to the playoffs. They have

to prove they can win on the road if they plan on advancing in the playoffs.

The Cards have to take their loss to the Giants, put it behind

them, and take it to the Eagles if they want to make a statement.

 

The Eagles

are discombobulated right now. In my

opinion, one of two things will happen at the end of the season; Andy Reid or

Donovan

McNabb

will not be back in Philly next season. I’m going with

McNabb’s departure. Then again, I wouldn’t be surprised if both men were out of

there at the end of the season and the Eagles decide to start fresh. We’ll have

to wait and see. What I do know is that the Eagles need the win just as bad as

the Cards.

 

Like the

Colts, the Eagles are desperate for a win. They need to win bad just to stay

alive in the competitive NFC East. Desperate times, call for desperate

measures. With so much on the line, and having the home-field advantage in this,

look for the Eagles to pull out a “bountiful” and “thankful” win against on

Thursday Night.

 

Since it’s

the Thanksgiving Weekend, the old Hot Rod has already started throwing down

some of the delicious turkey Mrs. Hot Rod has made and the L-tryptophan

has kicked in. Therefore, I have “The Itis”.

With “The Itis

and Georgia Tech

playing Georgia this weekend, I’m gonna hit yall with some quick

picks for the weekend because I can’t focus for the moment. Gonna take a nap

now and get ready for the games. Until we meet again, see ya when I see ya.

 

Sunday,

11/30/08, 1pm games

San Francisco 49ers (3-8) at Buffalo Bills (6-5)  

Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY

My Pick: Bills

 

Baltimore Ravens (7-4) at Cincinnati

Bengals (1-9-1)

Paul Brown

Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

My Pick: Ravens

 

Indianapolis Colts (7-4) at Cleveland

Browns (4-7) 

Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland,

OH

My Pick: Colts

 

Carolina Panthers (8-3) at Green Bay

Packers (5-6)

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

My Pick: Packers

 

Miami

Dolphins (6-5) at St. Louis Rams (2-9)

Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO

My Pick: Dolphins

 

New Orleans Saints (6-5) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-3)

Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

My Pick: Buccaneers

 

New York Giants (10-1) at Washington

Redskins (7-4)

FedEx Field,

Landover, MD

My Pick: Giants

 

4pm

games

Atlanta Falcons (7-4) at San Diego

Chargers (4-7)

Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

My Pick: Falcons

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (8-3) at New England

Patriots (7-4)

Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

My Pick: Patriots

 

Denver Broncos (6-5) at New York Jets (8-3)

Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

My Pick: Jets

 

Kansas City Chiefs (1-10) at Oakland

Raiders (3-8)

McAfee

Coliseum, Oakland, CA

My Pick: Raiders

 

Sunday

Night Football, 8pm

Chicago Bears (6-5) at Minnesota Vikings (6-5)

Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

My Pick: Vikings

 

Monday

Night Football, 12/01/08, 8:30pm

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) at Houston

Texans (4-7)

Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX

My Pick: Jaguars

Have

a Safe, Blessed, and Happy Thanksgiving

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