First game in 24 hours of action
Friday 28 November 2014 14:12, UK
Whether you’ve finished your Thanksgiving turkey or not, the annual American celebration kicks off the only way it knows how – with a marathon of live football beginning in Detroit.
Sky Sports will accompany you the whole way through 24 hours of non-stop NFL action from Thursday at 5pm with the Lions hosting Chicago Bears to kick-start a celebration on both sides of the Atlantic.
A Thanksgiving day of joy is exactly what these two sides need – but they can only truly enjoy their turkey dinners if disappointing streaks of form are addressed beforehand. The Bears have actually strung two victories together, albeit against struggling opposition in Minnesota and Tampa Bay, but travel to Detroit still residing in the wrong half of the table.
Lost their roar
The Lions might have entered this match as overwhelming favourites before last week but their mighty roar was tempered by New England. The Lions failed to score a single touchdown, with quarterback Matt Stafford and his offence having no answer to New England’s Tom Brady.
Stafford, for his part, has been battered and bruised with 33 sacks so far this season and ahead of the Bears’ visit his ability to throw while moving has been stretched to the limit. After a particularly bad day at the office last week, the hobbling Stafford can expect a rough welcome from the visiting Bears, although their defence is ranked a lowly 28th in the NFL. His opposite number, Jay Cutler, requires an impressive outing after attracting criticism for below-par showing for the Bears.
Stafford’s targets have suffered similarly, with injuries severely hampering the Lions’ running game. Right tackle Riley Reiff limped off against New England so his inclusion on Thanksgiving is unlikely. Reggie Bush, meanwhile, has an ankle issue that he might try and play through – he might be forced into battle due to his team’s depleted ranks.
Golden form
It’s not bad news everywhere though. The Lions should benefit from Calvin Johnson’s build-up in fitness and he may play a bigger part against the Bears, while Golden Tate has also been enjoying an eye-catching run of individual form which will benefit the Lions’ passing game.
The Lions had the NFL’s best defence until it split against New England, and Detroit have now slipped to second in NFC North and are only just clinging to the sixth and final playoff spot in the Conference. That could be further exploited if the Bears arrive with Cutler throwing accurately to the dangerous running back Matt Forte and receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery.
After the Lions’ embarrassment last week and the absence of any touchdowns, we can at least expect the Lions to angrily return with competitive spirit as Sky Sports’ 24 hours of NFL begins with a bang.
Watch Detroit @ Chicago live on Sky Sports 1 on Thursday from 5.30pm
