Wednesday 26 November 2014 10:48, UK
Thursday is a very special day in America, it’s Thanksgiving Day, and nothing says Thanksgiving more than a triple-header of NFL action, which is exactly what we’ll be bringing you as part of another 24 hours of NFL on Sky Sports.
Thanksgiving Day on Sky Sports will be our second full day of solid NFL programming, as we’ll start that action on Sky Sports 1 HD at 5am on Thursday November 27th when gridiron action will take over the channel.
Following 12 hours of special NFL viewing, we’ll then kick-off our now traditional ‘Turkey Day Triple’ with three live games back-to-back-to-back stretching into the wee small hours and finishing at 5am on Friday.
On top of all the pigskin action we’ll also have analysis, your questions and of course our traditional turkey dinner in the studio! So as well as Kevin Cadle, Neil Reynolds and Shaun Gayle we’ll be welcoming back our old friend Cecil Martin, who’s been practicing his carving skills for the occasion.
As is traditional, we’ll have games from Detroit and Dallas, with the Lions hosting the Chicago Bears in our first game at 5.30pm, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles playing in Texas in a crucial divisional battle with the Cowboys.
It’s all finished off with the late game from San Francisco as the 49ers host fierce NFC West rivals and Super Bowl champions Seattle Seahawks at 1.35am.
It’s a huge day in America when the nation kicks back and relaxes with family and enjoys a marathon day of NFL, so why don’t you do exactly the same and enjoy the action with Sky Sports on Thursday – here’s what to watch for.
Back-to-back defeats for Detroit has seen the Lions slip down the playoff ladder, they’re now second in the NFC North and are only just clinging to the sixth and final playoff spot in the Conference. Their NFL-best defence was sliced by New England and the fact they’ve scored 17 points combined a zero touchdowns in the last two losses mean they’re in dire need of a big lift.
Things are far from rosy in Chicago but the Bears have mustered two straight wins, both bizarrely 21-13 victories and both over relatively poor teams in Tampa bay and Minnesota. They were hit for 50 points in successive games before their two wins, and QB Jay Cutler has been under all kinds of pressure for his performances.
However, they do have superb attacking options in running back Matt Forte and receivers Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery so they do have points in them if Cutler can get moving. It’s a huge game for both teams though so expect plenty of big hits at Ford Field.
Now this is what you call a crucial clash – both teams are 8-3 at the top of the NFC East and this is the first of two games between them in three weeks that will most likely decide the outcome of the NFC East. Philly’s games usually have plenty of points in them so this one could be a thriller.
Although they’ve got 16 wins between them, these two have only beaten one team each with a winning record so far, so there are some frailties there, but they do both have potent offences with Dallas’ rushing attack and Philly’s passing right up amongst the best in the league.
It’s the biggest test yet of resurgent QB Mark Sanchez who is trying to forge a new start for himself and has had some success, but needs to cut out his interceptions. Dallas proved in New York that they’re they can win a close one at the death, something they’ve not been doing for years, that’ll give Tony Romo and company all kinds of belief for Thursday.
There’ll be no Thanksgiving love between these two sides that’s for sure, so buckle down and get ready for some of the biggest hits you’ll see in the NFL. Both are 7-4, both trail NFC West leaders Arizona by two games and a loss could spell playoff disaster for either team.
It’s another close series as they’ll face off again just two weeks later, and if the Cardinals can get back to winning ways it could be that only one of the two teams that fought out the NFC Championship game last year will not make the post-season this time around – which would be a huge blow.
What makes them such big rivals is their similarities - ferocious defence is on the menu as they’re both top-five defences, they both like to lead with the running game and they also both have mobile quarterbacks capable to making plays with the legs as well as their arm. In a close one it could be decided by who comes out on top between Russell Wilson and Colin Kaepernick.
