Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt is the third-heaviest NFL player to score a touchdown on Thanksgiving.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt became a part of the NFL Thanksgiving lore in the club’s 41-25 win over the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Week 12.
With 4:45 to go in the first quarter, Watt picked off quarterback Matthew Stafford and returned the interception 19 yards for the Texans’ first touchdown of the afternoon.
According to Trey Wingo from ESPN, Watt’s interception made him the third-heaviest NFL player to score a touchdown on Thanksgiving at 288 pounds. The only players heavier were Lions defensive tackle Mike Wells against the Kansas City Chiefs in 1996 at 315 pounds. Dwayne Carswell, tight end for the Denver Broncos, was second-heaviest when he scored a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in 2001.
Watt responded to Wingo’s stat on Twitter.
“Give me ’til the end of the night and I’ll be number one,” Watt wrote.
If Watt were to eat enough to weigh 316 pounds by midnight Central Time, he would have 10 days to rest and lose a little bit of the holiday weight as the 4-7 Texans gear up to play the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 6 at NRG Stadium.
Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt intercepted Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford in the first quarter, and then returned the takeaway 19 yards for the Texans’ first touchdown on Thanksgiving Day in Week 12.
For Watt, the interception was the second of his career, and the touchdown was the third defensive touchdown in his 123 career games.
Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the extra point, which helped the Lions retain their lead 7-6 over Houston.
The interception comes a week after Watt managed to collect four pass breakups against the New England Patriots and quarterback Cam Newton.
The Houston Texans take on the Detroit Lions in Week 12. Jeff Risdon from the Lions Wire helps preview the Thanksgiving matchup.
The Houston Texans and Detroit Lions face off on Thanksgiving to take part in the great NFL holiday tradition.
To preview the Week 12 matchup, Jeff Risdon from the Lions Wire — yes, the same guy — stops by to give a glimpse into where Detroit is at.
Texans Wire: Why haven’t the Lions fired Matt Patricia yet? Not to editorialize, but he wrecked the progress Jim Caldwell left for him after four years.
Jeff Risdon: The general consensus is that the quick turnaround to the Houston game on Thanksgiving saved Patricia this week. Had the team won they would have been 5-5 and very much alive in the playoff race, so it’s understandable why the plug wasn’t pulled yet. Losing to the Texans could be the final straw after a litany of embarrassing performances and underachievement.
TW: What does this Thanksgiving tradition mean to Lions fans, especially since the team is only 37-41-2 on the day?
JR: It’s something families plan their entire day around. Many families have traditions built around the game, like serving appetizers at halftime and then doing the big dinner after the game. For a lot of folks it’s the only real time they focus on the Lions all year and that holds extra value for them. There’s a sense of pride that it’s Detroit’s moment in the sun even if it doesn’t always end well.
TW: Can the Lions make the playoffs with a 4-6 record and the expanded playoff field?
JR: I suppose it’s mathematically possible but it would completely defy logic. The team plays with no passion or purpose, aside from just not being as talented as so many of the other teams they are chasing. The Lions do still have a manageable schedule that could conceivably finish at 7-9 as a best-case, but you’ll have a hard time finding anyone outside the locker room who thinks that will happen.
TW: What has Matt Stafford meant to the franchise? Will they stay committed to him?
JR: It’s truly remarkable how well Stafford has done in his 12-year career in Detroit. He’s had the worst run support, generally inadequate line play (2020 is the best line Stafford has played behind), underwhelming coordinators and, at times, dreadful defenses to prop up. Stafford has handled it all with quiet dignity and toughness. It’s hard to fathom just how bad the franchise would have been had the Lions taken Mark Sanchez or Josh Freeman instead back in 2009.
As for the future, the Ford family has never wavered in their commitment to Stafford. They love him and he’s returned the sentiment. But there has been a change similar to the one in Houston. Sheila Ford-Hamp, the daughter of longtime owner Martha Ford, took over earlier this year. She’s an unknown factor in the same way Cal McNair was when he took over for his late father.
TW: Who are some underrated Lions that Texans fans need to pay attention to?
JR: Amani Oruwariye has solidified himself as the team’s best cornerback. He had an end zone INT in Week 11 and he’s consistently the top cover man. He’s an emerging standout in his second season.
Punter Jack Fox won the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September, his first month on the job in the NFL. He’s been fantastic, albeit a little busier than anyone hoped for.
Center Frank Ragnow had a rotten Week 11 but in general he’s one of the NFL’s best at his position.
TW: What’s your prediction for the first Turkey Day game?
JR: The Lions have no answers for Deshaun Watson. None. The injuries on the offense for Detroit handicap their ability to try and outscore the damage Watson & Co. will do to the league’s slowest defense. Texans, 33-24
Thanksgiving 2019 can be looked at as great entertainment…or, well, terrible. It ultimately comes down to how you look at the glass.
While we’re all brainwashed—lulled into a comfortable trance by the tranquil voice of Jim Nantz—to believe the Masters is “A tradition unlike any other,” the slate of NFL games on Thanksgiving is the true champion of unique sports experiences.
Thanksgiving NFL games carry so much more than the actual matchup or even outcome. For some, they are an escape from family members or that weird casserole thing, with all the raisins on it, that Aunt Clara made. For others, it’s a chance to digest and catch one’s breath while enjoying a form of holiday-warming nostalgia that harkens back to Pre-Turducken. There are conversations—with minor doses of directed snark—with people you don’t normally talk to: “Well…that’s actually a Cover-4, Bill.”
For many folks, it’s a chance to sleep.
And whatever your reason is for watching (or ignoring) the NFL on Thanksgiving day, I’m sure it’s fantastic. It’s unique, in your particular way—regardless if your team is playing, if your money is swaying, or if you’re simply a fan of all-things Joe Buck. At the end of the day, this proverbial smorgasbord of football consumption ultimately comes down to how you look at it.
Remote, please.
Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions
Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
Glass Half-Full:
This game, unlike the others, has so much history—it’s matchup No. 180. It’s always great, regardless of the team’s quarterback or shortcomings.
The Bears are coming off a win over the Giants, where Mitch Trubisky looked decent at times, and the defense lived up to its 4th-overall ranking. The Bears won this game last year too, behind a solid effort from Chase Daniel—so, maybe, if Trubisky is ineffective, the memory of yesteryear could be the spark for the offense?
For The Lions, although the team has suffered four consecutive losses, none have been by more than eight points. Like most rivalries such as this, the records don’t factor into the outcome, so you have to like the chances when playing in front of the home crowd.
Glass Half-Empty:
Who is David Blough? You know what, it doesn’t matter. Who lines up under center, for either team, holds about as much importance as whether there’s sausage in the stuffing or not—it’s stuffing.
The Bears barely beat the Giants, and Josh Nagy seems like a befuddled press secretary at this point. The Lions have been hanging on by the fact they ‘barely” lost to basically their entire schedule. Though Matt Patricia and his pencil might make for a cool Halloween costume, it causes nothing but indigestion on more food-centric holidays like Thanksgiving. Sure, the NFC is a somewhat open road, but that doesn’t mean it’s an abandoned parking lot. Change the channel, and let’s see what Hoda is up to!
Previewing Thursday’s New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons Thanksgiving betting odds and lines, with NFL betting picks, tips and best bets.
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The Atlanta Falcons (3-8) play host to the New Orleans Saints (9-2) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Thanksgiving as the two NFC South rivals meet for the second time in four weeks. The game is the third of the day and will kick off at 8:20 p.m. ET. We analyze the Saints-Falcons odds and sports betting lines, while providing sports betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Saints at Falcons: Week 13 preview, betting trends and notes
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The Falcons won the Week 10 meeting in New Orleans by a 26-9 score to snap a six-game losing streak.
The Saints are 13-1 when intercepting at least one pass since the start of last season. Falcons QB Matt Ryan has 10 INTs on the year.
New Orleans is 27-2 when scoring 22 or more points since the start of the 2017 campaign.
The Falcons have scored 22.0 points per game this season, but they rank 28th in the NFL with 27.0 points allowed per game. The Saints score 24.7 and allow 20.9 per game.
The Saints are tied for fourth with a turnover differential of plus-8. The Falcons are 27th at minus-8.
Saints at Falcons: Key injuries
Falcons TE Austin Hooper (knee) and RB Devonta Freeman (foot) remain week-to-week.
Saints at Falcons: Odds, betting lines and prediction
The Falcons (+220) are home underdogs but the number is lower than it should be following the Week 10 upset. The SAINTS (-278) are getting a higher number than they should.
Atlanta is just 1-4 at home and coming off a 35-22 embarrassment at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints are 4-1 on the road and they beat the Carolina Panthers 34-31 Sunday. Take the visitors, though a $10 bet for the outright win will return a profit of just $3.60.
The FALCONS (+6.5, –110) are being spotted a touchdown at home and the hook is key here as they’ll need to stay within six points for the cover. The Saints are 7-4 against the spread overall, but cover by an average of just 0.6 points per game.
Back the home side with a backdoor cover keeping them within six points in defeat.
Take the UNDER 49.5 (-106). The number is the highest on the three-game Thursday slate. Each of the last two and four of the last five head-to-head meetings fell short of that number. New Orleans is 6-5 against the Over/Under but falls an average of 1.3 points shy of the projection. Atlanta is 4-7 and falls one point below the projections on average.
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