Cam Newton’s season might be over, but he hasn’t stopped helping people out. Watch the Panthers’ franchise quarterback share a special Thanksgiving message and a thank you to those who have helped his charity do good work for the community these last nine years.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Panthers Wire to you and yours.
Sep 15, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) runs after a catch against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports For the first time since 1996, …
Sep 15, 2019; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup (13) runs after a catch against the Washington Redskins during the second half at FedExField. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
For the first time since 1996, the Buffalo Bills are 8-3, and for the first time since 1994, they are playing football on Thanksgiving. Dallas has been a regular host of the Thanksgiving Day series since 1966, and the Cowboys have a rich history against the Buffalo Bills. It is one of the most anticipated games of Thanksgiving this year.
Here is everything that you need to know about the history of the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills, including their respective Thanksgiving Day stats:
The Bills and Cowboys first met on September 17, 1971, in Buffalo. The Cowboys won that game 49-37.
They met in two Superbowls, 27 and 28, with Dallas winning both encounters.
Their most recent encounter took place on December 27, 2015, and the Bills won that encounter 16 – 6.
The Cowboys lead the all-time series, including the two Super Bowl games, 8 games to 4 and have outscored Buffalo 280-181 over those 12 encounters.
The Cowboys played their first Thanksgiving Day game on November 24, 1966, defeating the Cleveland Browns 26-14.
Dallas would hold that tradition annually, with the exception of 1975 and 1977, in an effort to help out the St. Louis (Arizona) Cardinals boost stadium ticket sales.
Dallas is 31-18-1 on Thanksgiving.
Buffalo started playing Thanksgiving Day games while in the AFL. They played their first against the New York Titans (Jets) in a 21-14 loss.
The modern iteration of the Buffalo Bills have never hosted a Thanksgiving Day game, but played in five during their AFL years when no team had that home game guaranteed.
The Bills are 3-4-1 on Thanksgiving.
2019 So Far
Coming off of a 10-6 season and winning the NFC East for the second time in three years, the Cowboys are having a interesting year to say the least. Dallas lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams, and there were very high expectations coming into this season.
The Cowboys are currently 6-5, narrowly sitting atop the NFC East with Philadelphia only one game back at 5-6. As close as the race for the NFC East has been, both Philadelphia and Dallas are not being viewed as very competitive amongst the entire NFL, and are currently the worst team by record in the NFC Playoffs. A rather disappointing year that has many of the Dallas fan base calling for Jason Garrett’s removal as head coach, again.
2019 has been rocky from the start, as star running back Ezekiel Elliott held out for a bigger contract, a few years short of the expiration of his rookie deal. Considering the workload that has been put on “Zeke” over his very young NFL career, it was relatively fair, considering the toll that running back’s endure. However, the hold out led to some awkward moments and uncomfortable statements between Owner Jerry Jones and Elliott.
Also, a looming question heading into 2019 was quarterback Dak Prescott’s contract situation. Prescott has played relatively well in his tenure, sporting a 38-21 record as a starter with 14,309 yards passing, 88 touchdowns and 35 interceptions. He will most likely be extended with Dallas, as he’s given stability at his position that the Cowboys didn’t have during the latter years of Tony Romo’s career. Whether or not Dak has performed well in clutch moments, has been the question of his biggest detractors, and that is an area that he has lacked in.
Dallas began the season with three straight wins, defeating the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins. A great start, and Dallas looked like a top tier team and a definite Super Bowl contender, granted the strength of schedule. Prescott was having some of his best numbers, and the team, as a unit, was a well oiled machine.
However, it was the three games after that win streak that gave the Cowboys a stigma for 2019 that they “couldn’t beat good teams”. Losing to the New Orleans Saints 10-12, Green Bay Packers 24-34, and even a massive upset by the New York Jets, left Dallas feeling like an average team that couldn’t compete against the class of the division.
Since then, they’ve defeated the Eagles 37-10, completed the sweep of the Giants by winning 37-18, lost to the Minnesota Vikings 24-28, beat Detroit 35-27 and fell to the New England Patriots 9-13.
Dallas currently ranks first in “Team Offense” earning 4,767 yards over their first 11 games. They are the number one passing offense as well, with 3,339 passing yards. They are the eighth ranked rushing offense with 1,428 rushing yards, nearly 1,000 yards behind the Baltimore Ravens who sit at first.
Dak is currently the number one passer in the NFL, with 3,433 yards passing, tied at fourth in passing touchdowns with Kirk Cousins at 21 and tied for fifth in interceptions at 10 with Jimmy Garoppolo, Matt Ryan, Sam Darnold and Ryan Fitzpatrick.
“Zeke” is ranked seventh in rushing with 919 yards on the ground and tied at seven rushing touchdowns with Nick Chubb, Josh Jacobs, Todd Gurley and Bills QB Josh Allen. Dak Prescott has 197 rushing yards to his credit, good enough for 60th in the NFL, as well as three rushing touchdowns of his own.
Amari Cooper comes in at sixth in receiving, amassing 886 yards and he’s tied for fifth with touchdown receptions, at seven. Michael Gallup is the next best receiver, sitting at 21st in the NFL with 733 receiving yards. Randall Cobb at 39th with 581 yards.
As a defense, Dallas sits sixth in the NFL, allowing 3,503 yards against them and the seventh most points scored against them at 210. They are sixth in passing defense, giving up 2,350 yards by air and 12 touchdowns. The weakest aspect of their defense is against the rush, with 1,153 yards ran against them, good enough for 15th in the NFL.
How they match up with Buffalo?
There is certainly some intrigue with this game. Both Dallas and Buffalo are teams with stigmas. They can beat who they are supposed to beat, but can’t get the job done against winning teams. It rings true, as Dallas has not yet defeated a team with a winning record as of Week 13. The only team that Buffalo has defeated with a winning record currently, is the Tennessee Titans.
The Bills rush defense is at great risk this week, although it has improved the last few weeks. Ezekiel Elliott is one of the best running backs in the game, and an excellent pass-catching back. We all watched the defense that New England brought forth on Dallas last week, limiting the best passing offense to no touchdowns. The Bills have a tough defense as well, and it will be interesting to see if the Bills can duplicate or come close to New England’s performance.
Offensively, the Bills moved the ball effectively against Denver, who is ranked in the Top 10. Smart, calculated football to keep moving the chains with more usage for Singletary and Gore. The Cowboys weak rush defense should be a target for Buffalo in this game. Also, Cole Beasley is making his big return to the team where he had spent many years at. Beasley was excellent in the short to mid-range passing game last week, and it would be a good idea to continue to build off of that.
The Cowboys obviously have home field advantage on their side, and that typically bodes well with teams on short weeks. Traveling teams are 5-7 on the year, which aren’t terrible odds for the Bills.
Enjoy this game, and the other two throughout the day, with family and friends, the best way to enjoy football. Happy Thanksgiving from myself and the rest of the Billswire staff to you and yours!
See what NBA, NFL and MLB players are giving thanks for on Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving, millions of people from across the world will give thanks for the blessings in life. Professional athletes took to social media to share what they’re thankful for on Thursday.
On this and everyday I am thankful for the lessons, the love, and the challenge of life. Millions of you, thru the good and bad, have made me who I am today. Thank you. #Happythanksgiving2019#happythanksgivng
A Very Happy and Blessed #Thanksgiving to all of you. I’m Very Thankful, for all the love in my life, from family and all of you. God Bless all you guys. Be safe and celebrate.#Thankful
Happy thanksgiving, on this thanksgiving day I am Thankful to God for allowing me to come to this country 🇺🇸 and make my dreams come true. #god#family#baseball
Sitting here on the back porch of a house full of family. Don’t know if I deserve the life I have but I’m sure thankful for it. Hope y’all enjoy this special day as much as I’m going to. 🙏 https://t.co/GPFaHnUZs3
Happy thanksgiving everyone! So much to be thankful for! Thankful for another day to share with my friends and family. #Thanksgivingpic.twitter.com/qobTqQ3hPY
Welcome to a Thanksgiving edition of UT News, where the turkey is moist, the wonderful scents of the holiday permeate the room, and nobody fights at the table. There is not much on tap today to cover, though the Lady Vols volleyball team triumphed over Auburn for Senior Night and wet-head Erika Brown was named SEC Swimmer of the Week. So without further ado, on to the news.
Lady Vols grab Senior Night victory over Auburn
The Lady Vols volleyball squad defeated Auburn last night in four sets, in their final match of the season at Thompson-Boling Arena.
The cherry on top of the victory was that the win came on Senior Night, making it a suiting finale for the women who have played in their last home game in Knoxville. The triumph also gave the Volunteers their fourth victory in their last five matches. Tessa Grubbs’ 14 kills now places her at No. 8 all-time at Tennessee, with 1,405 kills in her four-year career.
Coach Eve Rackham had the following to say about the Senior Night win.
“You can’t hope for anything else other than to be able to play great at home and send your seniors out the right way. We gave them all a chance to start and they played so well. It’s kind of storybook ending, but that’s what you want to be able to do. And I just feel fortunate we were able to do that for them and to be able to repay as much as we can.”
The Lady Vols wrap up the season in Starkville, Miss. against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. UT has won four of their previous matches, including a sweep earlier this season. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET and will air on SEC Network+.
A comprehensive look at the Detroit Lions depth chart as they prepare to host the Chicago Bears in Week 13 on Thanksgiving day at Ford Field.
In this comprehensive look at the Detroit Lions roster, we will be examining not only the positional depth chart but also looking at who coaches will turn to in specific situations, including who will step up in case of injury.
Here’s a look at how the Lions roster sets up for their Week 12 matchup in Washington.
Note — you will see some players listed more than once as they have multiple roles.
Kenny Wiggins (79) — RG, LG — Not listed with an injury designation Tyrell Crosby (65) — LT, RT Graham Glasgow (60) — C Oday Aboushi (76) — RG, LG Beau Benzschawel (63) — Emergency IOL
Interior defensive line
Damon Harrison (98) — NT — Questionable A’Shawn Robinson (91) — 3T Da’Shawn Hand (93) — DDE, 3T, NT — Questionable Mike Daniels (96) — 3T
John Atkins (99) — NT
Devon Kennard (42) — JACK Christian Jones (52) — SAM, JACK Jahlani Tavai (51) — SAM, JACK
Off-the-ball linebacker
Jarrad Davis (40) — MIKE, WILL Christian Jones (52) — WILL, MIKE Jahlani Tavai (51) — MIKE, WILL Jalen Reeves-Maybin (44) — MIKE, WILL Miles Killebrew (35) — WILL, Hang Safety Steve Longa (54) — MIKE, WILL
Cornerback
Darius Slay (23) Justin Coleman (27) Rashaan Melvin (29) — Ruled out Amani Oruwariye (24) Mike Ford (38) Jamal Agnew (39) — Ruled out Dee Virgin (30) Michael Jackson (28)
Slot cornerback
Justin Coleman (27
Safety
Tracy Walker (21) — Questionable Tavon Wilson (32) Will Harris (25) C.J. Moore (49)
Third-safety
C.J. Moore (49) Miles Killebrew (35) — WILL, Hang Safety
Jamal Agnew (39) — punt and kick returner — Ruled out Danny Amendola (80) — reserve punt returner Ty Johnson (31) — reserve kick returner J.D. McKissic (41) — reserve kick returner
Kick coverage
C.J. Moore (49) — gunner Dee Virgin (30) — gunner Jalen Reeves-Maybin (44) — five-phase specialist Steve Longa (54) — five-phase specialist
Everything you need to know about how to watch the Detroit Lions vs the Chicago Bears in Week 13 on Thanksgiving.
The Detroit Lions (3-7-1) will host the Chicago Bears (5-6) in Week 13 on Thanksgiving at Ford Field and the Lions are still hoping to get their first victory with Jeff Driskel under center.
Here’s everything you need to know for how to watch or listen to this week’s game.
Adam Gase said he’ll let Jets players out after practice tomorrow so they can get to Thanksgiving dinner.
Adam Gase appears to be in the holiday spirit.
The head coach said he’ll let his players out after practice early Thursday so that they can get to Thanksgiving dinner. Instead of eating turkey and stuffing, however, Gase plans on consuming Cincinnati Bengals game film.
Adam Gase said he’ll let players out after practice tomorrow so they can get to Thanksgiving dinner.
It’s unclear if Gase will get home himself. Said it depends how much work he gets done. #Jets
Gase won’t let himself out early if he doesn’t finish prepping. He has to see how much work he gets done ahead of the Bengals game on Sunday.
This wouldn’t be the first time Gase put football first. Prior to the season, a story circulated of him meeting with Peyton Manning just a couple of hours after his wife gave birth to their second child. That was when he was the Denver Broncos offensive coordinator.
In any event, the Jets deserve some time off to spend with their families after three consecutive wins. Hopefully, Gase allows some for himself as well.
Four bold predictions for the Detroit Lions as they host the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day.
The Detroit Lions are preparing for their second bout with the Chicago Bears this season, hoping for a much better outcome than last time.
Detroit has had quite the season so far, holding a lead in each of their 11 games but sitting at the bottom of their division at 3-7-1. With an injury-plagued roster and some recent struggles on defense, can the Lions turn it around in their prime time matchup?
Here are my bold predictions for this week’s game:
Quarterback change-up changes nothing
With rookie David Blough getting his first career start while both Matthew Stafford and Jeff Driskel deal with their injuries, don’t think that we’ll see anything new on offense.
Driskel’s tenure as the Lions’ starting quarterback wasn’t exactly noteworthy, with four touchdowns and just as many interceptions in three games. While he and Blough are very different passers, don’t think that this will change things up on offense.
Blough is an undrafted rookie who’s first regular-season action comes in a major prime time game. Though he has been with the team since the beginning of the season, don’t think his play will be any better than what we’ve seen in recent weeks.
While we’ll see a much different style of play from Blough than the other two Lions quarterbacks, don’t expect anything new.
Amani Oruwariye will make another interception
In his first game as a starter, filling in for the injured Rashaan Melvin, Oruwariye proved to be more capable than many expected. In the loss to Washington, the rookie pulled off an impressive interception on a pass from Dwayne Haskins.
Bears’ quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has thrown six interceptions so far this season and will be down three offensive weapons on Thanksgiving Day. I think the rookie will be able to keep the momentum going from last week and capitalize on this opportunity.
There will be a dearth of yellow flags
There were 20 flags thrown the last time these two teams faced each other, but that may not be the case this time around.
Jerome Boger and his crew will be officiating this game. This is a crew that hasn’t called more than 12 penalties in a game in 2019, so this could bode well for the Lions. Detroit only committed six penalties last week, so it appears that some of their discipline issues have been resolved.
Hockenson will re-emerge in the offense
After a fairly quiet season, Hockenson may be able to rediscover his place in the passing game. He had three receptions for 47 yards against Chicago earlier this year.
Can he put on a similar performance this week? I hope so.
The Detroit Lions will come out with a win
Usually, predicting a victory isn’t considered a bold prediction, but that’s not the case for this team.
Detroit is itching for a win amidst a four-game losing streak. The Bears aren’t in a much better situation at the moment, so this game could be an interesting one.
The Lions defense has shown some improvement since their last game against Chicago. Their run game has been revived with the emergence of Bo Scarborough. The only liability is the quarterback situation. If the defense and the offensive line can hold up, the Lions will be able to overcome and snap their losing streak.
Atlanta lost the momentum it had built during its two-game winning streak when the team gave up six sacks in an embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The Falcons are now 3-8 entering their prime-time Thanksgiving matchup with the Saints. Jake Matthews, the team’s veteran left tackle, talked earlier this week about what the line needs to do to get back on track in Week 13.
Thanks to Bears Wire editor Alyssa Barbieri for some good insight here
Even though the Lions and Bears are familiar division foes, quite a bit has changed since the last meeting in Chicago. To help get caught up on all the changes and get more info on what’s going on with the Bears, I called upon Bears Wire managing editor Alyssa Barbieri.
She graciously shed some light on the myriad injuries Chicago brings to Ford Field, Khalil Mack’s “down” season, Mitchell Trubisky and more.
What has changed with the Bears since the last meeting health-wise?
Quite a bit. Linebacker Danny Trevathan remains out with an elbow injury, but there are two surprising developments in the form of receiver Taylor Gabriel and tight end Ben Braunecker, who suffered concussions against the Giants [in Week 12]. They’re doubtful for Thursday’s game, as is right tackle Bobby Massie, who suffered a high-ankle sprain last Sunday. Massie will be replaced by Cornelius Lucas, which makes the right side of Chicago’s already struggling offensive line the weak part of the line.
The Bears are also incredibly thin at the tight end position, as Trey Burton is on injured reserve, Adam Shaheen dealing with a foot injury and Braunecker’s concussion. They’ll have Jesper Horsted (who’s still learning the tight end position) and J.P. Holtz as their tight ends.
Then there’s special teams standout/cornerback Sherrick McManis, who is dealing with a groin injury that’s expected to keep him out on Thanksgiving. The Bears are certainly having worse luck with injuries this season.
With the Lions losing so much lately (seven of the last eight), is there a chance the Bears could be overconfident?
To be honest, they don’t have much to be confident about. They narrowly escaped losing to the lowly Giants, who nearly mounted a comeback that would’ve embarrassed the Bears. Also considering the last time they faced the Lions they played backup Jeff Driskel, who at times moved the ball up and down on the defense, and only put up 20 points on a struggling Lions defense, it wasn’t a convincing victory. The Bears need to prove they can win back-to-back games before having extreme confidence over an opponent, regardless of their record.
Khalil Mack’s stats are not eye-popping this year (6.5 sacks in 10 games). Is he having a down year, or do the stats not reflect how well Mack is playing?
Considering the amount of double and triple teams Mack faces, his performance can’t always be quantified by stats. Rather it’s about how he impacts a play, which even when he was absent in the box score against the Rams he was affecting the quarterback.
Mack is certainly struggling with the absence of defensive tackle Akiem Hicks, who is someone that teams typically have to account for in the middle of that defense which typically frees up Mack. Although Mack is coming off a great game against the Giants, where he had his first strip-sack since Week 4 and was all over the field.
I watched Mitchell Trubisky look really solid in the third quarter against the Giants but largely inadequate the rest of the game. Are the high points like those winning over fans and teammates, or has that ship sailed?
I wouldn’t say his performance is exactly winning fans over, but they’re starting to recognize that the offense’s struggles are more than just Trubisky. It’s Matt Nagy’s play-calling. It’s the offensive line’s lack of protection. It’s the receivers dropping passes or running the wrong routes. It’s the complete absence of tight ends. It’s self-inflicted mistakes. And it’s Trubisky.
Trubisky has looked much better over these past three games than he has earlier this season, particularly in the third quarter and when utilizing the no-huddle offense. But the offense as a whole lacks consistency.
Who wins and why?
I wouldn’t say that I have confidence in the Bears’ ability to string together back-to-back wins, but I do feel like they’re catching the Lions at their worst this season. No Matthew Stafford, riddled by injuries and coming off a loss to the Redskins, I like the Bears in this game because of their defense alone. That and the fact that Trubisky has played well against the Lions over the past two seasons. Bears 24, Lions 14
