Thanksgiving helping in the NFL As Chicago, Dallas and New Orleans win

Hey, all I know last year I did a thanksgiving review in the NFL. But because it's America's version of the Premier League boxing day matches with multiple games on TV I thought that I would do another review especially as all of the games have playoff implications. The first game was the Chicago Bears vs the Detroit Lions, the second game was the NFC East match between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins. The last match was the red-hot New Orleans Saints vs the Atlanta Falcons.

Khalil Mack making big headlines since his signing before the season

The Bears were walking into the game in charge of the NFC North division with the lions at the bottom of the same division. However, they had to start their second-string quarterback Chase Daniel after sustaining a shoulder injury on Sunday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. One of the headlines was Matthew Stafford going against a top defence which features defensive player of the year contender Khalil Mack who came in with a six-year $141 million deal before the season began.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford

The first quarter was a defensive showdown as both defences overpowered the offences, which was entirely different for the Monday Night Football game which had 105 points. The first significant action was that the Bears tight end Trey Burton fumbled the football. The Lions then drove down the field and made the bears pay with a 9 play 50-yard touchdown drive finished off by LeGarrette Blount. The Bears responded by going down the field but ended up having to take a 40-yard field goal by Cody Parkey. The Bears got a touchdown close to halftime to Taquan Mizzell to take a 9-7 lead. At halftime, the Lions treated the fans to a performance from Mike Posner, famous for singing Cooler than Me in 2010.

The Bears started off the second half and had a quiet drive.  In a quiet 3rd quarter the only score of the period came off the lions from a 6 play 80-yard drive capped off by another 4-yard run play by Blount but failed on the 2 point conversion to make it 13-9 Lions. The Bears retook the lead at the start of the 4th quarter after an 8 play 53-yard drive capped by a 14 yard Tarik Cohen catch to retake the lead 16-13. The Lions then responded on their next drive by driving down to the 3-yard line, and Matt Prater scored the 20-yard field goal to make it 16-16. The Bears scored off an interception by Eddie Jackson to make it 23-16. The Lions drove all the way down to the Bears Redzone, but on third and goal Stafford threw an interception to Kyle Fuller. That ended the game, and the Bears took the victory to extend their lead until Sunday Night Football when the other teams in the division play. Chase Daniel had a cracking night with 27 completions from 37 attempts 230 passing yards and 2 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Matthew Stafford was 28 of 38 for 236 yards and 2 interceptions.

The second game was the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins. The Redskins have a one-game lead over the Cowboys. However, they too have lost a quarterback this time former number one overall Alex Smith to a horrific leg injury for the rest of the season. However, it quickly became a battle of the running backs between Dallas's 3rd year back Ezekiel Elliot and Washington's age-less wonder Adrian Peterson. Also, Dallas is starting to learn that Dak Prescott is not the quarterback who can take them far into the playoffs. It is becoming the same old NFC East when you can not predict who's going to win the division. Whoever wins this match takes first place in the division.

Ezekiel Elliot has returned to his rookie form. 

Adrian Peterson defying age and having a monster year

The Redskins are starting for the game with Colt McCoy (his first start since 2014) with veteran Mark Sanchez as the backup. Dallas started the game with a 10-play 75-yard touchdown drive capped off by a 16 yard run by Elliot. Washington had a tough response to the drive and had to punt the ball downfield. Washington had a drive but was intercepted on the Dallas 27 by Anthony Brown. There was more bad news as Adrian Peterson went off holding his right shoulder. The first quarter was ended by the Redskins sacking Prescott, but the score remained 7-0 Cowboys.

The second quarter was a close period with Washington dominating the quarter. They were rewarded when they equalised from a 53-yard pass to Vernon Davis to make it 7-7.  The Cowboys then drove down the field. However, Prescott took a 13-yard sack loss on second and goal on the 4-yard line, which forced Brett Maher for a 28-yard kick which he scored to make it 10-7 Cowboys of a 14 play drive taking over 5 minutes off the clock. After two drives in which both teams squandered chances to score more points, it finished 10-7 to Dallas at halftime. Dallas had their own halftime show which was Meghan Trainor singing her best-known hits like "All About that Bass".

The first part of the 3rd quarter was stop-start however Washington drove for a touchdown scored by Trey Quinn 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter and made it 13-10 after Dustin Hopkins missed the point extra. The Cowboys responded with a 6 play 75-yard drive capped off with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Amari Cooper which gave the Cowboys a 4 point lead at 17-13. Dallas then extended the lead off a 90-yard touchdown pass to Amari Cooper to make it 24-13. McCoy then threw an interception to Demarcus Lawrence. That's how the 3rd quarter ended. The Cowboys then decided to make the game more manageable with another touchdown which Dak Prescott created by avoiding 2 sacks and scrambling for 5 yards that made it 31-13. His touchdown celebration (jumping into a kettle pot) cost Dallas 15 yards on the kick. Washington started the next drive on Dallas's 44-yard line after a 44-yard kickoff return. Washington used it to their advantage and scored a touchdown by Kapri Bibbs That made it 31-20 Dallas. Washington stopped the Cowboys short of the 1st down marker on 4th down which gave the ball to the Redskins on their 34-yard line to have the ball intercepted the ball on the Dallas 14 yard line. Redskins had a field goal to make 31-23. That's how it ended, and it made Dallas go top of the NFC East.

It was a mixed day for Redskins quarterback completing 24 passes from 38 attempts with 268 yards 2 touchdowns but 3 interceptions. His counterpart Prescott was 22/31 with 289 yards 2 passing touchdowns and the scramble touchdown. However, the star was Amari Cooper with 8 catches for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also, the battle of the running backs went to Elliot with 121 rushing yards from 26 carries compared to Petersons' 35 yards from 12 carries.

Saints QB Drew Brees is having an MVP season.

The last game of the night was an NFC South rivalry between the New Orleans Saints with future Hall of Famer, and MVP contender Drew Brees vs the Super Bowl 51 runners-up Atlanta Falcons and former MVP Matt Ryan. The Saints are one of the leading teams in the NFC at 9-1 and have one of the hottest offences scoring over 40 points in the majority of the games this season, with 45 in the last 3 games. Brees also going to the game had 25 touchdowns and 1 interception. The Falcons were looking to play catchup in the NFC South. Ryan has a receiver corps with Julio Jones, Mohammad Sanu and rookie Calvin Ridley.

The Saints got off to a quick start with a 7 play 75-yard touchdown drive with Brees throwing a 28-yard pass to Tommylee Lewis, which included a monster 18 yard run on the first play by Alvin Kamara. The Falcons drove down the field to the New Orleans 3 yard line including a monster pass from Ryan to Sanu for 36 yards. However, Matt Ryan fumbled the snap and gave the ball back to the Saints. The Saints tried to make them pay but was intercepted by Damontae Kazee. The Falcons said thank you by scoring a 32-yard field goal to make it 7-3 Saints at the end of the first quarter, even though Ryan lost the ball again this time recovering it himself.

2016 MVP Matt Ryan looking to spoil the Saints' night

The Saints then responded with an 8 and a half minute drive down the field going 81 yards in 15 plays to kick a 22-yard field goal to make it 10-3 Saints, despite Brees getting sacked on the first play of the second quarter. The next scoring drive was when the Saints started on their own 42-yard line and went 42 yards, and Brees threw a 12-yard pass to Austin Carr (if you're wondering where the other 16 yards are it was given on a defensive pass interference penalty) to make it 17-3. Atlanta needed a touchdown fast; otherwise, it was quickly going to be difficult for them to win the game. However, as the Falcons drove down Julio Jones after catching a 15-yard pass had the ball fumbled by Alex Anzalone and recovered by Vonn Bell. That sealed the first half.

The Falcons received the second-half kickoff and wanted to get the touchdown. After a high return of 40 yards by Marvin Hall, however, the Falcons could not make use of it, and on 4th and 2, Ryan's pass to Ridley was incomplete. After 2 drives ending in punts, the Saints went 70 yards on 6 plays with Brees throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dan Arnold, to make it 24-3. The Falcons finally answered with a 13 play 79-yard touchdown drive with Matt Ryan connecting with Ridley for a 2-yard touchdown pass. That was the last major act in the 3rd quarter.

The 4th quarter didn't start well for the Falcons as Ryan threw an interception to A.J Klien off a tip. The Saints gave thanks to the Falcons by scoring their final touchdown as Brees connected to Kieth Kirkwood on a 5-yard pass to make it 31-10. The Falcons then went down the field to try and get a touchdown to keep themselves in the game, but they then fumbled again as on what was a 27-yard pass to Calvin Ridley however Marshawn Lattimore knocked the ball loose, and Eli Apple recovered it. That looked to have ended the game however after their defence held the Saints to a 3 and out, the Falcons had one more shot at a touchdown. They did just that as Ryan threw the ball to Tevin Coleman for 4 yards. They tried an onside kick but failed, and that's how the game ended with the Saints going top of the NFC at 10-1 winning 31-17. Brees had a monster game with 15/22 for 171 yards 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Meanwhile, Ryan was 35/47 for 377 yards 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

DE Cameron Jordan and RB Mark Ingram enjoying some victory turkey

I hope you enjoyed it, and I want to say if you have been reading my blogs. I am thankful for you giving up as much time out of your day as you want to read this. I'll be back soon with another blog.

KRO Mark.