This Thursday is one of the biggest days on the NFL betting calendar. It’s Thanksgiving Day, and that means the Detroit Lions will be playing at home. The Lions (6-4 SU, 5-4-1 ATS) are traditional Turkey Day hosts, and this year, they’ll welcome the red-hot Minnesota Vikings (8-2 SU, 7-3 ATS) to Ford Field, kicking off at 12:30 PM ET on FOX. The Vikings have yet to slow down with Case Keenum at quarterback, winning six straight games straight up and five straight against the spread. They’re coming off a 24-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams and are now 3-point road favorites on the Week 12 NFL lines after this game opened as a pick’em.
Detroit has won three in a row at 2-0-1 ATS, albeit against substandard competition, including the 3-7 Chicago Bears, who they beat 27-24 last week. But that still keeps them in the hunt for a playoff berth in the NFC. The Lions did beat the Vikings 14-7 as road dogs in Week 4, so maybe they can pull off the upset again Thursday.
Dallas Cowboys Host Los Angeles Chargers
The Cowboys (5-5 SU and ATS) have lost both their games since running back Ezekiel Elliott started serving his six-game suspension, but the running game hasn’t been the problem in Dallas – it’s been the absence of Pro Bowl left tackle Tyron Smith (groin). Dak Prescott has been sacked 12 times over the past two games, leading to six turnovers and zero touchdown passes. The Dallas defense is also in trouble without linebacker Sean Lee, who’s expected to miss another two games with a hamstring issue. Los Angeles (4-6 SU, 5-4-1 ATS) has problems of their own on the offensive line, but they’ve managed to win four of the last six games at 5-1 ATS. This could be a Thanksgiving to forget for the fans in Arlington.
Washington Redskins Host New York Giants
Thursday’s nightcap sees the New York Giants (2-8 SU, 4-6 ATS) visit Washington (4-6 SU and ATS) at 8:30 PM ET on NBC. Very little has gone right for the G-Men this year, but they did pick up a remarkable 12-9 overtime victory over Kansas City last week, cashing in as 10-point home dogs. Saving head coach Ben McAdoo’s job appears to be a real concern for the players. Washington has played much better football than Big Blue this year; however, injuries and back-to-back losses leave the home side vulnerable as 7.5-point favorites in this NFC East matchup.
Stay tuned to Bovada Sports for fresh football odds on all the Week 12 games, and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
*Odds as of November 22, 2017