The NFL will as soon as once more be part of Thanksgiving Day traditions in 2021, with three video games to be performed on Nov. 25. The league’s common season schedule launched Wednesday contains the trio of video games followers can watch whereas followers are having fun with turkey and stuffing with family and friends.

Listed below are previews of the three video games:

Bears at Lions (Thursday, Nov. 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX)

Exterior of a four-year stretch within the early Forties, the NFL has held Thanksgiving Day video games yearly since 1920. The Lions are the richest of Thanksgiving Day traditions and have been an annual participant since 1934. Final 12 months’s Thanksgiving Day recreation was a disappointment for Detroit followers, as Deshaun Watson and the Texans cruised to a 41-25 victory. There’s a likelihood that neither of the beginning quarterbacks in that recreation are again with their groups this season: Matthew Stafford was traded to the Rams in the course of the offseason, and Watson is going through authorized troubles. 

The Lions offense has undergone important adjustments for the reason that 2020 common season concluded. Stafford is out and Jared Goff is in. Kenny Golladay and primarily each different extensive receiver on final season’s roster has moved on. The offensive line might be integrating No. 7 general choice Penei Sewell into this system. 

Chicago completed the 2020 common season with an 8-8 file. Former No. 2 general choice Mitchell Trubisky left for Buffalo in free company, which led to the signing of Andy Dalton. Shortly after making a social media publish proclaiming Dalton as ‘QB1,’ the Bears have been aggressive in shifting up within the 2021 NFL Draft to pick out Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. It stays to be seen how early Fields takes the sector for the NFC North franchise, however that might be one of many largest storylines main as much as the season. It is doable he’ll be the Bears’ starter for this matchup.

The Bears final appeared on Thanksgiving Day in 2019 once they defeated Detroit, 24-20. Chicago has performed 36 Thanksgiving Day video games — the third-most in league historical past — compiling a 19-15-2 file in these alternatives.

Raiders at Cowboys (Thursday, Nov. 25 at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS)

The Cowboys grew to become the second common Thanksgiving Day participant starting in 1966. All however two Thanksgivings have included video games that includes each the Lions and Cowboys since Dallas’ inclusion. 

The Raiders might be making the franchise’s first Thanksgiving look since 2013. It will likely be their first since shifting to Las Vegas. The workforce has compiled a 3-4 file throughout seven earlier Thanksgiving Day appearances. Jon Gruden’s workforce made important adjustments to its offensive line and protection this offseason. Operating again Kenyan Drake was added to a talent participant grouping that options Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs and Darren Waller. Yannick Ngakoue was added on protection to bolster the unit’s cross rush manufacturing. Las Vegas completed with an 8-8 file in 2020 and fell in need of the playoffs. 

Dallas’ season was despatched right into a tailspin when quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending harm. The defensive output was unacceptable, and that prompted a change at coordinator. Former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn is the brand new chief of the protection, which added Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons No. 12 general within the 2021 NFL Draft. The offense ought to bounce again swiftly with a wholesome offensive line and Prescott. Second-year extensive receiver CeeDee Lamb was on tempo to a noteworthy season earlier than instability on the quarterback place set in. 

Payments at Saints (Thursday, Nov. 25 at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC)

The NFL added a primetime recreation to the Thanksgiving Day schedule in 2006. There had been a primetime recreation on Thanksgiving Day yearly since 2006 till the Steelers-Ravens recreation was postponed in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic final 12 months. 

Buffalo is simply two years faraway from a 26-15 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Cowboys. The franchise has made simply 9 Thanksgiving Day appearances and has a good 4-4-1 file. Quarterback Josh Allen produced an MVP caliber season earlier than his Payments fell quick within the AFC Championship towards Kansas Metropolis. Normal supervisor Brandon Beane has constructed one of the gifted rosters within the league and they need to be again in Tremendous Bowl rivalry. 

The Saints have performed on Thanksgiving Day simply 3 times however the newest was 2019 once they knocked off the Falcons. In actual fact, New Orleans is an ideal 3-0 all-time on Thanksgiving. The workforce could have a brand new beginning quarterback for the primary time since 2006 when Drew Brees signed his deal in free company. Brees introduced his retirement this offseason after the Saints tallied 12 victories within the 2020 common season and superior to the NFC Divisional Spherical towards the eventual Tremendous Bowl champions. Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill are competing to exchange Brees as starter.