NFL Needs To Stop Lions & Cowboys Thanksgiving Tradition

Tradition is usually very hard to break. Maybe it's traveling to your mother's house every Thanksgiving no matter what. Maybe you prefer to cook stuffing inside the turkey rather than cook it separately in  pot. Maybe you prefer macaroni and cheese with your Thanksgiving diner over yams. 

Yes, I get it. Trust me. When you have a traditional way of doing things, even the most mundane things in life, it's hard to break. Heck, I park in generally the same spot at work everyday. 

But let's be clear there is one tradition that needs to come to an end. Like yesterday. Like years ago.  

Every year the National Football League subjects its fans across the country to the Detroit Lions at 12:30 p.m. ET, and the Dallas Cowboys at 4:30 ET every Thanksgiving without fail. 

The only difference every year is that they rotate the network covering the game. This year CBS covered the Lions because they were playing the Houston Texans, an AFC opponent, and the Cowboys were on FOX playing division rival Washington. 

Next year, if the pattern holds up, the Lions will be on FOX, probably playing Green Bay or Minnesota or Chicago, while the Cowboys play an AFC team on CBS. And in case you are wondering the Cowboys welcome both the Broncos and Raiders into Dallas next year. So one of those teams will be on Turkey day most likely. 

I'm tired of it. It's boring. Enough. 

Thanks to COVID-19, which knocked out the primetime match-up of the Steelers and Ravens, we were reminded of what Thanksgiving day games were like before the NFL threw a Hail Mary and gave us Thursday night football on Thanksgiving beginning in 2006.  

And let's be honest, Turkey Day games with the Lions and Cowboys generally suck, and this year was no exception. 

I had a hard time keeping my eyes open to watch the Texans run over the Lions 41-25 in the Motor City, and was bemused by the Washington Football Team's 41-16 decimation of the Cowboys. 

Neither game was close. Both games were over long before the final gun sounded. And in case you are keeping score, over the past four Thanksgivings (including this one) dating back to 2017, the Lions are 0-4, while the Cowboys are 1-3 on this holiday. 

When is enough enough? 

Want more evidence? Ok. The last time both the Cowboys and Lions won on Thanksgiving? 2016. The Lions squeaked one out against the Minnesota Vikings 16-13, while the Cowboys beat the Washington Football Team 31-23. 

And that's another thing, why do we keep getting the same match-ups virtually every time? 

The Cowboys and Redsk ... errrr ... Football Team have met 10 times on Thanksgiving, and four of them have come in the eight years. 

The Lions have played the Green Bay Packers 21 times on Turkey Day including six times in a 12-year period from 2001-2013. Oh, and the Lions have also played Vikings 18 times on Thanksgiving, including back-to-back years in 2018 and last year.  

Enough is enough. 

While getting the primetime game can be interesting, keep in mind these are Thursday night games, they aren't that good to begin with, it feels like it's long past due for the NFL to throw us a change up regarding this holiday Game Day. 

It's time for the NFL to make it an honor to play and host a Thanksgiving Day game by rotating the afternoon games with the other 30 NFL clubs. Maybe instead of being subjected to the Lions at 12:30, we get the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears from Lambeau Field in the early game. Or maybe the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles in the 12:30 slot from MetLife Stadium. I'll even settle for Patriots-Dolphins from Foxboro.

Instead of the Cowboys at 4:30, why not give fans the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders -- a classic rivalry game and two good teams. In other words, reward teams for being good the previous year with a Thanksgiving Day game the next year.

 The NFL already rewards good teams from the previous year with Sunday night contests the following season. 

Thanksgiving should be no different. This is a prime event for the NFL. Thanksgiving is a chance to showcase the best of the sport, not the worst. 

In fact because of the NFL's stringent policy regarding who gets on Thanksgiving games, there are so many teams that haven't played on the holiday in years. 

The Cleveland Browns for example haven't been on Thanksgiving since 1989. Granted, the Browns haven't been good since their return to the NFL in 1999, but they have been more compelling the last couple of seasons. 

The LA Rams haven't been on a Thanksgiving Day game since 1975! What? You mean to tell me we had the Greatest Show of Turf years and this recent run of success for the Rams, and they haven't played on Thanksgiving?!!?! Not once? What?!

The Jacksonville Jaguars have never played on Thanksgiving. Ok, there is not much I can say there, but hell, the Houston Texans have played twice on the holiday since they came into the league in 2002. Com'on give these guys some love at some point! 

Want more? The Tampa Bay Bucs haven't been back on Thanksgiving since 2006. The Tennessee Titans haven't been back on Turkey Day since 2008. It's time for the NFL to change things up. 

Reward the good teams with a Thanksgiving Day game, and end the drawn out tradition that the game HAS TO include the Lions and Cowboys.  I understand the Lions were the first team to host a football game on the holiday, but they are 37-42-2 during it. It's time for a change. 

And I know that the Dallas Cowboys are a big draw ratings-wise, but, if the NFL wants the Cowboys on Thanksgiving that badly change it up; put them on the road and in the night game on Thanksgiving. That would be compelling. 

Dear NFL, give fans a reason to enjoy these games again on Thanksgiving. Even the NBA gets it and gives its fans compelling match-ups every Christmas Day. 

Do your fans a favor and save Thanksgiving.