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The Eagles have been the surprise team this season.
Kim Minaes was surprised by the recent play of Philadelphia in the power rankings. 0:50
6:30 AM
Feast Week is for the NFL Power Rankings. The Chicago Bears will play the Detroit Lions on Thursday in one of three football games on Thanksgiving. Dallas Cowboys at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:30 p.m. Buffalo Bills at New Orleans Saints is on CBS. NBC.
What is the most notable Thanksgiving memory for each team? As we prepare for Turkey, we asked the writers of the NFL Nation to share their franchise's most notable Turkey Day moment. We have a wide assortment of memories, from virtuoso performances from Hall of Fame players to ice-storm gaffes, because 31 of the 32 teams have played at least once on Thanksgiving Day. One memory was used twice and it rhymes with Putt Stumble.
Our power panel, made up of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities, evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.
Preseason rankings: 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 2.
Jump to:
Ari, BAL, BUF, CAR, CHI, and CIN are included.
DAL, DEN, DET, GB, HOU, and IND are abbreviations.
The following cities are included: JAX, KC, LV, LAC, LAR, MIA.
NYG, NYJ, PHI, PIT, and SF are not included.
*SEA, TBR, TEN, WSH
There is a method for this.
1. The Arizona Cardinals are 9-2
The previous ranking was 3.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was when the Lions beat the Packers.
This was the last win on Thanksgiving for the Cards, and it helped them continue their dominance of the season a year after winning the NFL title. They lost in the 1948 championship game. They've lost eight in a row on Thanksgiving since beating the Lions in 1948, but have only played one game on the holiday since 1985.
2. The Green Bay Packers are 8-3.
The previous ranking was 1
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was lost by the Lions.
How can a loss be so significant? Maybe it was what the Packers needed. They wouldn't lose another game and beat the Giants in the Superbowl. It helped open up Thanksgiving for other teams because a year later, after the Packers and Lions tied on Turkey Day, coach Vince Lombardi got the NFL to end what had been an annual Thanksgiving series between the Packers and Lions. Between 1964 and 1983 the Packers played one Thanksgiving game in Dallas and did not play in Detroit again until 1984.
3. The TennesseeTitans (8-3) are doing well.
The previous ranking was 2.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the Blew out of the Lions.
After starting the year with a 10-game winning streak, the TITANS wanted to atone for their first loss of the season. Chris Johnson and LenDale White both had big games in the win. Johnson scored on a 6-yard run and later showed off his speed on a 58-yard touchdown scamper. White ran through the Detroit defense for two short touchdown runs. The backs both finished with over 100 yards rushing, and the team rushed for 292 yards.
4. The Los Angeles Rams have a winning record.
The previous ranking was 5.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was Shutting out the Lions.
The last time the Rams played on Turkey Day was 1975, when they played against the Cowboys. The most exciting game was a 28-21 loss to the Cowboys in 1971, when the teams entered the fourth quarter tied, but that ended in a loss for L.A., something to hardly be thankful for. The 1975 Lions game was played at the Silverdome. Quarterback James Harris threw for 157 yards and completed three touchdown passes, while safeties Dave Elmendorf and Bill Simpson each threw an intercept pass to Lions quarterback Joe Reed.
Clint Longley's performance on Thanksgiving Day 1974 was enough to get his name in the paper.
5. The Dallas Cowboys are 7-1.
The previous ranking was 4.
Clint Longley led the Cowboys to a 24-23 win over Washington on Thanksgiving in 1974.
The best memory stood out, so that ruled out Randy Moss' dominant showing in 1998 and Leon Lett's ill-timed trek in the ice in 1993. The choice was between Longley and the other backup quarterbacks. Longley's comeback against Washington came out of the blue, despite the fact that the Packers had beaten the Packers in 1994. With Roger Staubach knocked out in the third quarter, the Cowboys were trailing 23-17 and had less than 30 seconds to score a touchdown.
6. The Buccaneers are 7-3).
The previous ranking was 7.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was lost by the Cowboys.
The most memorable Thanksgiving Day game for the team was a loss? It's the only one. Tony Romo had five touchdown passes that day, which was his fifth start. After the game, Jon Gruden said he thought it was Aikman. Owens threw the ball into the red kettle. "That's my donation," Owens said. I hope it's as much as the fine. The only positive that day was that Pro Football Hall of Famer DerrickBrooks overtook offensive tackle Paul Gruber for most career starts.
7. The Kansas City Chiefs are 7-4
The previous ranking was 8.
In the first ever Thanksgiving night game, the Broncos beat the Packers 19-10).
The NFL wouldn't pull a game out of Detroit or Dallas, despite Lamar Hunt pushing for years for the Chiefs to host a Thanksgiving Day game. Hunt was rewarded for his diligence in 2006 when the league expanded its Thanksgiving lineup to include a prime-time game. The first Thanksgiving night game was won by the Chiefs and the only Thanksgiving game ever played at the stadium was against a division rival. Hunt died three weeks later at the age of 74.
Everything you need this week.
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Transactions and injuries.
Football Power Index rankings.
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8. The Baltimore Ravens are 7-1.
The previous ranking was 9.
Ravens overcame creative interference to beat the Steelers 22-20 in the Thanksgiving game.
One of the most debated moments in the Ravens-Steelers rivalry was when Mike Tomlin interfered with a potential Jacoby Jones return for a touchdown. Just 38 yards from the end zone, Mike Tomlin stood in a restricted area that separates the sideline from the field of play, with his back turned to the action and his right foot in the field of play. Jones had to move to his right to avoid hitting Tomlin, who had hopped to his left at the last second. Jones was caught from behind by Allen because of a slight adjustment to his path. I don't blame him. Jones said last year that he still loves him. I would do the same thing to him.
9. New England is 7-1.
The previous ranking was 10.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was a 49-19 win for the Jets over the Butt Fumble.
The Butt Fumble. Does anyone need to be said more? The Jets' performance at the Meadowlands was highlighted by a single play, a quarterback losing the football after running into an offensive lineman who had been thrust back and the Pats scoring on the recovery.
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10. The Indianapolis Colts are 5-5.
The previous ranking was 16.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the 41-9 win by the Mannings.
Manning has thrown 41 touchdown passes in 11 games, giving him 41 on the season. The future Hall of Famer had an impressive afternoon. Dan Marino's previous record of five straight games in which Manning threw for at least four touchdown was broken. Brandon Stokley said after the game that he was the best quarterback he had ever seen. "When he's retired, they'll compare everybody to Manning, without a doubt."
11. The Los Angeles Chargers are 3-6.
The previous ranking was 12.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the Chargers beating the Cowboys.
In their first Thanksgiving game in 48 years, the Chargers defeated the Dallas team. Philip Rivers threw for 434 yards on 27 of 33 passing, and Keenan Allen caught 11 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. They beat the Cowboys without running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was suspended for six games for a domestic violence investigation. The last time the Bolts played on Thanksgiving was in 1969 when they beat the Oilers in the Astrodome.
12. The Buffalo Bills are 3-6.
The previous ranking was 6.
The Bills beat the Cowboys 26-15 in the Thanksgiving game.
O.J. Simpson had a record-breaking performance on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, running for 273 yards on 29 carries and scoring two times. The game ended with a loss for Buffalo. It's the last Bills game on Thanksgiving that gets the nod, because some recency bias is leaking in. The team hadn't played on the holiday in 25 years. The Bills' win over the Cowboys was a coming-out statement for Josh Allen and helped put them on the national radar.
Leon Lett, Josh Allen, and Barry Sanders are on the air.
13. The Cincinnati Bengals are 3-6.
The previous ranking was 13
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was lost to the Jets.
It's easy to make a game memorable when it's the only one of its kind. In 2010 the New York Jets defeated the Cincinnati Reds in a Thanksgiving Day game. Cincinnati's lowlights included a touchdown on a kick return and a sack of Palmer in the end zone for a safety. It was fitting that the season ended with a 4-12 record for the Bengal's because they gained 163 total yards. Things turned around the next year. The Bengals made the playoffs for the next five seasons after drafting Andy Dalton and A.J. Green.
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14. The 49ers are 5-5)
The previous ranking was 21.
The 49ers beat the Cowboys 31-10) on Thanksgiving in 1972
The 49ers have only played on Thanksgiving five times, but any win over the Cowboys in such a convincing fashion leaves a lasting memory. Steve Spurrier, a young quarterback who had stepped in for an injured John Brodie the week before in a win at Chicago and then followed it up with a victory against Dallas, was especially memorable. "We practiced at a high school and beat the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day," Spurrier said. The 49ers had a good road trip. The Niners went on to win the division, but the Cowboys avenged their loss with a 30-28 victory in the playoffs.
15. The Cleveland Browns have a losing record.
The previous ranking was 14.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the Lions 13-10) victory over the Cleveland Indians.
Since 1989, the Cleveland Indians have never won on Thanksgiving Day. The rookies running back named Barry Sanders ran for over 150 yards on Thanksgiving. They had a chance to tie the game late, but missed a field goal. Cleveland rebounded from the defeat to win the division title, win a playoff game and reach the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
Randy Moss put on a show at Texas Stadium in 1998 for a national audience.
16. The Minnesota Vikings are 5-5.
The previous ranking was 19
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was Randy Moss' performance against the Cowboys.
In the Vikings' Thanksgiving Day demolition of the Cowboys' defense, Moss scored every time he caught the ball. Moss caught three of his touchdown passes on deep balls of 51, 56 and 56 yards, and he helped Minnesota extend its winning streak to four games. The Vikings finished the year with a 15-1 record after scoring 556 points. Their season ended against Atlanta in the playoffs.
17. The Pittsburgh Steelers are 5-5.
The previous ranking was 15.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the overtime loss to the Lions.
The Thanksgiving Day games haven't been good for the team. The team is 1-8 on Thanksgiving Day, including the game against the Ravens in which Mike Tomlin interfered with the kick return touchdown. That one cost him $100,000. The coin flip fiasco with Bettis and Luckett in the overtime period in 1998 was the most costly. Bettis said he called tails as the captain of the away team. Luckett heard voices. The coin was on the tails. It sounds like Bettis said head-tails and Luckett went with the first call he heard. The Lions got the ball, kicked a field goal and won the game despite the Bettis' protests.
Play.
One of the craziest moments of his career was the overtime coin flip on Thanksgiving.
18. The New Orleans Saints have a losing record.
The previous ranking was 11.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the Saints defeating the Falcons.
The Saints have three good options here, including Malcolm Jenkins' forced turnover at Dallas in 2010 and the four sacks by CAMERON JORDAN at Atlanta in 2019. I'll go with their only home victory when they play their biggest rivals on Thanksgiving night. Drew Brees became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw touchdown passes to four different players in the same game, when he led the New Orleans Saints to a 10 game win streak.
19. The Carolina panthers are 5-5.
The previous ranking was 17
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the 33-14 win over the Cowboys.
In their first and only Thanksgiving Day game, the Carolinas returned two of Tony Romo's three picks for scores and improved their record to 11-0. They knocked out the quarterback with a collarbone injury that had already forced him to miss seven games. In this one, which was the last one for the league's Most Valuable Player, he did not do much except for a 45 yard touchdown run. The defense was led by Kuechly. The defense brought its A-game.
20. The Las Vegas Raiders are 5-5)
The previous ranking was 18.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the Raiders defeating the Chiefs 44-22.
The Raiders have played on Thanksgiving seven times. They have a 3-4 record and have lost three games in a row. The Raiders won their sixth straight game in Kansas City and advanced to the Championship Game. Willie Brown and Warren Powers each picked off another player, and the other two had pick-sixes, as well as a touchdown for Fred Biletnikoff. The Packers defeated the Raiders in Super Bowl II.
21. The Philadelphia Eagles have a poor record.
The previous ranking was 22.
The Eagles beat the Cardinals 48-20 in November of 2008.
The Eagles entered with a 5-5-1 record and with their offense in a rut, having scored 20 points total in their previous two games. It was so bad that Andy Reid benched quarterback Donovan McNabb at halftime. On Thanksgiving, McNabb threw four touchdown passes, while Brian Westbrook racked up 130 yards and four scores in a Philadelphia romp. The Eagles won four of five to close the regular season, and advanced to the playoffs, where they fell to the same team.
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22. The Denver Broncos are 5-5)
The previous ranking was 20.
The Broncos beat the Cowboys in overtime on Thanksgiving in 2005.
The Ron Dayne game was always the most popular game among Broncos' fans because both teams were in first place. Dayne didn't know he was going to play a big role in the game until Bell was scratched due to a chest injury. Dayne had carried the ball just 13 times that season, but he ran for 98 yards against the Cowboys that day, 55 of which were on the second play of overtime, which set up the winning field goal by Elam. The Broncos went on to win the AFC West and improved to 9-2 with the win.
23. The Washington Football Team is 4-7.
The previous ranking was 25.
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the one between the Cowboys and the RG III.
The first time Washington had defeated the Cowboys on Thanksgiving was in 1975, when they won 38-31. In this game, it was his arm that torched Dallas, as he had shown he could run all season. The quarterback threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter. With Dallas focused on the zone run reads, he attacked them with play-action, completing 6 of 9 passes for 211 yards and three touchdown. It was fun for the offensive rookies of the year to know that it happened in their home state and where they played college ball.
24. The Atlanta Falcons are 4-7.
The previous ranking was 24.
The Falcons beat the Lions 27-7 in 2005.
Atlanta played four times on Thanksgiving and the others were a double-digit loss to Indianapolis and two losses to the Saints. The Falcons took a 27-0 lead on Detroit and allowed Michael Vick to sit for a bit in the fourth quarter. It was a high point of the season for the Falcons, who were 7-4 after the win before finishing the season at 8-8. Taylor Swift sang the national anthem before the Dolphins-Lions Thanksgiving game in Detroit in the following season, despite the Falcons missing the playoffs.
Leon Lett's ill-advised blocked field goal recovery attempt gave the Dolphins an icy Thanksgiving win in 1993.
25. The Miami Dolphins are 4-7.
The previous ranking was 28.
The Dolphins defeated the Cowboys in an ice storm on Thanksgiving in 1993.
Leon Lett touched the ball after the Dolphins' potential game-winning field goal was blocked, allowing them to recover and win the game. Without quarterback Dan Marino, the Miami Dolphins beat the Dallas Cowboys on a 19-yard kicker by Pete Stoyanovich. Everyone who witnessed one of Thanksgiving Day's most unforgettable games will always remember it, even though the Dolphins wouldn't win another game that season.
26. The New York Giants are 3-7.
The previous ranking was 27.
L.T. leads the Giants past the Lions in 1982.
There aren't many games to choose from here. The Giants have only played four games on Thanksgiving. This is the only win for them. It was capped by a famous Lawrence Taylor moment. He had a 92-yard touchdown return despite sitting out the start of the game. It was the only touchdown of the game and the Giants won.
27. The Chicago Bears are 3-7.
The previous ranking was 26.
Bears upset Packers 17-13 at Lambeau Field on Thanksgiving.
It is important to win over Green Bay. The Packers were the ones who ended up all wet after all the rain. The Bears were heavy favorites in John Fox's first season, but they pulled out a victory as quarterback Jay Cutler passed for 200 yards and a touchdown. It was his first win at Lambeau Field. The Packers chose to honor Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre at halftime, which made it even sweeter for the Bears. Talk about all-time backfires.
Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman enjoyed a 50-yard feast at Levi's Stadium after beating the 49ers.
28. The Seattle Seahawks are 3-7.
The previous ranking was 23.
The most vivid Thanksgiving memory is the 14-3 win over the 49ers by the Seahawks.
The whole country watched in prime time as the Seahawks lost to their archrivals. The 49ers had to make a big deal out of it, because Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman were going to eat turkey legs on the 49ers logo at the new stadium. It had to be good for Sherman because of his dislike for Colin Kaepernick and Jim Harbaugh. The 49ers owner apologized to fans for a performance that he said "wasn't acceptable."
29. The Houston Texans are 2-8.
The previous ranking was 31
The most memorable Thanksgiving game was the Texans beating the Lions.
One of the team's highlights was on Thanksgiving Day, when the Texans were 4-12. In a 41-25 victory over the Detroit Lions, Deshaun Watson played his best game of the year, throwing for 318 yards and four touchdown in front of a national audience. J.J. Watt scored the Texans' second touchdown on a pick-six. Houston is 2-0 on Thanksgiving after playing against the Lions.
30. The Jacksonville Jags are 2-8).
The previous ranking was 30.
Have never played on Thanksgiving.
The most likely reason for the Jaguars not having a Thanksgiving game is that the league wants to prevent viewers from getting indigestion after a big meal. Over the past decade, the Jaguars have lost 10 or more games nine times. It has been 13 years since the Jaguars played a Sunday night game, and 10 years since they played a Monday night game.
Play.
The New York media and players look back on one of the biggest mistakes in football history.
31. The New York Jets have a losing record.
The previous ranking was 29
The Butt Fumble was the most vivid Thanksgiving memory.
The Butt Fumble goes beyond the slapstick nature of the play. The Jets' history was marked by a chaotic period. After the play, the Jets benched him and ended his run as their starting quarterback. After the season, Mike Tannenbaum was fired. He was replaced by John Idzik, who had a bad relationship with Rex Ryan. The franchise hasn't recovered from the debacle of the Butt Fumble.
32. The Detroit Lions are 0-9-1.
The previous ranking was 32.
The Lions beat the Bears 55-20 on Thanksgiving in 1997.
The annual Turkey Day classic in Detroit has a local Super Bowl-like feel to it, with the tradition and excitement of loyal fans, which started in 1934. It's hard to forget about the Lions franchise without mentioning a famous moment from Barry Sanders. The 1997 Thanksgiving Day game at the Silverdome was one of the best games in Lions history, as he ran for 167 yards and scored three times. The Lions trailed 17-3 at the half but were able to score three times in the second half, including a 40 yard run by Sanders.
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