NFL Week 13 picks: Colts, Broncos, and Seahawks
Lorenzo Reyes is back with his best bets for NFL Week 13 games, including Thursday’s Thanksgiving slate.
Lorenzo’s Locks
Watching “America’s Team” play on Thanksgiving Day is, well, an American tradition.
The Dallas Cowboys are scheduled to face off against the New York Giants in an NFC East showdown on Thursday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Cowboys have hosted Thanksgiving Day games since 1966, excluding two years, and have the most Turkey Day appearances (56) all-time behind the Detroit Lions (84).
It will be a battle of the backups Thursday. Cooper Rush is expected to make his fourth start for the Cowboys this season after Dak Prescott went down with a hamstring issue that required season-ending surgery. Drew Lock is expected to make his first start of the season for the Giants after Daniel Jones was released and with backup Tommy DeVito questionable with a forearm injury.
The Cowboys have faced the Giants on Thanksgiving Day two previous times and have won both matchups, most recently in 2022.
TURKEY DAY GUIDE: What NFL teams play on Thanksgiving?
Here’s everything you need to know about the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day:
Why do the Dallas Cowboys play every Thanksgiving?
The NFL added a second Thanksgiving game in 1966. Dallas Cowboys team president Tex Schramm volunteered his team to play in a Thanksgiving game, as long as Dallas could host the game each year. That decision — as well as the team’s long run of success from the mid-60s well into the 1980s — profoundly contributed to its “America’s Team” moniker.
With the exception of two seasons since 1966 — in 1975 and 1977 when the St. Louis Cardinals hosted a Thanksgiving Day game — the Cowboys have hosted a game on the holiday, always scheduled after the Detroit Lions’ annual game.
What’s the Cowboys’ overall Thanksgiving record?
The Cowboys are 33-22-1 all-time on Thanksgiving.
Dallas Cowboys’ Thanksgiving results, by year
1966: vs. Cleveland Browns W, 26-141967: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 46-211968: vs. Washington W, 29-201969: vs. San Francisco 49ers T, 24-241970: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 16-31971: vs. Los Angeles Rams W, 28-211972: vs. San Francisco 49ers L, 31-101973: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 14-71974: vs. Washington W, 24-231976: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 19-141978: vs. Washington W, 37-101979: vs. Houston Oilers L, 30-241980: vs. Seattle Seahawks W, 51-71981: vs. Chicago Bears W, 10-91982: vs. Cleveland Browns W, 31-141983: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 35-171984: vs. New England Patriots W, 20-171985: vs. St. Louis Cardinals W, 35-171986: vs. Seattle Seahawks W, 31-141987: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 44-38 (OT)1988: vs. Houston Oilers L, 25-171989: vs. Philadelphia Eagles L, 27-01990: vs. Washington W, 27-171991: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers W, 20-101992: vs. New York Giants W, 30-31993: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 16-141994: vs. Green Bay Packers W, 42-311995: vs. Kansas City Chiefs W, 24-121996: vs. Washington W, 21-101997: vs. Tennessee Titans L, 27-141998: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 46-361999: vs. Miami Dolphins W, 20-02000: vs. Minnesota Vikings L, 27-152001: vs. Denver Broncos L, 26-242002: vs. Washington W, 27-202003: vs. Miami Dolphins L, 40-212004: vs. Chicago Bears W, 21-72005: vs. Denver Broncos L, 24-21 (OT)2006: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers W, 38-102007: vs. New York Jets W, 34-32008: vs. Seattle Seahawks W, 34-92009: vs. Oakland Raiders W, 24-72010: vs. New Orleans Saints L, 30-272011: vs. Miami Dolphins W, 20-192012: vs. Washington L, 38-312013: vs. Oakland Raiders W, 31-242014: vs. Philadelphia Eagles L, 33-102015: vs. Carolina Panthers L, 33-142016: vs. Washington W, 31-262017: vs. Los Angeles Chargers L, 28-62018: vs. Washington W, 31-232019: vs. Buffalo Bills L, 26-152020: vs. Washington Football Team L, 41-162021: vs. Las Vegas Raiders L, 36-332022: vs. New York Giants W, 28-202023: vs. Washington Commanders W, 45-10
Contributing: Jim Reineking
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