There are many reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving: spending time with family and friends, stuffing your face until physically ill, and, of course, football. It's the metaphorical life preserver in a sea full of turkey, mashed potatoes and relatives who are only tolerable through the buffer that 22 fat guys wearing costumes and running full speed into each other provides. Alcohol also helps.
With that in mind, here's the best and worst of today's action.
Tennessee (10-1) vs. Detroit (0-11), 12:30 PM EST
It's hard to make an oh-for-2008 team interesting, but if the Titans had managed to beat the Jets last week, the NFL could've billed this as the March to Perfection, with undefeated Tennessee squaring off against the winless Lions. Instead, it's just a really good team traveling to the Motor City to do what everyone else has done this season: pummel the Lions into oblivion. Detroit has already been eliminated from the playoffs (of course they have), and this is the only time they'll see national television all year. Unfortunately, this just means that the rest of the country will be subjected to what Detroit-area fans have had to endure for more than eight years.
Why you should watch: You're a Titans fan, you're a degenerate gambler, or both.
Seattle (2-9) vs. Dallas (7-4), 4:15 PM EST
The Seahawks represented the NFC in the Super Bowl three years ago, and they have won the NFC West the last five seasons. This year, however, their coach is a lame duck (Mike Holmgren plans to retire in five weeks), and the team has suffered a rash of injuries. That includes team leader and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, who has played in just six games and currently owns the league's worst passer rating, which is impressive given his credentials and the sorry state of quarterbacking around the NFL. The Cowboys are very familiar with what it means to lose a Pro Bowl quarterback. Tony Romo missed a month with a broken finger and the team struggled in his absence. They're tied for second in their division and will probably need to go 4-1 to make the playoffs. With Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger sitting comfortably on the bench, there's a pretty good chance it happens.
Why you should watch: The Cowboys are an explosive team playing for the postseason. Plus, there's always the chance that head coach Wade Phillips wakes up from his coma, and that would make for wonderful Thanksgiving Day present.
Arizona (7-4) vs. Philadelphia (5-5-1), 8:15 PM EST
When the schedules came out last spring, this game looked like an Eagles blowout. Three months into the season, the Cardinals are not only a playoff team (they'll be officially crowned NFC West champs any day now), but a legitimate threat to win a few games once they get there. The Eagles, on the other hand, are imploding. Fans would happily welcome an end to the Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb era, which seems less reactionary in light of the recent tie against the one-win Bengals and last week's whipping courtesy of the Ravens. Mathematically, Philadelphia can still make the postseason, but there's a better chance McNabb is still with the team when the '09 season rolls around. And that's not good.
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Why you should watch: McNabb could get benched, which would effectively end the Eagles' season and his Philly career. The ageless Kurt Warner (MVP candidate!) will face a blitz-happy Eagles defense and there should be opportunities for big plays on both sides of the ball. It'll be the best game of the day.
