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Thanksgiving is here, which means a full slate of holiday NFL football is upon us. The Houston Texans travel to Detroit to face the Lions, then the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Football Team clash for first place in the NFC East. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens were supposed to close out the day in an AFC North showdown, but that game has been postponed to Sunday due to COVID-19.

There’s nothing better than sitting on the couch with a full stomach, placing your bets, and sweating out some Thanksgiving football with the family. So, we’re here to help you fill out a winning betting card this Turkey Day.

NFL Thanksgiving schedule

The 2020 NFL Thanksgiving slate has been cut down to two matchups starting just after noon on Thursday. The Lions and Cowboys will host the only two games of the day, as is tradition, and the Steelers and Ravens will now be played on Sunday.

Here’s the full schedule for Thanksgiving 2020:

Texans at Lions, 12:30 p.m. ET (CBS)

The Thanksgiving slate kicks off in Detroit as the Texans visit the Lions at 12:30 p.m. ET. Both teams have had underwhelming seasons thus far, but that won’t make the game any less fun to watch. Deshaun Watson and Matt Stafford should make this game a high-scoring shootout in an entertaining start to the day.

Football Team at Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET (Fox)

NFC East football has been tough to watch this year, but there’s nothing like seeing the blue star on your TV in the middle of your Thanksgiving dinner. Although Washington and Dallas are both 3-7, one of these teams will be sitting in first place in the division by the end of the day. 2020 just continues to amaze.

Thanksgiving spreads and totals

Texans vs. Lions

  • Spread: Texans -3
  • Over/Under: 51.5

It’s hard to imagine a 3-7 Texans team being favored on the road this season, but here we are. Deshaun Watson has led Houston to two wins in the last three weeks, while the Lions are in the midst of a downward spiral. Detroit is dealing with a ton of injuries on offense, and the undermanned group didn’t muster a single point last week against a poor Carolina defense. They’ll need a big bounce back on Thursday if they want to keep up with Watson.

Football Team vs. Cowboys

  • Spread: Cowboys -3
  • Over/Under: 46

The afternoon matchup features the lowest total on the Thanksgiving slate, and for a good reason. These two combined for just 28 points in their first meeting a month ago. Over their last five games, the Cowboys are averaging just 14.4 points per game, but Andy Dalton’s return gave the offense a huge boost last week. Can Chase Young and company slow down Dallas’ talented offensive weapons again this week?

Best Bets for NFL Thanksgiving 2020

Lions +3

This one might make you gag when you hit submit, but we’re going to take the Lions in a buy-low spot here. Detroit couldn’t have looked worse last week against the Panthers, which is creating a valuable number for the home team that’s used to playing on Thanksgiving day. D’Andre Swift and Kenny Golladay are unlikely to play, so you might get an even better number if you wait until Thursday morning.

Football Team/Cowboys UNDER 46

There’s no secret what Washington’s game plan will be against the Cowboys on Thursday. As they’ve done all season long, the Football Team wants to run the ball and play solid defense. It’s the only way they can win games with Alex Smith at quarterback, and it’s led to many low-scoring affairs of late. Washington has gone under 46 in five of their last six games, including a 28-point slog against Dallas in late October. Don’t buy what Andy Dalton was selling last week. This one stays under.

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Staff Writer

Jack Dougherty

Writing professionally since 2015, Jack Dougherty spent six years as a sportswriter with publications such as GoPSUSports.com, the Centre Daily Times, and the Associated Press before joining Sportscasting in 2020. He covers the NBA, the NFL, and the world of golf extensively and has added expertise on any team located in or around his hometown of Philadelphia. Yes, that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, the Philadelphia 76ers, and Philadelphia Phillies.

When Jack isn’t writing about sports, he’s watching them or playing them as he regularly heads to the gym for some pickup basketball or the golf course to hit the links. He’s also an avid participant in the sports betting scene who worked at a casino sportsbook for a year and learned the ins and outs of the industry before bringing his expertise to Sportscasting with one excellent gambling recommendation after another.