Betting On NFL Thanksgiving Games

+34 points – Dallas Cowboys (-10) vs. Seattle Seahawks – November 27, 1980

#1

Final Score: Cowboys 51, Seahawks 7The Cowboys were one of the best teams in football in 1980, and they proved it with a breezy beatdown of the Seattle Seahawks, who were in just their fifth season since joining the league as an expansion team in 1976. Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett led the Cowboy offense with 151 yards and two touchdowns from scrimmage, while the Seahawks offense turned the ball over seven times. The score was 30-0 at halftime and 51-0 before Seattle finally managed a garbage time touchdown against backups.

+29 points – Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions (-2) – November 27, 2015

#2

Final Score: Lions 45, Eagles 14Both the Lions and Eagles were pretty bad in 2015, but the Lions at least had a handful of transcendently talented players in quarterback Matt Stafford and receiver Calvin Johnson. The Eagles, in Chip Kelly’s second year as head coach, had a good but not great offense, but one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Stafford shredded that defense to the tune of 337 yards and five touchdowns, three of them to Johnson. The score was 38-7 by the end of the third quarter before the second string took the field.

27 points – Detroit Lions (-8) vs. Chicago Bears – November 27, 1997

#3

Final Score: Lions 55, Bears 20The 1997 Chicago Bears finished the season in the bottom three in both points scored and points allowed with a roster whose biggest stars were guys like Erik Kramer and Ricky Proehl. They graded out as the second worst team in the NFL behind only the San Diego Chargers. In Detroit on Thanksgiving, that lowly Bears team ran into a buzz saw named Barry Sanders, who slashed his way for 167 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 19 carries. As usual, all three of his touchdowns were highlight reel worthy.

+26 points – Tennessee Titans (-11) at Detroit Lions – November 27, 2008

#4

Final Score: Titans 47, Lions 10Detroit was on its way to the NFL’s first full winless season since the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers expansion team. Their Thanksgiving Day matchup pit them against a 10-1 Titans team that would finish the season atop the AFC standings. As you might expect, disaster ensued. Titans’ running backs Chris Johnson and LenDale White were the NFL’s top thunder and lightning duo in 2008, and they combined for 231 yards and four touchdowns against the Lions. The score could have been worse if not for a barrage of stalled drives leading to field goals in the second half.

+25 points – Philadelphia Eagles (-3) vs. Arizona Cardinals – November 27, 2008

#5

Final Score: Eagles 48, Cardinals 20In one of his signature performances, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb torched the Cardinals defense for 284 total yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Eagles running back Brian Westbrook scored three touchdowns in the game’s first 22 minutes. The Cardinals, led by future Hall of Famers Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald, attempted to mount a late comeback that fizzled out after an Anquan Boldin fumble early in the fourth quarter. The two teams would meet again in the NFC Championship that year—a Cardinals victory that sent them to the Super Bowl.

+44.5 points – Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Detroit Lions (+2) – November 24, 1983

#1

Final Score: Lions 45, Steelers 3The Steelers entered the game at 9-3 and looking like a possible championship contender. Instead, the Lions handed them their worst loss in 36 years. Steelers quarterback Cliff Stoudt threw four interceptions and the Pittsburgh offense was held to just 3.8 yards per play. Detroit got contributions all over the field, with two touchdowns from quarterback Eric Hipple, two from running back Billy Sims, and an electrifying 81-yard punt return score from reserve receiver Robbie Martin.

+26.5 points – Philadelphia Eagles (+3.5) vs. Dallas Cowboys – November 27, 2014

#2

Final Score: Eagles 33, Cowboys 10Both teams entered with identical 8-3 records, but Dallas was quarterbacked by Tony Romo while the Eagles were quarterbacked by Mark Sanchez. Many anticipated a blowout. Instead, the Eagles novel offense installed by Chip Kelly ran roughshod over the Cowboys defense to the tune of 256 rushing yards. Romo, for his part, threw two crucial interceptions and couldn’t threaten the Eagles secondary enough to create running room for DeMarco Murray. This wasn’t the worst blowout ever, but it was bitterly disappointing for Cowboys fans.

++26 points – Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions (+6) – November 22, 1979

#3

Final Score: Lions 20, Bears 0The Lions entered Thanksgiving Day 1979 with an abysmal 1-11 record, but that didn’t stop them from manhandling the Chicago Bears in front of their home crowd. Lions defensive end Al Baker was credited with four sacks on Bears quarterbacks Mike Phipps and Bob Avellini. Bears kicker Bob Thomas missed his one field goal attempt and the Bears were either forced to punt or turned the ball over on each of their other 10 drives.

+24.5 points – Denver Broncos (+4.5) vs. New York Giants– November 26, 2009

#4

Final Score: Broncos 26, Giants 6The game is perhaps best remembered for the NFL Network forgetting to turn their microphones off during an… impassioned sideline rant from Broncos coach Josh McDaniels. The game itself was rather dull. Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton led six Broncos scoring drives—two touchdowns and four field goals. The Broncos defense, led by defensive end Elvis Dumervil and Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins, harassed Eli Manning and the Giants offense all game, collecting three sacks and forcing three turnovers.

+24 points – Seattle Seahawks (+7) vs. Dallas Cowboys – November 27, 1986

#5

Final Score: Seahawks 31, Cowboys 14The Seahawks were still a fledgling franchise in 1986. The Cowboys were far from a juggernaut, but it was expected that one of the NFL’s biggest franchises would easily dispatch the Seattle upstart team in primetime. Early on, it appeared the game was headed that direction, as Heisman winners Tony Dorsett and Herschel Walker piled up impressive first quarter yardage totals. Then the Seahawks scored in response. Then they scored again. And again. And again. In total, the Hawks outgained Dallas by 1.5 yards per play and cruised to a shockingly easy win.

10 points – Miami Dolphins (+10) at Dallas Cowboys – November 25, 1993

#1

Final Score: Dolphins 16, Cowboys 14The Cowboys were en route to their second consecutive Super Bowl victory in 1993, but the Miami Dolphins managed to beat them on their home field in a game widely remembered as one of the greatest Thanksgiving Day games ever. With four minutes left facing a 14-13 deficit, Dolphins quarterback Steve DeBerg led a 90-yard drive through several inches of snow. After reaching the goal line, the Dolphins got a delay of game penalty while trying frantically to clear snow for the game-winning field goal attempt. Ultimately though, Pete Stoyanovich’s attempt was good and Miami pulled off the upset. It was as shocking to those betting On NFL Thanksgiving games as it was to the general NFL fan.

8.5 points – Chicago Bears (+8.5) at Green Bay Packers – November 26, 2015

#2

Final Score: Bears 17, Packers 13In soggy, sub-40 degree weather, the 4-6 Chicago Bears spoiled Brett Favre’s retirement ceremony at Lambeau Field with a timely defensive effort. The Bears secondary played extremely well, but cornerback Tracy Porter truly shined with four passes defended and an interception on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The Packers drove down to the Bears 8-yard line on their final drive, only for the defense to force four consecutive Rodgers incompletions.

7 points – Seattle Seahawks (+7) vs. Dallas Cowboys – November 27, 1986

#3

Final Score: Seahawks 31, Cowboys 14As mentioned above, the Cowboys were widely expected to win this game despite the fact that both squads were similar in terms of talent and experience. This win did a lot to prove to NFL fans that Seattle’s franchise had a bright future in the league. Pro Football-Reference’s Simple Rating System had the 1986 Seahawks rated as the NFL’s fifth-best team, but this was before the concept of sports analytics was popularized.

7 points – Chicago Bears (+7) at Detroit Lions – November 25, 1993

#4

Final Score: Bears 10, Lions 6In 1993, the Detroit Lions were an engine basically entirely run by the strength of Barry Sanders’s legs. A revolving door at quarterback couldn’t produce a decent performance until the final few games of the season. Despite the one-note offense, the Lions went 6-1 in one-score games. The Thanksgiving Day matchup against Bears was the only loss. Little happened after a 42-yard touchdown pass from Bears quarterback Jim Harbaugh to receiver Terry Obee in the second quarter. The Bears defense tallied two interceptions and five sacks.

7 points – Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions (+7) – November 23, 1989

#5

Final Score: Lions 13, Browns 10Believe it or not, from the time when the Cleveland Browns joined the NFL in the merger with the All-American Football Conference until their abrupt departure in 1994, they were one of the league’s top franchises. The Browns made the playoffs for the fifth consecutive time in 1989. The Browns’ defense was a top-five unit in the NFL and featured four Pro Bowlers. Despite all that talent, they couldn’t overcome 10 penalties and a crucial Bernie Kosar interception to beat the Lions on Thanksgiving.

87 points (No O/U) – Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions– November 22, 1951

#1

Final Score: Lions 52, Packers 35The score is even more remarkable given the point-scoring environment of the NFL in the 1950s. Teams scored about 20 points per game on average and it was rare for teams to get more than nine or 10 possessions in a game. This wild game featured eight touchdowns of 30 yards or longer, including an 85-yard touchdown run by the Lions’ Bob Hoerschemeyer and two punt return touchdowns (71 and 89 yards) from Lions safety and Hall of Famer Jack Christiansen. The Packers got plenty of scoring of their own, driven largely by the arm of quarterback Tobin Rote. They were in the midst of a late-game comeback when Christiansen returned his first punt for a touchdown, which killed all momentum.

84 points (O/U 40) – Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions– November 27, 1986

#2

Final Score: Packers 44, Lions 40Few fans showed up to this game between far below-average teams, but those who did show up received a show. The two teams traded scores throughout the first half and the Packers took a 23-20 lead into halftime. Then the Lions raced out to a 37-23 lead with three consecutive scoring drives led by quarterback Joe Ferguson. Then the Packers roared back, finishing the game on a 21-3 run and sealing the win with an 83-yard punt return by receiver Walter Stanley with just 41 seconds to play. This game is too often forgotten because of the teams involved, but it’s truly an underrated gem.

82 points (O/U 46) – Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions– November 23, 1995

#3

Final Score: Lions 44, Vikings 38The Lions totaled 534 yards of offense and had three different receivers (Herman Moore, Brett Perriman and Johnnie Morton) with at least 100 receiving yards. Vikings receiver Jake Reed added 149 receiving yards of his own and the two teams combined to score 10 total touchdowns. Vikings receiver David Palmer electrified viewers with a 74-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second quarter, but the Lions offense simply overwhelmed Minnesota’s defense throughout the game.

82 points (O/U 46.5) – Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys– November 26, 1998

#4

Final Score: Vikings 46, Cowboys 36The Cowboys nearly doubled the Vikings in time of possession, totaled 32 first downs, and had no turnovers or sacks for the entire game. They also outgained the Vikings and performed better on third downs. Statistically, they should have won this game going away. But no statistic exists that can adequately capture Randy Moss’s impact on a football game. Moss only caught three passes, but all three went for 50+ yard touchdowns. Both Vikings quarterback Randall Cunningham and Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman had.

82 points (O/U 44) – Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys – November 26, 1987

#5

Final Score: Vikings 44, Cowboys 38After three-quarters of intense back-and-forth football, the Vikings seemed to take a commanding lead when a Rick Fenney rushing touchdown put them up 14 with eight minutes to play. Instead, Troy Aikman led two all-time great scoring drives to tie the game with just under two minutes left, throwing touchdown passing touchdowns to receiver Mike Renfro (who nearly came to blows with Vikings All-Pro safety Joey Browner on both plays). In overtime, the Vikings picked off an errant Aikman pass and scored the winning touchdown on a 14 yard rush from tailback Darrin Nelson.

1. 0 points (NO O/U) T-Five Games

#1

In the earliest days of the NFL, scoreless draws were unfortunately fairly common as a number of rules made consistently moving the ball difficult. There were no hash marks, so eventually most plays would be run directly from the sideline. Consecutive incompletions resulted in a turnover. The ball was oblong and unwieldy. In other words, the scoring environment was less than ideal. There were five scoreless games in total, all played prior to 1930. Only two such games featured two current NFL franchises, both between the Bears and the Cardinals.

2 points (NO O/U) – Green Bay Packers at Frankford Yellowjackets– November 29, 1928

#2

Score: Yellowjackets 2, Packers 0All reports of this game, including that of Frankford’s owner, claim that the Packers badly outplayed the Yellowjackets. The Green Bay Press-Gazette claimed the Packers played “rip snorting good football”. Frankford got consecutive first downs only twice the entire game and never crossed Green Bay’s 30-yard line. The Packers reached the red zone six times but went scoreless in all their trips. The only points of the game came on a Green Bay punt in the end zone. The snap flew over the punter’s head.

2 points (NO O/U) – Buffalo All-Americans at Akron Pros – November 29, 1923

#3

Score: Pros 2, All-Americans 0After back-to-back games were canceled, the Akron Pros managed their only win of the season in a home game against the Buffalo All-Americans. Only 1,700 fans showed up to watch the game. Both franchises folded before 1930 because of financial difficulties. There are no remaining accounts of the game, so we can only assume that the game’s only points came on the greatest safety in the history of the NFL.

3 points (NO O/U) – Chicago Cardinals at Chicago Bears – November 24, 1927

#4

Score: Cardinals 3, Bears 0Before moving to St. Louis and eventually Arizona, the Chicago Cardinals were the perennial little brother franchise to George Halas’s Bears. They frequently finished near the bottom of NFL standings and several times discussed disbanding, relocating, or merging with another team. Occasionally, however, they would get the best of their crosstown rivals. In front of a small crowd of 6,000 at Wrigley Field, Evar Swanson scored the game’s only points on a field goal and the defense held on for a Cardinals win.

3 points (No O/U) – Chicago Cardinals at Chicago Bears – November 29, 1923

#5

Score: Bears 3, Cardinals 0Yes, the Bears also won their own 3-0 clunker in this classic NFL rivalry. For once, both teams were in championship contention for this Thanksgiving showdown, sporting identical 7-2 records. The Bears’ Dutch Sternaman hit a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter to create a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Bears would finish the season 9-2 and second in the NFL behind only the undefeated Canton Bulldogs.

Bonus – 16 points (O/U 36) – Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions – November 25, 1993

#6

Final Score: Lions 10, Bears 6The lowest-scoring game in the era of publicly available betting information. Specifics about this game are covered above in the “biggest upsets” section.