Vikings Top Lions to Extend NFC North Lead
The Minnesota Vikings had one more thing left to prove on their quest to winning the NFC North, and that's that they can beat the Detroit Lions. After dropping a game at home to Detroit on October 1st, the Vikings had the second-place Lions as their only threat in the division. They may have ended that talk for good on Thanksgiving with a 30-23 win at Ford Field. Case Keenum threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns to lead the early charge from Minnesota, who have now won seven in a row to improve their lead in the division to three games. Keenum also found the end zone on the ground, as did Latavius Murray, while Kyle Rudolph caught both touchdown passes, helping the Vikings out to a 20-3 lead. The Lions shot themselves in the foot in their comeback attempt with penalties and turnovers, as they fell to 6-5, snapping their three-game win streak. Matthew Stafford threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, but did throw an interception and lost a fumble, as the Lions also fell to 2-4 on their home field. Keenum also led his Vikings to a 4-1 record on the road, all of this after going 9-15 in his career with the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams. He seems to be the Vikings' option over Teddy Bridgewater, and will be as they head to Atlanta next week to battle the Falcons. The Lions will be in Baltimore to go against the Ravens, as their Wild Card hopes remain alive in the NFC.
Rivers, Chargers Hand Cowboys Third Straight Loss
The Dallas Cowboys are looking lost without Ezekiel Elliott running the ball for their offense and their Thanksgiving Day loss proved that on Thursday. Phillip Rivers threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns, as the Los Angeles Chargers handed the Cowboys their third straight loss, 28-6 at AT&T Stadium. Rivers did not turn the ball over and finished 27-of-33 in the first Thanksgiving Day game of his 14-year career. The Chargers also got it done on the defensive side, as Desmond King returned an interception 90 yards for a score, as Dak Prescott threw two of those in the Dallas loss. The Cowboys have lost all three game of this skid by at least 20 points, which is the first time they've faced a streak like this since 2004. It was their 50th Thanksgiving Day game in franchise history, which featured them snapping a 10-quarter touchdown drought in the fourth quarter on a Rod Smith two-yard score. The Chargers have overcome their 0-4 start to pull within a game and a half of the AFC West Division leading Kansas City Chiefs, who started 5-0. They will look to stay hot at home against the winless Cleveland Browns next week. The Cowboys will take their 5-6 record to another Thursday night game against the Washington Redskins, who beat the New York Giants Thursday night to tie the Cowboys in the NFC East..
Ole Miss Upset Mississippi State in Egg Bowl
On a day normally dedicated to NFL football, Thanksgiving also featured a relevant college football matchup in the evening. It even featured an upset, as Ole Miss took the Egg Bowl from 16th-ranked Mississippi State 31-28. Jordan Ta'aamu threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, while Jordan Wilkins ran for two more scores in what was a blowout for most of the night. It took a 22-point fourth quarter from the Bulldogs to make the final score as close as it was, which saw their comeback fall short. Wilkins finished with 110 yards on the ground, while A..J. Brown had 167 receiving yards, including one of Ta'amu's touchdowns. The Rebels' lead was just four at the half, but they broke the game open with 14 points in the third, and another touchdown early in the fourth. With the win, they improve their record to 6-5, as they also recorded their fourth win in the past six rivalry matchups. Brown's touchdown catch of 77 yards played a big part of that, as did the 63-yard score to D.K. Metcalf. The Bulldogs did come into the game as a 14-point favorite, but lost starting quarterback Nick Fitzgerald early on. Fitzgerald was carted off with an apparent right leg injury in the first quarter and did not return. And with that taking place, it was a tough holiday and a tough way to end the Bulldogs' regular season for more than one reason.
The Minnesota Vikings had one more thing left to prove on their quest to winning the NFC North, and that's that they can beat the Detroit Lions. After dropping a game at home to Detroit on October 1st, the Vikings had the second-place Lions as their only threat in the division. They may have ended that talk for good on Thanksgiving with a 30-23 win at Ford Field. Case Keenum threw for 282 yards and two touchdowns to lead the early charge from Minnesota, who have now won seven in a row to improve their lead in the division to three games. Keenum also found the end zone on the ground, as did Latavius Murray, while Kyle Rudolph caught both touchdown passes, helping the Vikings out to a 20-3 lead. The Lions shot themselves in the foot in their comeback attempt with penalties and turnovers, as they fell to 6-5, snapping their three-game win streak. Matthew Stafford threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, but did throw an interception and lost a fumble, as the Lions also fell to 2-4 on their home field. Keenum also led his Vikings to a 4-1 record on the road, all of this after going 9-15 in his career with the Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams. He seems to be the Vikings' option over Teddy Bridgewater, and will be as they head to Atlanta next week to battle the Falcons. The Lions will be in Baltimore to go against the Ravens, as their Wild Card hopes remain alive in the NFC.
Rivers, Chargers Hand Cowboys Third Straight Loss
The Dallas Cowboys are looking lost without Ezekiel Elliott running the ball for their offense and their Thanksgiving Day loss proved that on Thursday. Phillip Rivers threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns, as the Los Angeles Chargers handed the Cowboys their third straight loss, 28-6 at AT&T Stadium. Rivers did not turn the ball over and finished 27-of-33 in the first Thanksgiving Day game of his 14-year career. The Chargers also got it done on the defensive side, as Desmond King returned an interception 90 yards for a score, as Dak Prescott threw two of those in the Dallas loss. The Cowboys have lost all three game of this skid by at least 20 points, which is the first time they've faced a streak like this since 2004. It was their 50th Thanksgiving Day game in franchise history, which featured them snapping a 10-quarter touchdown drought in the fourth quarter on a Rod Smith two-yard score. The Chargers have overcome their 0-4 start to pull within a game and a half of the AFC West Division leading Kansas City Chiefs, who started 5-0. They will look to stay hot at home against the winless Cleveland Browns next week. The Cowboys will take their 5-6 record to another Thursday night game against the Washington Redskins, who beat the New York Giants Thursday night to tie the Cowboys in the NFC East..
Ole Miss Upset Mississippi State in Egg Bowl
On a day normally dedicated to NFL football, Thanksgiving also featured a relevant college football matchup in the evening. It even featured an upset, as Ole Miss took the Egg Bowl from 16th-ranked Mississippi State 31-28. Jordan Ta'aamu threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, while Jordan Wilkins ran for two more scores in what was a blowout for most of the night. It took a 22-point fourth quarter from the Bulldogs to make the final score as close as it was, which saw their comeback fall short. Wilkins finished with 110 yards on the ground, while A..J. Brown had 167 receiving yards, including one of Ta'amu's touchdowns. The Rebels' lead was just four at the half, but they broke the game open with 14 points in the third, and another touchdown early in the fourth. With the win, they improve their record to 6-5, as they also recorded their fourth win in the past six rivalry matchups. Brown's touchdown catch of 77 yards played a big part of that, as did the 63-yard score to D.K. Metcalf. The Bulldogs did come into the game as a 14-point favorite, but lost starting quarterback Nick Fitzgerald early on. Fitzgerald was carted off with an apparent right leg injury in the first quarter and did not return. And with that taking place, it was a tough holiday and a tough way to end the Bulldogs' regular season for more than one reason.
