Explosive offenses featured this Thanksgiving and Black Friday in the NFL

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – The NFL will showcase its usual trio of games this Thursday, which concludes with an NFL West showdown on NBC4. The league is also rolling out its inaugural Black Friday game. Here’s a look inside to the early Week 12 matchups.

Green Bay Packers (4-6) at Detroit Lions (8-2), 12:30 p.m. Thursday

My how the tables have turned. The writing was on the wall one season ago, when the Lions, winners of eight of their final 10 games, swept the Packers for just the third time since 1991 and eliminated Green Bay from the 2022 playoff race. The pendulum continued to swing in Detroit’s favor this season after a 34-20 Detroit victory in Week 4 that wasn’t even as close as score indicated. The Lions are the new NFC North darlings and are finding new ways to win each week, be it in a defensive grind against Tampa Bay (20-6), a shootout in Los Angeles (41-38) or a late rally against the Bears (31-26).

Jerrod Goff’s steady resurgence has led the Lions’ second-ranked offense (399.6 yards per game) into becoming the sixth highest scoring team in the league (27.2 points per game), ahead of juggernauts such as the Bills and Chiefs, and the running duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs has amassed 13 of the team’s 16 rushing touchdowns. The credit should also be shared with the Detroit offensive line, which has helped produce 4.6 yards per rush and allowed just 18 sacks this season, both top-five performances in the league.

Green Bay, meanwhile, is trying to find its footing after a dismal 2-5 start to the season. Wins in two of the last three weeks have put the Packers on the outside of the playoff bubble, but near the playoff bubble, nevertheless. It doesn’t get any easier for Green Bay, which scored over 20 points for just the second time this season in last week’s 23-20 win over the Chargers. Kansas City comes to Lambeau Field the following Sunday.

Washington Commanders (4-7) at Dallas Cowboys (7-3), 4:30 p.m. Thursday

This nearly two-thirds of a century long rivalry has spanned over the course of 136 games, with the Cowboys maintaining a healthy 76-48-2 advantage since 1960. If you’re a Washington fan that looks bad, but not as bad as the record of the current Washington football team, which includes losses to the Giants twice, with quarterbacks Tyrod Taylor and Tommy Divito under center, the Bears, who were winless at the time, and a 37-3 drubbing to the Bills. QB Sam Howell does lead the league in passing yards (3,038) and ranks seventh with 18 touchdown passes, but he’s also tied with the most interceptions (12) this season.

Dallas boasts one of the best offenses in the league – second in points per game (30.2), fifth in total yards (372.3) and owns a +6-turnover ratio – thanks in part to Dak Prescott, who is having one of his better seasons in his career (19 TDs, 6 INTs, 104.0 rating). But Dallas has been snake-bitten a few times this year, so it’s not inconceivable to see this one go down to the wire.

The Commanders have scrapped together a few close losses to superior teams (Philadelphia twice and Seattle), but by and large its defense has trouble sustaining a 60-minute effort, especially having to overcome so many turnovers. The team ranks last in the league with a -8-turnover ratio.

San Francisco 49ers (7-3) at Seattle Seahawks (6-4), 8:20 p.m. Thursday (NBC4)

NBC4 will carry the nightcap in an NFC West showdown for first place in the division, the first of two meetings between the teams over a three-week span. While only one win separates these two squads, that’s where the near similarities end on the stat sheet. San Francisco has outscored its opponents by 122 points, with all victories having a double-digit margin of victory except one (a seven-point win). Seattle has been outscored by two points.

Both teams are dealing with injuries: Seattle QB Geno Smith sustained a bruised elbow on his throwing arm and RB Kenneth Walker III left the game with an oblique injury, but coach Pete Carroll expects them both to be able to play tonight. Their health, and the play of receiver duo DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, will be paramount in taking advantage of a major blow the 49ers secondary took in Week 11. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is out for the season with a torn ACL and the team will forge on with rookie replacement Ji’Ayir Brown, who had an interception in last week’s win over Tampa Bay.

The Niners defense, which has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in a franchise record 37 consecutive games, also an NFL record, has not allowed their opponents to score more than 16 points in any one of their victories this season. Offensively the 49ers have Offensive Player of the Year candidate Christian McCaffery, who leads the league with 14 touchdowns and TE George Kittle, who has 13 receptions, 274 yards and four touchdowns in his last two games in Seattle.

Miami Dolphins (7-3) at N.Y. Jets (4-6), 3 p.m. Friday

If you couldn’t possibly stuff another turkey leg down during the second round of Thursday night leftovers, not to worry, there’s always a late lunch, or early dinner, or linner for bonus football!

The Miami Dolphins alone might be enough to entertain you on Black Friday. The most explosive offense in the league has a chance to maintain or build upon its AFC East lead, with a game against the anemic Jets. Miami, which has scored 39 touchdowns this season, starts a four-game run against teams with a combined 15-27 record.

Miami’s offense dwarfs the rest of the league, averaging 434 yards per game, and has three players (Tua Tagovailoa, Raheem Mostert and Tyreek Hill) ranked third, second and first in passing, rushing, and receiving, respectively.

The Jets are starting Tim Boyle at quarterback. Boyle has three career starts, all with the Lions in 2021, when he went 0-3 with three TD passes and six interceptions. Sunday against the Bills in relief Boyle completed seven of 14 passes for 33 yards with an interception.

Happy Thanksgiving!