This Thanksgiving, fans are actually excited about watching the Detroit Lions

Suddenly, the Lions are a team NFL fans outside the Motor City want to see.

The Lions were so bad for so long that some started clamoring for the franchise to lose its traditional place on the holiday.

The Detroit Lions for many years were a team people had to watch on Thanksgiving.

“We’re getting networks asking for the Lions,” commissioner Roger Goodell said. “I think a lot of that goes back to the final game last season when they went into Green Bay. They didn’t necessarily have anything to play for, but they went and beat their division opponent and knocked them out of the playoffs.

“In the kickoff game, they made another statement.”

That was the first game of this season, when Detroit won at Super Bowl champion Kansas City. The NFC North-leading Lions (8-2) will have another opportunity to show the masses what they can do against the Packers (4-6) on Thursday.

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Detroit has opened a year with eight wins in 10 games for the first time since 1962. The run included a Week 4 win at Green Bay.

The Lions closed last season with eight wins in their last 10 games and capped the run by keeping Aaron Rodgers out of the postseason in what turned out to be his last game with Green Bay.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur is hoping his team can stem the tide.

LaFleur, who is from Mount Pleasant, Mich., grew up watching the Lions play on the holiday at his grandmother’s house.

“Everybody’s glued to the TV set,” he said. “It is a great honor. It’s great to be going back to the state I’m from, and hopefully we can spoil their Thanksgiving Day.”

Cowboys’ home streak on line

A third consecutive game as double-digit favorites is a chance for the Cowboys to extend their longest home winning streak since the franchise was in the middle of an NFL-record 20 straight winning seasons four decades ago.

There’s a little something else to keep America’s Team motivated before the opponents get more difficult in the stretch run: the most traditional of Thanksgiving opponents with an 11th visit on the holiday from Washington.

Something about the time of year helps as well.

“I think a lot of people feel like the season’s kind of winding down,” six-time All-Pro right guard Zack Martin said. “It’s like, ‘Nah, we still got the meat of our season left.’ The real football starts at Thanksgiving.”

Dallas (7-3) has won 12 games in a row at AT&T Stadium, the longest streak at home since an 18-game run at old Texas Stadium from 1979-81.

The Cowboys beat the first two double-digit underdogs from the past two weeks handily, giving them six victories of at least 20 points this season, one shy of the franchise record.

The Commanders (4-7) are just a game out of last place in the NFC East with plenty of talk about the future of fourth-year coach Ron Rivera.

“The biggest thing I can control is every day,” Rivera said. “That’s it. After that, the future, I can’t tell you what the future’s going to be.”

Dallas is gearing up for a season-defining stretch after Thanksgiving, with five consecutive opponents that currently have winning records. Washington is by far the most common visitor on the holiday, with Miami next at five.

“It’s a division game,” coach Mike McCarthy said. “There is history, tradition that goes into this game. It’s Thanksgiving. All of those things just bring more energy to the field. That’s what we’re preparing for.”

Giants’ Jones has surgery

Giants quarterback Daniel Jones had surgery for a torn ACL in his right knee. The Giants said Jones had his surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York with team orthopedic surgeon Scott Rodeo performing the procedure. Jones was hurt in a non-contact injury in the first half against the Raiders on Nov. 5. He initially went down on the final play of the first quarter and was examined in the medical tent. He returned for the first play of the second quarter and again went down without contract. An MRI the following day disclosed the injury . . . The Packers placed tight end Luke Musgrave on injured reserve, meaning he must miss at least four games. He wouldn’t be eligible to return until at least Christmas Eve, when the Packers visit Carolina. Musgrave suffered an abdominal injury in last Sunday’s victory over the Chargers. Musgrave, a rookie second-round pick from Oregon State, has 33 catches for 341 yards and a touchdown.