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For the first time in several years, the Detroit Lions are going to play meaningful football on Thanksgiving. Yes, their playoff odds remain fairly long, despite the team’s current three-game winning streak, but with a favorable schedule ahead, Detroit is officially “in the hunt.”
Before the schedule eases up, they must face the toughest opponent on their schedule this Thursday: the 7-3 Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen and company have Super Bowl aspirations, and halfway through the season, there isn’t any reason to doubt their ability to contest for the Lombardi Trophy in February.
This is a huge opportunity for the Detroit Lions. They’ve proven they can beat divisional rivals. They’ve proven they can win on the road. They’ve proven they can take down a confident team with a gaudy record. But each time they’ve faced a true contender this year—Vikings, Eagles, Cowboys, Dolphins—they’ve come up just short. If they can beat the Bills on a national stage, it would not only boost their playoff odds to a very reasonable number, but it would send a message across the NFL that the Detroit Lions’ recent improvement is for real.
The Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving Day Classic is always a special day for Lions fans, but given that this will be the first time since 2017 with true stakes to the game, Thursday is bound to be a fun, crazy day. Get excited, y’all.
Check out all of our pre and post-game coverage in this story stream.