Thursday open thread: Who would you like to see the Lions host on Thanksgiving?

With the 2022 NFL Schedule being released on Thursday, most Detroit Lions fans will have their eyes set on two things: the number of prime time appearances and the annual Thanksgiving Day game. While the team is not expected to compete for the playoffs, and therefore the competitive nature of the schedule order is not a huge factor, the finalization of the order of the games is always fun.

There are always leaks and rumors regarding who opponents will be, but until the official tweets — and creative release videos — are published, any possibility is plausible. Very rarely do the Lions take the national stage, but every year attention turns to Detroit to kick off Thanksgiving, so who they play certainly makes a difference.

Today’s Question of the Day is:

Who would you like to see the Lions host on Thanksgiving?

My answer: Eight of the past 11 years have seen an NFC North opponent visit for Thanksgiving, which feels extremely boring. Four of those have been the Bears alone, including three of the past four seasons. Not only is this matchup not very star-studded, but there is no reason to repeat the same opponent so frequently.

Playing on Thanksgiving is a privilege, and that should be shared with teams who do not come to Detroit often. An AFC competitor like the Bills would make a ton of sense, but even a game against Miami or Seattle would offer some much needed variety. The Eagles, Commanders, and Jaguars would be a little less exciting, but anything beats yet another divisional affair.

Your turn.