Honestly, the 2024 Thanksgiving slate was one of those rare moments where the hype actually met the reality, even if the scoreboard didn't always show a blowout. We saw a mix of veteran poise, rookie brilliance, and—let's be real—some of the most baffling clock management in recent NFL history. If you spent the day hopping between the turkey prep and the TV, you might have missed the subtle shifts that made this tripleheader historic.
All three home teams won. That hasn't happened often. In fact, it was only the second time since the NFL moved to the three-game format back in 2006 that the hosts went a perfect 3-0. The Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys, and Green Bay Packers all defended their turf, but none of them had an easy path to the finish line.
The Lions Survive a Clock Management Nightmare
The early game usually sets the tone. For the Detroit Lions, it was about proving they belonged at the top of the NFC. They entered the Thanksgiving football game 2024 against the Chicago Bears with a 10-1 record, looking like a well-oiled machine. For the first thirty minutes, they were. Jared Goff was clinical, Sam LaPorta was finding the end zone, and the "Sonic and Knuckles" duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery was carving through the Bears' defense.
Then things got weird.
Caleb Williams, the Bears' rookie quarterback, decided he wasn't going away quietly. He threw three second-half touchdowns, all while under immense pressure, dragging Chicago back from a 16-0 halftime deficit. With 32 seconds left and the Bears at the Detroit 41-yard line, everyone expected a timeout. A spike. Something. Instead, the clock just... ran. Head coach Matt Eberflus stood on the sideline with a timeout in his pocket while the seconds ticked down to zero.
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The Lions won 23-20. It was their 10th straight victory, matching a franchise record from nearly a century ago. But the post-game talk wasn't about the Lions' dominance; it was about why the Bears refused to stop the clock. It was a bizarre ending to a game that Detroit nearly let slip away.
Why the Cowboys Finally Looked Like Themselves
The afternoon slot in Arlington is basically a religious experience for Cowboys fans, but 2024 had been rough. They hadn't won a home game all season. That changed against the New York Giants.
Cooper Rush wasn't flashy—195 yards and a touchdown—but he was "secure," which is exactly what Dallas needed. The real story was the defense and a breakout performance from Rico Dowdle. Dowdle rushed for 112 yards, breaking a 25-game streak where no Cowboys runner had hit the century mark.
Defensive Dominance
- DeMarvion Overshown: The second-year linebacker was everywhere. He had a pick-six where he basically tipped the ball to himself and a fumble recovery that set up another score.
- Micah Parsons: He racked up 1.5 sacks and was generally a nightmare for Drew Lock. He even took home the inaugural Madden Thanksgiving MVP award.
- The Score: Dallas 27, New York 20.
The Giants kept it close on paper, but the game never felt like it was in doubt. New York's offense struggled with penalties—13 of them for 98 yards. You can't win in the NFL when you're constantly moving backward, especially not on the road on a holiday.
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Lambeau Field and the Frozen Tundra Effect
By the time the night game kicked off, the temperature in Green Bay was plummeting. The Miami Dolphins, coming off a three-game winning streak, looked like a team that wanted to be anywhere else but the "Frozen Tundra."
The Packers jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead. Jordan Love was dealing, throwing two touchdowns to Jayden Reed, who has quickly become one of the most electric young players in the league. Miami tried to make a game of it in the second half, cutting the lead to 27-11 and driving all the way to the one-yard line.
Green Bay’s defense stood tall. They stuffed the run, batted a pass, and sacked Tua Tagovailoa on consecutive plays to force a turnover on downs. That was the game. The Packers won 30-17, improving to 9-3 and keeping the pressure on the Lions in the NFC North.
The Numbers Nobody Expected
We usually think of Thanksgiving games as regional events, but the Thanksgiving football game 2024 ratings were staggering. An average of 34.2 million people watched across the three games. That is the highest average since they started keeping records in 1988.
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The Giants-Cowboys game alone drew 38.8 million viewers. People love to watch the Cowboys, sure, but the level of engagement across all three windows suggests the NFL has truly mastered the holiday schedule. Even with a "backup" quarterback matchup in Dallas, the interest didn't wane.
Lessons from the Turf
If you're looking for takeaways that matter for the rest of the season, look at the trenches. The Lions won because their offensive line created 175 rushing yards. The Packers won because their defensive front forced a goal-line stand in sub-freezing weather.
- Detroit's Resilience: They can win ugly. That's a trait of a Super Bowl contender.
- Dallas' Identity: When they run the ball with Dowdle, the pressure comes off the quarterback.
- Miami's Ceiling: They struggle when the conditions aren't perfect. Tua was efficient (37-of-46), but they lacked the "splash plays" needed to overcome a big deficit.
The 2024 holiday slate reminded us that while the turkey is great, the drama on the field is what keeps us coming back. Whether it's a coach forgetting he has a timeout or a linebacker returning an interception for a score, these games stay with us.
If you are following the playoff race, keep an eye on the Lions and Packers. Their Thanksgiving wins weren't just about the holiday; they were about positioning for January. For the Bears and Giants, the day was a stark reminder of how far they still have to go.
Check the current standings for the NFC North to see how these wins impacted the seeding. Watch the replay of the Bears' final drive if you want a masterclass in what not to do with thirty seconds on the clock. Analyze the defensive snaps of DeMarvion Overshown to see how a single player can disrupt an entire offensive scheme.