If you’re anything like me, your memory of Thanksgiving is usually a hazy blur of turkey-induced lethargy and that one uncle who thinks he could coach the local high school team to a state title. But the thanksgiving football games 2023 were actually kind of wild. We didn't just get the usual divisional slogs; we got a record-breaking defensive performance, a rookie quarterback officially "arriving," and enough points to make your head spin.
Honestly, 2023 felt different. Usually, the Lions game is just background noise while people argue about whether the stuffing is too dry. This time? The stakes felt real. The atmosphere was electric. And the numbers? They were astronomical.
The Packers-Lions Shocker: Jordan Love’s Coming Out Party
Everyone expected the Detroit Lions to steamroll the Green Bay Packers. Detroit was 8-2. They were the "it" team. Green Bay was, well, struggling to find their identity in the post-Rodgers era. But football is weird.
Jordan Love decided that Thanksgiving morning was the perfect time to show the world he wasn't just a placeholder. On the very first play from scrimmage, he launched a 53-yard bomb to Christian Watson. Talk about setting a tone. The Packers jumped out to a 23-6 lead before most people had even put their rolls in the oven.
Jared Goff, on the other hand, had a rough day at the office. Three fumbles. It’s hard to win when you’re handing the ball over like it’s a side dish. Rashan Gary was a one-man wrecking crew for the Packers, logging three sacks and forcing two of those fumbles. By the time the clock hit zero, Green Bay walked away with a 29-22 win that shifted the entire narrative of their season.
📖 Related: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
Why the Commanders vs. Cowboys Game Still Matters
The afternoon slot featured the Washington Commanders and the Dallas Cowboys. On paper, it looked like a mismatch. In reality? It was a massacre, but a historically significant one. Dallas ended up winning 45-10, but the score doesn't tell the whole story of how close it felt for three quarters.
The real headline wasn't just Dak Prescott throwing four touchdowns (though he was surgical). It was DaRon Bland.
Most people don't realize they were watching history in real-time. When Bland jumped a route in the fourth quarter and took it to the house, he set the NFL single-season record for interception returns for touchdowns. His fifth of the year. The stadium erupted. Even the Commanders fans had to respect the hustle. It was one of those "I was there" moments for the 93,000 people packed into AT&T Stadium.
The Nightcap: 49ers Assert Dominance in Seattle
By the time the evening game rolled around, most of us were in a full-blown food coma. But the San Francisco 49ers weren't sleeping. They headed into Lumen Field and basically bullied the Seattle Seahawks for 60 minutes.
👉 See also: Why Your 1 Arm Pull Up Progression Isn't Working (And How to Fix It)
- Christian McCaffrey was doing McCaffrey things: 114 rushing yards and two scores.
- Deebo Samuel added a rushing touchdown of his own because he’s a human cheat code.
- The Defense sacked Geno Smith six times. Six.
The final score was 31-13. It wasn't particularly close, but it solidified the Niners as the undisputed kings of the NFC West at that point in the season. It also gave us the iconic image of the Niners players eating turkey legs on the Seahawks' logo at midfield—a move that was as disrespectful as it was delicious.
The Numbers Nobody Talks About
We talk about the scores, but the viewership for the thanksgiving football games 2023 was actually insane. According to Nielsen data, the three-game slate averaged 34.1 million viewers. That was a record at the time.
The Cowboys-Commanders game alone peaked at over 41 million people. That is more than the population of Canada. Think about that for a second. More people were watching Dak Prescott eat turkey on the sidelines than there are people living in our northern neighbor's entire country.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Games
A common misconception is that these games are just "exhibitions" because of the short week. They aren't. Players hate the short week because their bodies haven't recovered from Sunday, but the intensity is actually higher.
✨ Don't miss: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
Take the Lions, for example. Losing on Thanksgiving is a tradition in Detroit, sure, but the 2023 loss actually exposed some defensive cracks that haunted them into the playoffs. It wasn't just a "bad day"; it was a blueprint for how to beat their secondary. Experts like Brian Baldinger pointed out that the Packers used the Lions' aggressiveness against them, a tactic other teams copied later in the year.
Actionable Insights for the Next Season
If you're looking back at 2023 to prepare for your 2024 or 2025 bets or fantasy drafts, here’s what you should take away:
- Trust the "Hot" Hand, Not the Record: The Packers were the "worse" team but had momentum. In short-week games, momentum beats talent almost every time.
- Home Field is a Myth on Turkey Day: Detroit lost at home. Seattle lost at home. Only Dallas defended their turf. Don't overvalue the home crowd when everyone is distracted by holiday travel and family.
- Prop Bets on Defensive Backs: With tired offensive lines, quarterbacks make more mistakes. DaRon Bland proved that aggressive cornerbacks can feast on Thanksgiving.
The thanksgiving football games 2023 proved that the NFL's holiday tradition is only getting bigger. Whether it's record-setting viewership or individual historical milestones, these games have become the definitive measuring stick for who is a pretender and who is a contender as the calendar flips to December.
To fully understand how these games impacted the final standings, you should go back and watch the "All-22" film of the Packers' offensive line. Their performance against the Lions' front four was a masterclass in technical pass protection under pressure. You can also dive into the Next Gen Stats from the Cowboys game to see exactly how fast DaRon Bland was moving on that record-breaking pick-six—it's faster than you'd think for a guy in the fourth quarter.