6 Takeaways from Thanksgiving Day NFL Games: Thoughts on Packers, Cowboys, Chiefs and More

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6 Takeaways from Thanksgiving Day NFL Games: Thoughts on Packers, Cowboys, Chiefs and More

6 Takeaways from Thanksgiving Day NFL Games: Thoughts on Packers, Cowboys, Chiefs and More — Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Matt Johnson

Fri, Nov 28, 2025 ·

6 min read

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The Thanksgiving Day NFL games provided three matchups that many fans and analysts were excited to watch on Thursday. What we got were plenty of surprises and a few statement performances from players and teams, with the Packers , Cowboys and Bengals all pulling out victories.

Let's dive into our takeaways from the six Thanksgiving Day NFL games, with one for each team.

Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love is an MVP-caliber QB

NFL Thanksgiving Day Games — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We're not suggesting that Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love should win NFL MVP this season or even finish top-three in voting. However, the 27-year-old quarterback keeps demonstrating that he's emerged as one of the best players in football at his position. Coming into Thanksgiving Day, Love held the fourth-best ESPN QBR (70.0) in the NFL, led all quarterbacks in Adjusted EPA per Play (0.293) and had the third-best Completion Rate over Expectation (5.7).

You'd have to look beyond the numbers in the last three games, in which Love and this Packers offense had to adjust to life without All-Pro caliber tight end Tucker Kraft . It also didn't help matters that Green Bay's receivers had seven drops during that span. On Thanksgiving Day, in a four-touchdown performance with a clutch throw to seal the victory at Ford Field and sweep the Lions, Love looked like an MVP-caliber quarterback with the numbers to back it up.

Detroit Lions : Dan Campbell Wasn't the Fix for Play-Calling Issues

After the Detroit Lions offense put up 546 total yards and 44 points against the Washington Commanders , it was revealed that head coach Dan Campbell had taken over play-calling duties from John Morton. Hope sprang in Detroit that this offense might finally be recapturing some of its form from the Ben Johnson Era. In the last two games, though, the Lions offense had a 32 percent third-down conversion rate, went 0-for-5 on fourth downs, and its 34-point game last week against New York was largely because of Jahmyr Gibbs .

Read More: NFL Coaching Candidates 2026

The issues didn't go away on Thanksgiving Day. Detroit is now 0-for-10 on fourth-down attempts in the last two games. Campbell also seemed far too intent on feeding Jahmyr Gibbs (3.4 ypc on 20 carries) with David Montgomery (4.0 ypc) relegated to a secondary role. We're also not sure how Campbell can justify a 13-play, 67-yard drive that resulted in just 3 points and gave Green Bay the football back with a touchdown lead and only 2:59 remaining. Campbell is still one of the best coaches in the NFL, but play-calling might not be for him, and a new coordinator will be needed in 2026.

Kansas City Chiefs : It's Time for a Fresh Start

This will certainly seem like an overreaction to some. However, a six-loss Kansas City Chiefs team with Andy Reid's conservative decision-making and poor clock management is really starting to cost a team that no longer has the roster to make up for it. It might be time for Reid and Travis Kelce to retire. A six-loss season coming immediately after being embarrassed in the Super Bowl certainly wouldn't be how either future Hall of Famer wants to be remembered. It just might be time for this franchise to turn the page with a new coach and an offense centered around Rashee Rice as the centerpiece of the passing game. If Reid isn't willing to retire, then Kansas City has to run it back with him out of respect for his legendary career.

Dallas Cowboys: This is a Playoff Team

Even after beating the Chiefs on Thanksgiving Day, the Dallas Cowboys only have a 23 percent chance of making the playoffs based on the New York Times playoff simulator. We'll say it right now: Dallas is making the playoffs. They face the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football next week, a difficult matchup certainly. However, the Lions offensive line is banged-up, and Amon-Ra St. Brown won't play in Week 14. Dallas will be able to attack Detroit's secondary with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens . We think the Cowboys pull off the win at Ford Field, improving to 7-5-1. The Cowboys' schedule from there – vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers , at Commanders, and at Giants – will get them into the NFL playoffs.

Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow 's Return Still Feels Like a Bad Risk

Thanksgiving Day NFL Games — Phil Didion/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

We certainly understand why Joe Burrow pushed so hard to play on Thanksgiving Day. He sees a slim shot at making the playoffs as more than enough of a long-term justification to spend the rest of this season battling it out on the field with his teammates. The gamble paid off on Thursday, as he came out of the game healthy and beat the Ravens . Yet, Cincinnati's playoff odds hover under 5 percent walking off the field, and it felt like the Ravens (5 turnovers) gave this game away. The Bengals aren't making the playoffs. So, for as badly as Burrow wants to compete, when does the organization step in and protect him from himself?

Baltimore Ravens: Stick a Fork in This Offense

The Baltimore Ravens can downplay the severity of the toe, knee, and hamstring injuries that Lamar Jackson is dealing with right now. Just watch his last three games, both how little he runs and how much slower and less elusive he looks than usual, and it becomes apparent. Unfortunately for Jackson, he's also playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in football, and his pass-catchers can't seem to hang onto the football, either. Sadly, for fans of watching this two-time NFL MVP, it seems like the Ravens' fight for a playoff spot will mean Jackson is playing through injuries and taking even more body blows for the rest of the season.

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