Grading The NFL Thanksgiving Schedule This Year is Tricky

The NFL on Thanksgiving is as good a tradition as we have in this country. It can't be easy to schedule, it's different so that makes it inconvenient for the teams who have to play it. You also know you HAVE to have the Lions & Cowboys because that is part of the tradition for many years.

Here is the schedule this year:

• 12:30 - Bears at Lions
• 4:30 - Redskins at Cowboys
• 8:20 - Falcons at Saints

Rivalries, CHECK! They got em'. That is fantastic, it SHOULD be a day of rivalries but the quality of football here is suspect.

GAME 1 - 

Bears - They are good, they are 7-3 and atop the NFC North. Good start.

Lions - They have to play no matter what, because of tradition, they are 4-6, just plain bad.

This means game 1 will likely be one sided..lame quality.

GAME 2 - 

Redskins - The skins have been surprisingly good this year. They are 6-4 and in first place in the NFC East. However, they just lost Alex Smith to a gruesome, season ending injury. Colt McCoy will get the start, there is a name you have not heard in awhile. They also just signed Marc Sanchez as his backup. It's like an episode of "Where are they now."

Cowboys - They have been a HUGE disappointment this year. This team has great line play on both sides of the ball, an elite running back and they still can't win.

All things considered, this game will likely be sloppy and loaded with awful execution.

GAME 3 - 

Falcons - Every year there are NFL pundits who tell you to watch out for the Falcons and every year they somehow fall short. They are just plain bad this year. They are 4-6 on the year.

Saints - They are 9-1, they are first in the NFC South and arguably the best team in football.

This will be a one sided affair, thus, major suckage. 

Although I just blasted the quality of the games, I will still give the schedule a B letter grade. Thanksgiving is all about tradition and these are traditional rivalries we all love. They also get a full letter grade bump from me for not having the Titans, Texans or Ravens anywhere on the schedule. I hate those teams. I hate expansion teams, relocated teams, etc. Can't stand em', won't watch em.' Happy Thanksgiving y'all.