Thanksgiving Day Games
 

I wonder what everyone would think if the Conference champs from the previous year each got the home game on Thanksgiving?
So this year (if schedules were the same) Giants/Skins would be the NFC Thanksgiving game and Pats/Steelers would be the other, and then the 3rd game would be random as it is now.
I am not sure this would not lead to games like yesterday, 3 blowouts, but I think it would give a lot more fans reason to enjoy Thanksgiving. Plus I am sure many Giants/Pats fans could look back and be thankful for their teams play.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;504675]I wonder what everyone would think if the Conference champs from the previous year each got the home game on Thanksgiving?
So this year (if schedules were the same) Giants/Skins would be the NFC Thanksgiving game and Pats/Steelers would be the other, and then the 3rd game would be random as it is now.
I am not sure this would not lead to games like yesterday, 3 blowouts, but I think it would give a lot more fans reason to enjoy Thanksgiving. Plus I am sure many Giants/Pats fans could look back and be thankful for their teams play.[/quote]

I dont think you can take the traditional games from Detroit and Dallas. I think the NFL may want to do a better job at looking at the matchups for those games. But I guess when they made those schedules Tennesee probably wasn't seen as a one loss team and the Seahawks weren't viewed as a 9 loss team. As bad as those games were, its thanksgiving and people are just hanging out drinking beer!! and football is in the background. that is unless your from Detroit or Dallas.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;504675]I wonder what everyone would think if the Conference champs from the previous year each got the home game on Thanksgiving?
So this year (if schedules were the same) Giants/Skins would be the NFC Thanksgiving game and Pats/Steelers would be the other, and then the 3rd game would be random as it is now.
I am not sure this would not lead to games like yesterday, 3 blowouts, but I think it would give a lot more fans reason to enjoy Thanksgiving. Plus I am sure many Giants/Pats fans could look back and be thankful for their teams play.[/quote]

All I know is the networks lost millions because of those worthless games. A lot of he major sponsors were pulling out weeks ago.
Neither games were even worth watching come half time! You would think w/ the flex scheduling, even though the Lions play every Thanksgiving... they still could of pulled the plug on them this year and added a game that would have been fun to watch. Very disappointing IMO.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

Found this on PFT, and I pretty much agree:

[B][URL="http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/11/28/the-hidden-benefit-of-bad-thanksgiving-football/"][COLOR=#0000ff]THE HIDDEN BENEFIT OF BAD THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL[/COLOR][/URL][/B]

Posted by Mike Florio on November 28, 2008, 9:46 a.m.

A commenter raised a great point this morning regarding the crappy trio of football games to which we were subjected on Thanksgiving.
With a captive national audience, why waste “good” games on Thanksgiving?

It’s an intriguing point. With Giants-Redskins, Steelers-Patriots, and Bears-Vikings on the schedule for Week Thirteen, there’s no reason to play them on Thanksgiving when they can be used on Sunday afternoon and evening to pry eyeballs away from better television alternatives.
That said, we doubt that the league intentionally targets so-so games for Thanksgiving. Part of the problem, as we’ve recently explained, is that apparently compelling matchups when the schedule is determined in April can end up being overcooked turkeys after more than half the season is played.

Still, the reality that we’ll watch whatever NFL games happen to be played on Thanksgiving will likely ensure that the Lions will continue to host the early game on the fourth Thursday in November, regardless of whether the Lions ever win again, on Thanksgiving or otherwise.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

Well thanks for shooting that down :(...
I still think it would be interesting, but that does make sense

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

[quote=CRedskinsRule;504683]Well thanks for shooting that down :(...
I still think it would be interesting, but that does make sense[/quote]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to crap on your idea- I think it's a good suggestion, actually. But I agree with what was posted on PFT, even though I don't like it.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

im all for the rotating of turkey day games. and im really i favor of the Skins/ Dallas rivalry returning. just not in Dallas every year

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

I would love that idea, having to watch Dallas every year almost ruins my thanksgiving

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

[quote=LMsexyAO;504687]I would love that idea, having to watch Dallas every year almost ruins my thanksgiving[/quote]

Yeah, and watching the Lions isn't any better. At least they're always the early game, so all the god awful, nauseating play is done before the turkey comes out of the oven.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

I think the Lions being on every Turkey Day, is GAY!!

Is there a hidden contract that say's they get to play? I thnk they should leave it open until about week 6, and then decide who's game on Sunday could/would be the best game to show. If you think about it, it's 3 prime time games due to the fact that nothing else is on, and most people are tired of watching the thanksgiving day parade anyway.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

terrible, terrible games. i watched about 7 minutes (game time) of each before knowing who won and turning it off.

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

Sounds like a good idea CRedskinsRule. Which means it will probably never happen. Somehow though it does seem fitting that Detroit would play on "Turkey Day".

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

[quote=GMScud;504680]Found this on PFT, and I pretty much agree:

[B][URL="http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/11/28/the-hidden-benefit-of-bad-thanksgiving-football/"][COLOR=#0000ff]THE HIDDEN BENEFIT OF BAD THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL[/COLOR][/URL][/B]

Posted by Mike Florio on November 28, 2008, 9:46 a.m.

A commenter raised a great point this morning regarding the crappy trio of football games to which we were subjected on Thanksgiving.
With a captive national audience, why waste “good” games on Thanksgiving?

It’s an intriguing point. With Giants-Redskins, Steelers-Patriots, and Bears-Vikings on the schedule for Week Thirteen, there’s no reason to play them on Thanksgiving when they can be used on Sunday afternoon and evening to pry eyeballs away from better television alternatives.
That said, we doubt that the league intentionally targets so-so games for Thanksgiving. Part of the problem, as we’ve recently explained, is that apparently compelling matchups when the schedule is determined in April can end up being overcooked turkeys after more than half the season is played.

Still, the reality that we’ll watch whatever NFL games happen to be played on Thanksgiving will likely ensure that the Lions will continue to host the early game on the fourth Thursday in November, regardless of whether the Lions ever win again, on Thanksgiving or otherwise.[/quote]

I don't agree with PFT on this or understand the logic. If we are to understand that they save the "better" games to be televised on Sunday it goes against what I think the sponsors would want. Which is a NATIONAL AUDIENCE. The Sunday games are only broadcast in specific regions and don't reach anywhere near what a Nationally televised game reaches. Not to mention in most house holds on Thanksgiving there is usually some TV on somewhere and its usually on football.
Let's be honest we all know the networks want more $$$ so it seems to me it would be in their best interest to televise a STRONG game that would command a higher advertising rate.??? If the games are as bad/lop sided as they were yesterday then WE change the channel. Which I bet most of us did. Maybe I'm missing something?

Re: Thanksgiving Day Games
 

[quote=Takeuon;504697]I don't agree with PFT on this or understand the logic. If we are to understand that they save the "better" games to be televised on Sunday it goes against what I think the sponsors would want. Which is a NATIONAL AUDIENCE. The Sunday games are only broadcast in specific regions and don't reach anywhere near what a Nationally televised game reaches. Not to mention in most house holds on Thanksgiving there is usually some TV on somewhere and its usually on football.
Let's be honest we all know the networks want more $$$ so it seems to me it would be in their best interest to televise a STRONG game that would command a higher advertising rate.???[/quote]

Well, networks also want to build their own viewership to hurt their competition as well. Putting a premium game at 4:15 on a Sunday, or "flexing" it to the night game will draw huge ratings, and as PFT says, "pry eyeballs away from better television alternatives (on Sundays)."

Like you said, on Thanksgiving in most households, some TV somewhere is on and it's usually football. So if that's the case, airing crappy games on Turkey Day doesn't matter as far as ratings, because there is no competition. People have the games on regardless of who is playing.

The 4:15/8:30 Sunday games are nationally televised anyway, so putting a stronger game in those slots and keeping the lowly Lions on Thanksgiving is smart. You'll have a big, national audience for both.