Thanksgiving Football Recap

Thanksgiving NFL recap

• True to Sportico's Wednesday predictions, the two early games were competitive while the late game was a blowout.
  In the first game, the Lions lost on Thanksgiving for the 9th consecutive year despite controlling most of the game against the 9-1 Houston Texans. The turning point came on Justin Forsett's 81 yard TD run when Houston had been down by 10. Two Lions defenders brought Forsett down and the play would have been automatically reviewed since it was a score, but Lions coach Jim Schwartz threw his review flag in the heat of the moment. According to NFL rules, after Schwartz threw the challenge flag, he could not benefit from an automatic review, and the play stood as called.
  After tying the game, it went to OT where both teams' kickers missed a FG before Shayne Graham made his second attempt giving Houston the win.
• In the second game, Washington Redskins superstar rookie Robert Griffin III announced himself to the national audience. RGIII threw four touchdowns en route to a 38-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. 
• The Redskins went into halftime with a 28-3 lead and looked to be cruising, however Dallas scored 25 of the next 32 points to pull to 35-28. Both teams would kick a field goal and that was all she wrote.
• The Redskins and Cowboys, now both 5-6, will be watching Sunday night football closely to see if the division leading New York Giants who play the Green Bay Packers. If the Giants lose, the Redskins will play the Giants next weekend with the winner having the inside track for the NFC East title.
• In the late game, the New York Jets were tied 0-0 after the first quarter... and then the New England Patriots exploded for 35 points in the second quarter including 3 touchdowns in 53 seconds to win in a rout, 49-19, as Bill Belicheck won his 200th career game. Part of this was a defensive touchdown, followed by a fumble returned for a touchdown on the ensuing kick-off.
• The Jets are now 4-7 and boisterous coach Rex Ryan was forced to admit that he couldn't blame the Jets fans for booing their pathetic effort. Tom Brady through for 323 yards and 3 TD's and has only thrown 3 interceptions all season long.