Detroit Lions — Five keys to a win over the Eagles on Thanksgiving

The Eagles love running play-action even if their running game isn’t the threat it was expected to be, and against the Lions defense that can mean some big plays downfield.

The 3-7 Detroit Lions host the 4-6 Philadelphia Eagles Thanksgiving. FOX will televise the game.

When most people think of Thanksgiving, they think of family, food, and football (and not always in that order). The Lions have a very talented running back in rookie Ameer Abdullah, the biggest issue for him has been ball security.

In their wins the past two weeks, the Lions scored just 18 points, and so far this year, the team has eclipsed 20 points just twice, in Week 1 at San Diego and Week 6 at home against Chicago.

Sanchez has got to avoid turning the ball over. Overall, Stafford averages 261 yards through air as he completes 64.1 percent of his passes, along with 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Receiver Calvin Johnson has 59 catches for 828 yards and 3 touchdowns. That 166 yard receiving game for Johnson was the first win of the season for Detroit. Detroit beat the Packers in Green Bay, which is obviously impressive, before coming back home to beat the Raiders in Week 11.

On Nov. 6, 1869, the first American football game was played between Rutgers and Princeton. They have lost nine of 14 games since then. The Eagles lead the all-time series between the two teams, 16-13-2. Though there are some that question whether the Eagles have enough talent to have reached the lofty expectations many set forth for them in the preseason, there’s no way they are 31 points worse than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The fact that they have beaten the first place New York Giants gives them a tiebreaker advantage right now as well. All Pro LT Jason Peters returned to active duty after missing the previous two games with back problems.

Chip Kelly is on the hot seat in Philadelphia if you believe the various reports circulating. “I think we should come out and be good Thursday”.

Although Kelly professed his belief in both of his own quarterbacks, he also had plenty of good things to say about the guy his team will face this week on Thanksgiving. Offensively, the Eagles committed four turnovers and managed just a field goal after scoring 10 points in the opening stanza. For the Eagles, quarterback Sam Bradford has been cleared through concussion protocol but is dealing with a sprained left shoulder. The Eagles also are dealing with several other injuries in addition to Bradford, according to Danny Cox of the Examiner, via CBS Local. The Packers will be retiring Brett Favre’s #4 at halftime of this game, giving more than 70,000 fans that spent five years urinating all over Favre and his legacy the opportunity to pretend that they didn’t spend five years urinating all over Favre and his legacy.

With Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback, Green Bay is 13-3 against the Bears.