Per usual, the American Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday begins from an NFL perspective from Detroit, with the Lions this year hosting the Houston Texans, who opened as 2.5-point favourites on the NFL odds with a total of 51.

NFL Week 12 Point Spread and Betting Analysis

These two franchises don’t have much in common but I can think of two things: They are two of four active teams (Browns and Jaguars the others) to never even play in a Super Bowl. The Texans one can somewhat understand as they have only been around since 2002. The Lions, though, are one of the NFL’s oldest franchises and have no excuse.

The second thing in common is neither team will have the same head coach Week 1 of the 2021 season than it did to start 2020. Houston fired Bill O’Brien following a Week 4 loss. The Texans have played a bit better under interim Romeo Crennel, and he might get the job for 2021 only as a bit of a transition year but at age 73 (oldest coach in NFL history) he’s not the long-term guy. Meanwhile, the only way Matt Patricia is back for a fourth season in 2021 is if the Lions somehow streak into the playoffs this winter. Highly unlikely.

This is the biggest annual home game for the Lions, but there will be no fans allowed at Ford Field with the coronavirus raging in Michigan. Houston defeated Detroit 34-31 in overtime in 2012 in the Texans’ first-ever Thanksgiving appearance and they have won each of the last three meetings in the series. The teams only play each other once every four years.

Houston Texans

Houston had been 2-0 vs. Jacksonville this season and winless against everyone else but upset the visiting New England Patriots on Sunday, 27-20. Deshaun Watson threw for 344 yards and two scores and also rushed for a touchdown. Watson tied a career high with his fifth game with 300 or more passing yards in a season.

The Texans played without Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil due to flu-like symptoms – there was a bug going around the team last week but all COVID-19 testing was negative. Receivers Randall Cobb and Kenny Stills both left injured and it’s too early to tell if either will get back by Thursday, but the quick turnaround obviously doesn’t help.

Detroit Lions

If the Lions were playing on Sunday in Week 12 instead of Thursday, Patricia might be fired today. His team looked absolutely disinterested in a 20-0 loss at Carolina on Sunday with the Panthers missing their starting QB and All-Pro running back. It was the first time the Lions had been blanked in 11 years.

Matthew Stafford played through a ligament injury on his throwing thumb and didn’t look good, completing 18 of 33 for 178 yards. Rookie running back D’Andre Swift didn’t play due to a concussion. Receivers Kenny Golladay (a Pro Bowler in 2019) and Danny Amendola also sat with injuries.

NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Texans vs. Lions?