Feast Mode: A Full Look at the 2025 NFL Thanksgiving Matchups

The NFL isn’t just background noise on Thanksgiving anymore, it is the holiday for a lot of families. This year’s slate on Thursday, November 27, 2025 is as classic as it gets: Packers–Lions in Detroit, Chiefs–Cowboys in Dallas, and a nighttime AFC North grudge match between the Bengals and Ravens in Baltimore. It’s giving Fate of Ophelia energy: teams trying to dodge disaster, rewrite their storylines, or claw their way back before the clock strikes midnight on the season.

Below is your full preview of the games on tap this Thanksgiving!

Game 1: Packers at Lions — 1:00 PM ET (FOX)

Ford Field, Detroit

The holiday begins with a rivalry older than half the recipes on your table. Green Bay rolls into this matchup fresh off a commanding 23-6 win over the Vikings, a game where the defense smothered Minnesota and Emanuel Wilson erupted for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan Love delivered another steady performance despite playing through an injured left shoulder, showing the kind of grit and poise that’s fueled the Packers’ climb in the NFC North standings. 

Detroit, meanwhile, enters Thanksgiving on far shakier ground. Yes, they escaped with a 34-27 overtime win against the Giants, but it marked their second straight week of looking vulnerable, needing late-game heroics and explosive plays from Jahmyr Gibbs to stay afloat. After back-to-back inconsistent outings, the Lions suddenly feel less like the early-season juggernaut and more like a team playing just to keep pace. With division positioning still very much unstable, this one feels like a statement opportunity for Green Bay, and a must-hold game for Detroit before the gap widens.

What to watch:

• Division stakes that could shape the playoff race.

• Green Bay’s pass rush vs. Detroit’s elite front

• A Jack White halftime show setting the perfect early-game tone

Game 2: Chiefs at Cowboys — 4:30 PM ET (CBS)

AT&T Stadium, Arlington

Kansas City and Dallas both come into this matchup riding the high of gutsy, momentum-building wins. The Chiefs clawed back from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Colts in overtime, reminding everyone that even when the offense sputters early, Patrick Mahomes can still flip a game on its head. 

Dallas delivered its own shocker, erasing a 21-point hole against division rivals Philadelphia and sealing a 24-21 victory with a late game-winning drive. Both teams proved they can take a punch and still swing back, setting the stage for a marquee showdown between two contenders finding their stride at the perfect time.

What to watch:

• Two teams trying to prove they’re better than their records say

• How Mahomes adjusts to pressure against an aggressive Dallas defense

• A Post Malone halftime show adding a bit of shine to a gritty matchup

Game 3: Bengals at Ravens — 8:20 PM ET (NBC)

M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

Once the dishes are stacked and the leftovers are tucked away, Thanksgiving night shifts into an AFC North slugfest under the lights.

The Ravens have spent the last few weeks making their way back to the top of the AFC standings after a rough start to the season. Their offense isn’t blowing teams away, but it’s efficient, controlled, and increasingly comfortable in tight-game situations. When Lamar is patient and the run game settles in, Baltimore has a way of pushing their opponents until mistakes start to show.

Cincinnati, meanwhile, arrives with a spark of renewed confidence. Joe Burrow is now expected to play on Thanksgiving night, giving the Bengals a far steadier outlook than they’ve had in weeks. In Burrow’s absence, Joe Flacco proved to be a surprisingly serviceable fantasy option, racking up respectable stats even if they only translated into one win across his six starts. The offense also gets another major boost with Ja’Marr Chase returning from his one-game suspension, restoring the full power of Cincinnati’s passing attack. Burrow’s return doesn’t magically erase the team’s inconsistency, but with Chase back at his side, the Bengals suddenly feel dangerous again. And while the matchup still promises all the AFC North tension, bruises, and razor-thin margins, it now looks a lot more like the heavyweight showdown fans hoped for.

What to watch:

• A must-win for both in a cluttered AFC playoff race

• Old-school, physical November football

• Lil Jon halftime show to close out the day 

BONUS: Black Friday Football

Bears at Eagles — 3:00 PM ET (Prime Video)

Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia 

Black Friday brings its own brand of chaos with a matchup that suddenly feels a lot more intriguing than it did a month ago. The Bears, riding a wave of young talent and steady offensive improvement, are starting to find an identity built around efficiency and confidence. Caleb Williams continues to show flashes of why he was drafted to be the franchise’s future, and the coaching staff is finally leaning into what he does best. 

On the other side, the Eagles arrive with playoff expectations but plenty of pressure. Jalen Hurts remains the engine, but inconsistency on both sides of the ball has kept Philadelphia from fully hitting its stride. Pair that with a defense that’s vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks, and suddenly this Black Friday matchup looks less like an easy prediction and more like a potential statement game. One team is trying to solidify its postseason path, and the other trying to prove it belongs in the conversation sooner than expected.

As the final whistle blows on another Thanksgiving slate, we hope your day was filled with laughter, amazing food, and the kind of football moments we’ll be talking about all weekend. 

From The Press Box and Thirteen Sports, Happy Thanksgiving!