Thanksgiving Day games

[YardRat]

Second year in a row with no AFC teams on Turkey Day, correct? What gives?

[Mace]

I don't know but I honestly remember the NFC traditional teams more anyway, duking it out with whoever. Teams I didn't normally see much of or care about, Packers, Lions, Redskins, Cowboys in any combination. And I was pretty happy without a rooting interest.

The long gone family was downstairs in the refinished basement with the bar and fireplace, and I'd be upstairs watching snowy games on a real live color teevee. Bart Starr and John Brockington, Nitschke, Bill Munson and Lem Barney, Sonny Jurgenson and Charlie Taylor, Craig Morton and Bob Hayes, Leeroy Jordan.

Only exception was my Chiefs. Len Dawson, Ed Podolak, Otis Taylor, Curley Culp, Willie Lanier and company. Not even sure I cared what league they were in. Just loved me some Chiefs. Was only vaguely aware of the Bills.

Older I got, mostly I watched for the same teams to duke it out with different players. Could care less who won, just enjoyed the games.

Best thing to do on turkey day is enjoy the games without caring who wins, imho, and for this year no AFC teams works for me fine.

[stuckincincy]

I don't know but I honestly remember the NFC traditional teams more anyway, duking it out with whoever. Teams I didn't normally see much of or care about, Packers, Lions, Redskins, Cowboys in any combination. And I was pretty happy without a rooting interest.

The long gone family was downstairs in the refinished basement with the bar and fireplace, and I'd be upstairs watching snowy games on a real live color teevee. Bart Starr and John Brockington, Nitschke, Bill Munson and Lem Barney, Sonny Jurgenson and Charlie Taylor, Craig Morton and Bob Hayes, Leeroy Jordan.

Only exception was my Chiefs. Len Dawson, Ed Podolak, Otis Taylor, Curley Culp, Willie Lanier and company. Not even sure I cared what league they were in. Just loved me some Chiefs. Was only vaguely aware of the Bills.

Older I got, mostly I watched for the same teams to duke it out with different players. Could care less who won, just enjoyed the games.

Best thing to do on turkey day is enjoy the games without caring who wins, imho, and for this year no AFC teams works for me fine.

Well put...franchises steeped in tradition, as you imply.

The Chiefs: I'll add Mike Garrett, Fred Arbanas, Buck Buchannon, Johnny Robinson, Fred Williamson, Bobby Bell, EJ Holub, Emmitt Thomas, and of course, Hank Stram.

The mid-'60's - mid-'70's KC vs. OAK rivalry was superb.

[YardRat]

OK, thanks for sharing opinions, but...what is the league's motivation for shutting out an entire conference from national exposure two years in a row?

[IlluminatusUIUC]

OK, thanks for sharing opinions, but...what is the league's motivation for shutting out an entire conference from national exposure two years in a row?

I've brought that up several times and DraftBoy repeatedly defends the NFL for some reason.

I hope you guys are as excited as I am to have two 2-7 dumpster fires hosting primetime games for tradition!

In any event, I've suggested two alternatives for the Thanksgiving games: either have the three CCG participants who didn't win the Super Bowl host them (this year that would be Seattle Indy Green Bay) or rotate them among the cities which are ineligible to host the Super Bowl. Based on last year I would have given them to Pittsburgh, Denver, and Green Bay.

[stuckincincy]

OK, thanks for sharing opinions, but...what is the league's motivation for shutting out an entire conference from national exposure two years in a row?

Here's my 2 cents:

I've never considered the Thanksgiving Day games ones that I cared to sit down and watch intently. It's background during a family time. The last thing I would want is an important AFC vs AFC or NFC to be on. If they did that, I'd just record it.

I'm glad that the usual games on that day are older NFC clubs. Comforting.

Please don't tell me you feel picked on because there is a dearth of AFC participants. Eh?

[YardRat]

Here's my 2 cents:

I've never considered the Thanksgiving Day games ones that I cared to sit down and watch intently. It's background during a family time. The last thing I would want is an important AFC vs AFC or NFC to be on. If they did that, I'd just record it.

I'm glad that the usual games on that day are older NFC clubs. Comforting.

Please don't tell me you feel picked on because there is a dearth of AFC participants. Eh?

Not at all. Curious about the motivation, though.

[Mace]

Well put...franchises steeped in tradition, as you imply.

The Chiefs: I'll add Mike Garrett, Fred Arbanas, Buck Buchannon, Johnny Robinson, Fred Williamson, Bobby Bell, EJ Holub, Emmitt Thomas, and of course, Hank Stram.

The mid-'60's - mid-'70's KC vs. OAK rivalry was superb.

Oh yes yes yes. I loved that rivalry. Loved Stram and that D. Loved to hate those Raiders through Lamonica, Blanda, Stabler, Hubbard and Biletnikoff, Otto, Upshaw & Shell, Ben Davidson, Atkinson, Willie Brown...mad Madden. I seriously used to cherish those games.

Um, anyway, well Yardrat, I used my connections and called league scheduling. My highly placed contact did some sleuthing in the computer system and found they scheduled no AFC teams only because they have it on file that it would upset you. Don't feel too bad though, they scheduled us to play Houston in week 13 because they found out nothing would aggravate me more than playing Houston in week 13 if it fell on December 6th. Hard to explain, it's this personal thing I have about playing Houston in week 13 on a December 6th. It just really sets me off, has aggravated me my whole life.

[YardRat]

Oh yes yes yes. I loved that rivalry. Loved Stram and that D. Loved to hate those Raiders through Lamonica, Blanda, Stabler, Hubbard and Biletnikoff, Otto, Upshaw & Shell, Ben Davidson, Atkinson, Willie Brown...mad Madden. I seriously used to cherish those games.

Um, anyway, well Yardrat, I used my connections and called league scheduling. My highly placed contact did some sleuthing in the computer system and found they scheduled no AFC teams only because they have it on file that it would upset you. Don't feel too bad though, they scheduled us to play Houston in week 13 because they found out nothing would aggravate me more than playing Houston in week 13 if it fell on December 6th. Hard to explain, it's this personal thing I have about playing Houston in week 13 on a December 6th. It just really sets me off, has aggravated me my whole life.

Well, I was a little hesitant about coming right out and declaring what I thought was going on, so thanks for confirming my suspicions.

I actually rooted for the Raiders quite a bit throughout the 70's, mostly because I hated the Steelers, but partially because Hubbard was a WNY-Southern Tier boy that made it to the bigs.

[Mace]

Well, I was a little hesitant about coming right out and declaring what I thought was going on, so thanks for confirming my suspicions.

I actually rooted for the Raiders quite a bit throughout the 70's, mostly because I hated the Steelers, but partially because Hubbard was a WNY-Southern Tier boy that made it to the bigs.

Playing Houston in week 13 on December 6th is just WRONG man. This is bull ****. WTF.

Anyway, like Belichick's Pats, Madden's Raiders were one of those teams I loved to hate, but enjoyed and respected them even when they were beating a team I loved, and I always took a comfort in watching them play a team I disliked. It was the same with Shula's Dolphin's & Landry's Cowboys (take him down George Allen).

Passing thought, but I think the only good teams that ruled their moments who I purely enjoyed without dislike if they weren't one of my favorites were Noll's Steelers, Walsh's Niners, and McCarthy's Packers. They just never bothered me and I enjoyed their games. Liked the players, liked the coaches.

I'm looking forward to Philly/Detroit and Chicago/Green Bay on turkey day. Won't upset me whatever if anyone loses.

[BLeonard]

OK, thanks for sharing opinions, but...what is the league's motivation for shutting out an entire conference from national exposure two years in a row?

I don't know that there is any "motivation," per se... I do know that, last year, they changed the broadcasting rules to offer a bit more flexibility. So, if there's any "motivation," it's likely from the networks and not the league.

We know that the Cowboys and Lions always play at home and that, under the old scheduling rules, one would have had to host an AFC team... Problem is, both being NFC teams, they only host two AFC teams in any given year, which increases the chances for a "bad" matchup, at least, ratings speaking.

I remember last season that we were talking about the Bills playing on Thanksgiving, as before the changes, it would have either been the Bills or Dolphins at Detroit. Using that, I'm guessing this year would have been Dallas' year to host an AFC team, meaning the Patriots or Jets.

I dunno that NYJ/DAL is a high enough profile matchup on Thanksgiving, and with the deflategate thing going on all offseason (remember, the schedule is done in April), maybe they shied away from NE/DAL.

Again, I dunno that there is an intentional motive to not have an AFC team on Thanksgiving, but when it's guaranteed that 2 NFC teams are hosting, it immediately tilts the representation in the NFC's favor.

Think of it this way, even before the rule change and the addition of a third game on NFLN, the representation of teams per conference was always 75%/25% in favor of the NFC.

-Bill