Detroit Lions

[cubweiser03]

In my household we openly cheer against Detroit and laugh when they lose, really its become a tradition in of itself. There was a period that they were actually tough to beat on Thanksgiving Day, now they just get the piss beat out of them.

 

If Detroit were to be axed id like that game to be a rematch of the previous years Super Bowl with the loser of that game being the home team on Thanksgiving.

[CubColtPacer]

The NFL would have to redo their entire scheduling philosophy to redo the Super Bowl. Any random AFC team against an NFC team will happen only once every 4 years, so that particular matchup wouldn't be likely to happen unless it happens to hit one of those years.

 

The NFL is in a little bit of a quandary here. As much as people complain about the Lions on Thanksgiving, it also is good business for the NFL to put bad games on Thanksgiving. Everybody is already watching anyway, so there is very little incentive to waste one of your best games that could get great ratings at a less desirable time slot.

[UMFan83]

Yeah, I'm all about tradition here. Watching the Lions lose on Thanksgiving is tradition.

[NCCubFan]

Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the Lions and the Cowboys playing games. Eventually the Lions will become at least semi-competitive again (the axing of Millen earlier this season may be the first step in the right direction). There was a period of time several years ago (before their resurgence in the 1990s) where the same issue could have been raised about the Cowboys.

[jersey cubs fan]

Now that they'd added a third game, I don't see much of a need to axe Detroit. But maybe they can change it up and rotate Detroit/Dallas every other year.

[UMFan83]

Now that they'd added a third game, I don't see much of a need to axe Detroit. But maybe they can change it up and rotate Detroit/Dallas every other year.

 

I think the third game should be guaranteed to be an AFC/NFC matchup, and in the event that Detroit or Dallas sucks, the networks will have an opportunity to move Detroit/Dallas to NFL Network for the other game. They can rotate every year for priority.

[jersey cubs fan]

Now that they'd added a third game, I don't see much of a need to axe Detroit. But maybe they can change it up and rotate Detroit/Dallas every other year.

 

I think the third game should be guaranteed to be an AFC/NFC matchup, and in the event that Detroit or Dallas sucks, the networks will have an opportunity to move Detroit/Dallas to NFL Network for the other game. They can rotate every year for priority.

 

The AFC/NFC matchup won't really matter to the equation. Networks are determined by the road team, so every year Detroit and Dallas either host an AFC or NFC team, putting them on CBS or Fox. If the third game is AFC @ NFC, and a crappy Detroit team is hosting an NFC team, that's a Fox matchup. So you will have to throw out the AFC/NFC broadcasting rules if you want that flexibility. But I doubt the NFL has any interest in devaluing their own network's game.

[UMFan83]

I didn't realize it had to do with the road team, interesting.

 

They could make the third game switch every year between which conference has the choice. One year, the NFC is the road team in the third game, and Fox has the ability to switch out from their game, while the next year an AFC team is the road team so CBS can switch out from their game.

 

There will be some years of course where there will still be bad games, but at least it increases the chances of at least one good game. This years games are so bad, its going to be hard to watch. I don't even have any fantasy interest in either game. :(

[rawaction]

Detroit's not fun to watch without Barry Sanders. Never have been, never will be.

[Guest]

http://latakethelions.com/

[Derwood]

I say axe them. Tell them "you team is an embarrassment and you're not getting Thanksgiving games back until you make your franchise respectable again"

[UK1679666180]

It should be Bears vs. Lions every Thanksgiving.

[UMFan83]

It should be Bears vs. Lions every Thanksgiving.

 

I would love traditional matchups on Thanksgiving. Bears vs. Lions, Giants vs. Cowboys or something, but then CBS would have nothing.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

CBS would have nothing.

that's what I consider the AFC to be anyway

[NCCubFan]

I didn't realize it had to do with the road team, interesting.

It's been that way for years (although the specific networks involved change from time to time). One network (currently FOX) is designated for NFC and one (currently CBS) for AFC. Interconference games are in effect ties, and the tiebreaker is in favor of the road team.

[rchap24]

Who really cares if they play on Thanksgiving? who cares if the Cowboys play? Just play random games every year

[UMFan83]

Who really cares if they play on Thanksgiving? who cares if the Cowboys play? Just play random games every year

 

The people that look forward to football as part of their Thankgiving traditions and hope to see at least one good football game all day. When one of the games is guaranteed to suck every year, it sucks.

[rchap24]

Who really cares if they play on Thanksgiving? who cares if the Cowboys play? Just play random games every year

 

The people that look forward to football as part of their Thankgiving traditions and hope to see at least one good football game all day. When one of the games is guaranteed to suck every year, it sucks.

 

Well I understand that Lions and Cowboy fans would be against it, but I'm saying in general I'm sure it wouldn't matter to the average football fan. Just have competitive games,