The best time of the year is back and what a way to start with Thanksgiving football and watching your favorite players eat turkey on the field. The NFL season is starting to get to the latter half of the season where teams start to think about playoffs or what draft pick they are going to end up getting.

Celebrating the festivities with the family only gets better and better when you have a nice plate of food and football on the TV from sunrise to sunset. Every time I think of the holidays, it can only start with Thanksgiving because of the joy of being around family and friends to eat and watch football for hours on end.

The legendary tradition of the NFL brings us the classic Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions matchup in Detroit for the 19th time in its history. It might not be the most eye-catching matchup every year but to start your Thanksgiving with football will never disappoint. The Bears have dominated the matchup, earning a 10-8 record in the 18 times they have played against each other on Thanksgiving Day. With both teams not looking too likely to make the playoffs, the game will not be as entertaining but it is the best feeling smelling the food being made in the morning and your fantasy football players scoring for your team.

There cannot be an NFL Thanksgiving without watching the Dallas Cowboys in the middle of the day. One of the most iconic teams in all of the United States takes the field against the traveling Las Vegas Raiders. Two of the most trendy teams in the NFL take the stage as the second game of the tripleheader on Thursday. This game is very important for both teams as there are major playoff implications for both teams with the Raiders slumping the last couple of weeks and the Dallas Cowboys trying to get healthy and find their groove.

The NFL has done a great job with the Thanksgiving Day schedule as we have many big teams playing on the day and many people will be watching. Behind their quarterback, Dak Prescott, the Cowboys look to get a big win against a Raiders team that has been struggling. A win here for the Cowboys will do wonders as the Eagles are starting to gain some ground against them in the division. The Raiders will look to get a win to break their 3 game skid and put themselves in the conversation of making the playoffs again. It is a very tasty matchup with a lot to look forward to for both teams.

The best feeling in the world is being stuffed after the delicious food you just ate and knowing there is still a football game in the evening. All the celebrations are starting to get towards the desert stage of the night.

A very exciting matchup between the Buffalo Bills and the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans is a matchup most fans will adore because of the excitement brought with these franchises. Two teams that have a very loyal fanbase behind them is what makes this matchup so special. New Orleans comes into this Thanksgiving for the first time not having their star quarterback for many years, Drew Brees. On the other side, the Buffalo Bills are starting to become a force in the AFC once again and their electric fan base deserves it. Star quarterback Josh Allen and star receiver Stefon Diggs fit in the Buffalo atmosphere so well and it is a match made in heaven. A matchup in New Orleans is exactly what the city needs after all the hardship they have gone through with many natural disasters recently. The “Big Easy” is a city with rich culture and an amazing atmosphere. For them to be hosting another Thanksgiving primetime game is a testament to the beautiful city.

When the NFL schedule comes out, one of the first things you do is to look at the Thanksgiving schedule to see if your favorite team is playing or what amazing matchups are in place to start the holidays. The NFL has been spot on with the schedule put in place for such a big day and fans could not be more excited for the day to come.

A day that many people cherish will be spent with loved ones and will only get better with football on the TV from morning to night.