The Thanksgiving NFL Slate is a Perfect Metaphor for 2020
In spite of the insanity that has been 2020, today is Thanksgiving. No global pandemic could even think of stopping the inevitability of this holiday. The one where we eat dry bird and cringe as our aunts ask invasive questions about our love lives and our older cousins ask what our plans are after college.
Nothing, it seems, could stop football from happening on this hallowed day, either. In a way it’s nice. One sliver of normalcy amidst the chaos of everything else going on. I was even more excited for this year’s Thanksgiving NFL slate since I’m doing my best to be responsible and spend Thanksgiving home alone. Except, as with most things in 2020, these games truly could not be worse.
Since 2006 the NFL has had three Thanksgiving day games: the Detroit Lions with an early kick, the Dallas Cowboys in the afternoon, and then a primetime matchup worthy of the timeslot. This year, it’s only two (we’ll get to why in a bit).
Let’s start with that Lions game. They’ve played every year on Thanksgiving since 1934 and their franchise is such a dumpster fire that it is basically the Super Bowl for their fans. And how could it not be, with such amazing memories like Ndamukong Suh kicking players in (multiple) games or Aretha Franklin taking multiple millenia to sing the national anthem?
They’re coming in hot too, sitting at 4-6 and having just lost 20-0 to a Panthers team that started a guy who played in the XFL. Luckily though they’re playing the Texans who are 3-7 (two of those wins are over the hapless Jags) and appear to have no discernible direction as a franchise. Ick.
Look no further than the afternoon slot for even more disappointment. It’s a geographical showdown of 3-7 squads where America’s Team takes on the… Washington Football Team. Dak Prescott hasn’t played for the Cowboys since gruesomely breaking his leg five games into the season and somehow he still has more passing yards than every other member of the team combined.
In an incomprehensible twist, this is actually a major divisional game. These two teams are tied for second in the division and it is not outside the realm of possibility to think one of them may end up hosting a playoff game. Double ick.
These games honestly couldn't be worse. It’s really up for debate about whether or not I would rather watch them or see my parents try to clean up the carpet after the dog swipes some green bean casserole and pukes on it. But the real disappointment that sums up 2020 comes in the primetime slot. There, we should have had a thrilling divisional matchup. Ravens vs Steelers. Sure, the Ravens are kind of reeling. But these always seem to be great games. Then 2020 struck.
After Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the Titans it was revealed that multiple Ravens had tested positive for COVID-19, including running back Mark Ingram. Undeterred, the game was to be played anyways. Not anymore. Early Wednesday afternoon the NFL decided to push the game to Sunday. Now I’m hoping my dog can save that puke for the primetime hour.
This is the second time this season the Steelers have been caught in a COVID related schedule mishap after they lost their bye week due to the Titans outbreak earlier in the season. Understandably, their players were pretty pissed.
Steelers players weren’t the only ones angry, either.
Why, exactly, are players so mad that they can’t play on Thanksgiving? Are they really that pissed off that they won’t be able to hammer down a gigantic, most likely cold and at-best room temperature, turkey leg during postgame interviews? It would make sense if it was just the Steelers voicing this sentiment but with Ravens players getting involved too logic goes out the window. The game has been rescheduled. It is (hopefully) still going to be played.
Unfortunately, this entire situation is emblematic of how the country has handled COVID. States reopened slowly and then all at once as restless citizens scrambled to be able to get to their nearest bar or to dine-in and eat at their local Chili’s. Everyone wanted to simply live their normal lives despite the fact that is simply an impossibility under present circumstances.
The NFL was not alone in this, pushing for a season then having no discernible plan when the first major outbreak occurred on the Titans. That minor bump in the schedule may have impacted multiple teams but it has been the only major pandemic related issue until now. The case counts that climb higher each day finally made it over the flimsy walls the league had built and have now desecrated one of its most important days. I hope you like getting interrogated by your family.