The NFL and Thanksgiving... almost as inseperable as Grandma Helen's cats

As long as there's been turkey, dressing, stuffing and your aunt Cathy's rum cake, there's been football on Thanksgiving. The two teams that have always been in the spotlight on Turkey Day, no matter where it falls on the calendar in November, have been Dallas and Detroit.

The first game wasn't played between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans (although the Native Americans had a 6 point spread with a 44 1/2 over/under). Instead, that honor went to Akron, who beat Canton 7-0 (I guess it was such a low scoring affair, they were ready to eat). Detroit debuted that same year but they weren't called the Lions then. They were called the Heralds and were shut out by Dayton 27-0. (I guess all that harking made the Heralds tired... bad pun, I know!)

The Motor City team didn't play again on Turkey Day until 1925, losing to Rock Island 6-3. Detroit didn't pick up its first win until 1928, when they shutout Dayton 33-0. They then took another break (probably for seconds!) and didn't appear until 1934, when they lost to the Bears (before they were Da Bears) 19-18. It was that year they
became the Detroit Lions. After losing to Chicago in 1936 and 1937, they beat Chicago in 1938.

They didn't play again until 1945 because of the Second World War (that Hitler fella knew how to ruin a party!). When they resumed play, they lost to the Cleveland Rams (pre-Los Angeles and St. Louis) 28-21. The Lions would go on to lose four more times before breaking that losing streak in 1950. From 1953 to 1959, Detroit had Thanksgiving all to themselves as they were the only team that played on Thanksgiving. In that six-year span, they went 5-1. Then along came Dallas, who were played their first game in the old AFL, losing to the New York Titans 41-35. The Texans would later move to Kansas City and were renamed the Chiefs.   

As far as the Cowboys are concerned, they didn't see the light of day until 1966, when they beat Cleveland 26-14. They've been part of the Thanksgiving landscape since then. In fact, from 1970 to 2005, Detroit and Dallas were the only two teams that have played at home on Thanksgiving Day and they've never played each other. In 2006, the NFL added a third game on Thanksgiving Day, with that one airing on NFL Network at night.

Football and Thanksgiving. It's a chance to watch parades, eat yourself goofy and watch football until your eyes turn into footballs. Three games will be on the Turkey Day docket and yes, two of them feature Detroit, who's been having a pretty good year so far and Dallas. The third game features Baltimore at home against San Francisco (also known as the Harbaugh Bowl!) at 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network. The Lions host the defending Super Bowl champs at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX, while Dallas hosts the Miami Dolphins at 4:15 p.m. on CBS.
              
November 25, 1920
AKRON PROS 7, Canton Bulldogs 0
Decatur Staleys 6, CHICAGO TIGERS 0
ELYRIA (Ohio) ATHLETICS* 0, Columbus Panhandles 0
DAYTON TRIANGLES 28, Detroit Heralds 0
CHICAGO BOOSTERS* 27, Hammond Pros 0
All-Tonawanda (New York) 14, ROCHESTER JEFFERSONS 3
*Non-league team. Games between league teams and non-league teams counted in standings in 1920.
                 
November 24, 1921
Canton Bulldogs 14, AKRON PROS 0
Buffalo All-Americans 7, CHICAGO STALEYS 6
                 
November 30, 1922
Buffalo All-Americans 21 ROCHESTER JEFFERSONS 0
CHICAGO CARDINALS 6, Chicago Bears 0
RACINE LEGION 3, Milwaukee Badgers 0
Oorang Indians 18, COLUMBUS PANHANDLES 6
CANTON BULLDOGS 14, Akron Pros 0
                 
November 29, 1923
CANTON BULLDOGS 28, Toledo Maroons 0
CHICAGO BEARS 3, Chicago Cardinals 0
GREEN BAY PACKERS 19, Hammond Pros 0
Milwaukee Badgers 16, RACINE LEGION 0
AKRON PROS 2, Buffalo All-Americans 0
                 
November 27, 1924
AKRON PROS 22, Buffalo Bisons 0
Chicago Bears 21, CHICAGO CARDINALS 0
FRANKFORD YELLOWJACKETS 32, Dayton Triangles 7
CLEVELAND BULLDOGS 53, Milwaukee Badgers 10 (at Canton, Ohio)
Green Bay Packers 17, KANSAS CITY BLUES 6
                 
November 26, 1925
CHICAGO BEARS 0, Chicago Cardinals 0
Kansas City Cowboys 17, CLEVELAND BULLDOGS 0 (at Hartford, Connecticut)
Rock Island Independents 6, DETROIT PANTHERS 3
POTTSVILLE MAROONS 31, Green Bay Packers 0
                 
November 25, 1926
New York Giants 17, BROOKLYN LIONS 0
Los Angeles Buccaneers 9, DETROIT PANTHERS 6
CHICAGO BEARS 0, Chicago Cardinals 0
FRANKFORD YELLOWJACKETS 20, Green Bay Packers 14
POTTSVILLE MAROONS 8, Providence Steam Roller 0
CANTON BULLDOGS 0, Akron Pros 0
                 
November 24, 1927
Chicago Cardinals 3, CHICAGO BEARS 0
POTTSVILLE MAROONS 6, Providence Steam Roller 0
Green Bay Packers 17, FRANKFORD YELLOWJACKETS 9
Cleveland Bulldogs 30, NEW YORK YANKEES 19
                 
November 29, 1928
Providence Steam Roller 7, POTTSVILLE MAROONS 0
DETROIT WOLVERINES 33, Dayton Triangles 0
FRANKFORD YELLOWJACKETS 2, Green Bay Packers 0
CHICAGO BEARS 34, Chicago Cardinals 0
                 
November 28, 1929
New York Giants 21, STATEN ISLAND STAPLETONS 7
FRANKFORD YELLOWJACKETS 0, Green Bay Packers 0
Chicago Cardinals 40, CHICAGO BEARS 6
                 
November 27, 1930
STATEN ISLAND STAPLETONS 7, New York Giants 6
BROOKLYN DODGERS 33, Providence Steam Roller 12
Green Bay Packers 25, FRANKFORD YELLOWJACKETS 7
CHICAGO BEARS 6, Chicago Cardinals 0
                 
November 26, 1931
Green Bay Packers 38, PROVIDENCE STEAM ROLLER 7
STATEN ISLAND STAPELETONS 9, New York Giants 6
CHICAGO BEARS 18, Chicago Cardinals 7
                 
Nov. 24, 1932
CHICAGO BEARS 24, Chicago Cardinals 0
Green Bay Packers 7, BROOKLYN DODGERS 0
STATEN ISLAND STAPELETONS 13, New York Giants 13
                 
November 30, 1933
Chicago Bears 22, CHICAGO CARDINALS 6
New York Giants 10, BROOKLYN DODGERS 0
                 
November 29, 1934
CHICAGO CARDINALS 6, Green Bay Packers 0
Chicago Bears 19, DETROIT LIONS 16
New York Giants 27, BROOKLYN DODGERS 0
                 
November 28, 1935
New York Giants 21, BROOKLYN DODGERS 0
CHICAGO CARDINALS 9, Green Bay Packers 7
DETROIT LIONS 14, Chicago Bears 2
                 
November 26, 1936
DETROIT LIONS 13, Chicago Bears 7
New York Giants 14, BROOKLYN DODGERS 0
                
November 25, 1937
Chicago Bears 13, DETROIT LIONS 0
BROOKLYN DODGERS 13, New York Giants 13
                 
November 24, 1938
DETROIT LIONS 14, Chicago Bears 7
BROOKLYN DODGERS 7, New York Giants 7

November 23, 1939#
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 17, Pittsburgh Steelers 14
                 
November 28, 1940#
Pittsburgh Steelers 7, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 0#
#In 1939 and 1940, President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving one week earlier. Various states celebrated on the date declared by the President, while other states recognized the traditional fourth Thursday of the month. In 1941, Thanksgiving was sanctioned by Congress to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November which it has been ever since.

1941-1944 No Games (World War II)

November 22, 1945
Cleveland Rams 28, DETROIT LIONS 21
                 
November 28, 1946
Boston Yanks 34, DETROIT LIONS 10
(AAFC) - New York Yankees 21, BROOKLYN DODGERS 7
                 
November 27, 1947
Chicago Bears 34, DETROIT LIONS 14
(AAFC) - San Francisco 49ers 21, BROOKLYN DODGERS 7
(AAFC) - Cleveland Browns 27, LOS ANGELES DONS 17
                 
November 25, 1948
Chicago Cardinals 28, DETROIT LIONS 14
(AAFC) - Cleveland Browns 31, LOS ANGELES DONS 14
(AAFC) - Buffalo Bills 39, CHICAGO ROCKETS 35
                 
November 24, 1949
Chicago Bears 28, DETROIT LIONS 7
(AAFC) - Cleveland Browns 14, CHICAGO HORNETS 6
(AAFC) - Brooklyn-New York Yankees 17, LOS ANGELES DONS 16

November 23, 1950
DETROIT LIONS 49, New York Yanks 14
Pittsburgh Steelers 28, CHICAGO CARDINALS 17
                 
November 22, 1951
DETROIT LIONS 52, Green Bay Packers 35
                 
November 27, 1952
DETROIT LIONS 48, Green Bay Packers 24
DALLAS TEXANS 27, Chicago Bears 23 (at Akron, Ohio)
                 
November 26, 1953
DETROIT LIONS 34, Green Bay Packers 15
                 
November 25, 1954
DETROIT LIONS 28, Green Bay Packers 24
                 
November 24, 1955
DETROIT LIONS 24, Green Bay Packers 10
                 
November 22, 1956
Green Bay Packers 24, DETROIT LIONS 20
                 
November 28, 1957
DETROIT LIONS 18, Green Bay Packers 6
                 
November 27, 1958
DETROIT LIONS 24, Green Bay Packers 14
                 
November 26, 1959
Green Bay Packers 24, DETROIT LIONS 17

November 24, 1960
DETROIT LIONS 23, Green Bay Packers 10
(AFL) - New York Titans 41, Dallas Texans 35
                 
November 23, 1961
Green Bay Packers 17, DETROIT LIONS 9
(AFL) - NEW YORK TITANS 21, Buffalo Bills 14
                 
November 22, 1962
DETROIT LIONS 26, Green Bay Packers 14
(AFL) - New York Titans 46, DENVER BRONCOS 45
                 
November 28, 1963
DETROIT LIONS 13, Green Bay Packers 13
(AFL) - Oakland Raiders 26, DENVER BRONCOS 10
                 
November 26, 1964
Chicago Bears 27, DETROIT LIONS 24
(AFL) - Buffalo Bills 27, SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 24
                 
November 25, 1965
DETROIT LIONS 24, Baltimore Colts 24
(AFL) - SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 20, Buffalo Bills 20
                 
November 24, 1966
San Francisco 49ers 41, DETROIT LIONS 14
DALLAS COWBOYS 26, Cleveland Browns 14
(AFL) - Buffalo Bills 31, OAKLAND RAIDERS 10
                 
November 23, 1967
Los Angeles Rams 31, DETROIT LIONS 7
DALLAS COWBOYS 46, St. Louis Cardinals 21
(AFL) - Oakland Raiders 44, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 22
(AFL) - SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 24, Denver Broncos 20
                 
November 28, 1968
Philadelphia Eagles 12, DETROIT LIONS 0
DALLAS COWBOYS 29, Washington Redskins 20
(AFL) - OAKLAND RAIDERS 13, Buffalo Bills 10
(AFL) - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 24, Houston Oilers 10
                 
November 27, 1969
Minnesota Vikings 27, DETROIT LIONS 0
DALLAS COWBOYS 24, San Francisco 49ers 24
(AFL) - KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 31, Denver Broncos 17
(AFL) - San Diego Chargers 21, HOUSTON OILERS 17
                 
November 26, 1970
DETROIT LIONS 28, Oakland Raiders 14
DALLAS COWBOYS 16, Green Bay Packers 3
                 
November 25, 1971
DETROIT LIONS 32, Kansas City Chiefs 21
DALLAS COWBOYS 28, Los Angeles Rams 21
                 
November 23, 1972
DETROIT LIONS 37, New York Jets 20
San Francisco 49ers 31, DALLAS COWBOYS 10
                 
November 22, 1973
Washington Redskins 20, DETROIT LIONS 0
Miami Dolphins 14, DALLAS COWBOYS 7
                 
November 28, 1974
Denver Broncos 31, DETROIT LIONS 27
DALLAS COWBOYS 24, Washington Redskins 23
                 
November 27, 1975
Los Angeles Rams 20, DETROIT LIONS 0
Buffalo Bills 32, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 14
                 
November 25, 1976
DETROIT LIONS 27, Buffalo Bills 14
DALLAS COWBOYS 19, St. Louis Cardinals 14
                 
November 24, 1977
Chicago Bears 31, DETROIT LIONS 14
Miami Dolphins 55, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS 14
                 
November 23, 1978
DETROIT LIONS 17, Denver Broncos 14
DALLAS COWBOYS 37, Washington Redskins 10
                 
November 22, 1979
DETROIT LIONS 20, Chicago Bears 0
Houston Oilers 30, DALLAS COWBOYS 24
                 
November 27, 1980
Chicago Bears 23, DETROIT LIONS 17 (OT)
DALLAS COWBOYS 51, Seattle Seahawks 7
                 
November 26, 1981
DETROIT LIONS 27, Kansas City Chiefs 10
DALLAS COWBOYS 10, Chicago Bears 9
                 
November 25, 1982
New York Giants 13, DETROIT LIONS 6
DALLAS COWBOYS 31, Cleveland Browns 14
                 
November 24, 1983
DETROIT LIONS 45, Pittsburgh Steelers 3
DALLAS COWBOYS 35, St. Louis Cardinals 17
                 
November 22, 1984
DETROIT LIONS 31, Green Bay Packers 28
DALLAS COWBOYS 20, New England Patriots 17
                 
November 28, 1985
DETROIT LIONS 31, New York Jets 20
DALLAS COWBOYS 35, St. Louis Cardinals 17
                 
November 27, 1986
Green Bay Packers 44, DETROIT LIONS 40
Seattle Seahawks 31, DALLAS COWBOYS 14
                 
November 26, 1987
Kansas City Chiefs 27, DETROIT LIONS 20
Minnesota Vikings 44, DALLAS COWBOYS 38 (OT)
                 
November 24, 1988
Minnesota Vikings 23, DETROIT LIONS 0
Houston Oilers 25, DALLAS COWBOYS 17
                 
November 23, 1989
DETROIT LIONS 13, Cleveland Browns 10
Philadelphia Eagles 27, DALLAS COWBOYS 0
                 
November 22, 1990
DETROIT LIONS 40, Denver Broncos 27
DALLAS COWBOYS 27, Washington Redskins 17
                
November 28, 1991
DETROIT LIONS 16, Chicago Bears 6
DALLAS COWBOYS 20, Pittsburgh Steelers 10
                 
November 26, 1992
Houston Oilers 24, DETROIT LIONS 21
DALLAS COWBOYS 30, New York Giants 3
                 
November 25, 1993
Chicago Bears 10, DETROIT LIONS 6
Miami Dolphins 16, DALLAS COWBOYS 14
                 
November 24, 1994
DETROIT LIONS 35, Buffalo Bills 21
DALLAS COWBOYS 42, Green Bay Packers 31
                 
November 23, 1995
DETROIT LIONS 44, Minnesota Vikings 38
DALLAS COWBOYS 24, Kansas City Chiefs 12
                 
November 28, 1996
Kansas City Chiefs 28, DETROIT LIONS 24
DALLAS COWBOYS 21, Washington Redskins 10
                 
November 27, 1997
DETROIT LIONS 55, Chicago Bears 20
Tennessee Titans 27, DALLAS COWBOYS 14
                 
November 26, 1998
DETROIT LIONS 19, Pittsburgh Steelers 16 (OT)
Minnesota Vikings 46, DALLAS COWBOYS 36
                 
November 25, 1999
DETROIT LIONS 21, Chicago Bears 17
DALLAS COWBOYS 20, Miami Dolphins 0
                 
November 23, 2000
DETROIT LIONS 34, New England Patriots 9
Minnesota Vikings 27, DALLAS COWBOYS 15
                 
November 22, 2001
Green Bay Packers 29, DETROIT LIONS 27
Denver Broncos 26, DALLAS COWBOYS 24
                 
November 28, 2002
New England Patriots 20, DETROIT LIONS 12
DALLAS COWBOYS 27, Washington Redskins 20
                 
November 27, 2003
DETROIT LIONS 22, Green Bay Packers 14
Miami Dolphins 40, DALLAS COWBOYS 21
                 
November 25, 2004
Indianapolis Colts 41, DETROIT LIONS 9
DALLAS COWBOYS 21, Chicago Bears 7
                 
November24, 2005
Atlanta Falcons 27, DETROIT LIONS 7
Denver Broncos 24, DALLAS COWBOYS 21 (OT)
                 
November 23, 2006
Miami Dolphins 27, DETROIT LIONS 10
DALLAS COWBOYS 38, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 19, Denver Broncos 10
                 
November 22, 2007
Green Bay Packers 37, DETROIT LIONS 26
DALLAS COWBOYS 34, New York Jets 3
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 31, Atlanta Falcons 13

November 27, 2008
Tennessee Titans 47, DETROIT LIONS 10
DALLAS COWBOYS 34, Seattle Seahawks 9
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 48, Arizona Cardinals 20

November 26, 2009
NewEngland Patriots 45, DETROIT LIONS 12
DALLAS COWBOYS 24, Oakland Raiders 7
DENVER BRONCOS 26, New York Giants 6
                 
November 25, 2010
Green Bay Packers 34, DETROIT LIONS 24
New Orleans Saints 30, DALLAS COWBOYS 27
NEW YORK JETS 26, Cincinnati Bengals 10

HOME TEAM IN CAPS
(AAFC) - All-America Football Conference, 1946-49
(AFL) - American Football League, 1960-69

Sources: National Football League. Logos courtesy the National Football League and the Detroit Lions.