Thanksgiving Day Games of the National Football League

Introduction

The Chicago Bears vs. The Detroit Lions

FIRST QUARTER

CHI  0

DET  7

• The only scoring play of the first quarter came with 9:26 on the game clock when Jared Goff connected with his wide receiver Josh Reynolds on a 39 – yard touchdown pass. That touchdown capped a 7 – play, 69 – yard, and 3:16 drive by the Detroit Lions. Riley Patterson kicked the extra point.

SECOND QUARTER

CHI  3  10  13

DET  7   7    7

• Cairo Santos kicked a 28 – yard field goal with 13:24 left on the game clock in second quarter. This field goal capped a 10 – play, 74 – yard, and 4:37 drive by the Chicago Bears.
• With 4:29 left in the second quarter, Jimmy Graham caught a 17 – yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton. This touchdown capped a 2 – play, 69 – yard, and 0:52 drive by the Chicago Bears. Cairo Santos kicked the extra point.
• Cairo Santos kicked a 43 – yard field goal with 0:00 left on the game clock in the second quarter. This field goal capped a 7 – play, 29 – yard, and 1:09 drive by the Chicago Bears.

THIRD QUARTER

CHI  13

DET  14

• The only score of the third quarter came with 1:46 left on the game clock when Jared Goff threw a 17 – yard touchdown pass to tight end T. J. Hockenson. This touchdown capped a 7 – play, 79 – yard, and 3:21 drive by the Detroit Lions. Riley Patterson kicked the extra point.

FOURTH QUARTER

CHI  16

DET 14

• Cairo Santos kicked a 28 – yard field goal with 0:00 left on the game clock in the fourth quarter. This field goal capped an 18 – play, 69 – yard, and 8:30 drive by the Chicago Bears.

The Chicago Bears defeated the Detroit Lions with a final score of 16 to 14 in the first game of three on Thanksgiving Day.

The Las Vegas Raiders vs. The Dallas Cowboys

FIRST QUARTER

LV   7  7  14

DAL 0  6   6

• With 11:45 left in the first quarter Derek Carr threw a 56 – yard touchdown pass to his wide receiver DeSean Jackson. This touchdown capped a 3 – play, 71 – yard, and 1:15 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniel Carlson kicked the extra point.
• With 7:38 left in the first quarter Dak Prescott threw a 10 – yard pass to tight end Sean McKeon. This touchdown capped a 9 – play 75 – yard, and 4:07 drive by the Dallas Cowboys. The extra point kick by Greg Zuerlein was no good.
• With 1:33 left in the first quarter running back Josh Jacobs rushed in a 1 – yard touchdown run. This touchdown capped an 8 – play, 60 – yard, and 3:44 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniel Carlson kicked the extra point.

SECOND QUARTER

LV   17  17

DAL  6  13

• With 8:46 left in the second quarter Daniel Carlson kicked a 22 – yard field goal. This field goal capped a 13 – play, 74 – yard, and 5:57 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders.
• With 0:25 left in the second quarter running back Ezekiel Elliott rushed in a 1 – yard touchdown run. This touchdown capped an 8 – play, 86 – yard, 3:27 drive by the Dallas Cowboys. Greg Zuerlein kicked the extra point.

THIRD QUARTER

LV    24  24  27

DAL 13  19  19

• With 7:13 left in the third quarter quarterback Marcus Mariota rushed in a 3 – yard touchdown run. This touchdown capped a 6 – play, 75 – yard, and 2:48 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniel Carlson kicked the extra point.
• With 7:00 left in the third quarter running back / return specialist Tony Pollard returned a kickoff 100 – yards for a touchdown. This touchdown capped a 0 – play, 0 – yard, and 0:13 drive by the Dallas Cowboys. The two – point conversion attempt failed.
• With 3:28 left in the third quarter Daniel Carlson kicked a 46 – yard field goal. This field goal capped a 9 – play, 48 – yard, and 3:32 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders.

FOURTH QUARTER

LV    27   30  30  33  33

DAL  22  22  30  30  33

• With 12:00 left in the fourth quarter Greg Zuerlein kicked a 29 – yard field goal. This field goal capped an 8 – play, 78 – yard, and 2:48 drive by the Dallas Cowboys.
• With 8:18 left in the fourth quarter Daniel Carlson kicked a 30 – yard field goal. This field goal capped a 6 – play, 63 – yard, and 3:42 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders.
• With 2:54 left in the fourth quarter tight end Dalton Shultz caught a 32 – yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott. This touchdown capped a 4 – play, 69 – yard, and 0:47 drive by the Dallas Cowboys. Prescott completed a pass to Shultz once again to complete the converted two – point conversion.
• With 1:52 left in the fourth quarter Daniel Carlson kicked a 56 – yard field goal. This field goal capped a 5 – play, 37 – yard, and 1:02 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders.
• With only 0:19 left in the fourth quarter Greg Zuerlein kicked a 45 – yard field goal. This field goal capped a 10 – play, 48 – yard, and 1:33 drive by the Dallas Cowboys.

OVERTIME

LV    36

DAL 33 

• With 4:28 left in the overtime period Daniel Carlson kicked a 29 – yard field goal. This field goal capped an 8 – play, 67 – yard, and 4:12 drive by the Las Vegas Raiders.
• The Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Dallas Cowboys in overtime with a final score of 36 to 33 in the second game of the three on Thanksgiving Day.

The Buffalo Bills vs. The New Orleans Saints

FIRST QUARTER

BUF 7

NO   0

• With 7:09 left in the first quarter tight end Dawson Knox caught a 7 – yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Allen. This touchdown capped a 10 – play, 65 – yard, and 5:54 drive by the Buffalo Bills. Tyler Bass kicked the extra point.

SECOND QUARTER

BUF  10

NO     0

• With 8:46 left in the second quarter Tyler Bass kicked a 34 – yard field goal. This field goal capped a 7 – play, 38 – yard, and 4:00 drive by the Buffalo Bills.

THIRD QUARTER

BUF 17   24

NO     0    0

• With 8:48 left in the third quarter wide receiver Stefon Diggs caught a 5 – yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Allen. This touchdown capped an 11 – play, 75 – yard, and 6:12 drive by the Buffalo Bills. Tyler Bass kicked the extra point.
• With 4:19 left in the third quarter Dawson Knox caught a 24 – yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Allen. This touchdown capped a 5 – play, 53 – yard, and 2:51 drive by the Buffalo Bills. Tyler Bass kicked the extra point.

FOURTH QUARTER

BUF  24  31

NO     6    6

• With 14:54 left in the fourth quarter tight end Nick Vannett caught an 11 – yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trevor Siemian. This touchdown capped a 10 – play, 75 – yard, and 4:25 drive by the New Orleans Saints. The two – point conversion attempt failed.
• With 8:17 left in the fourth quarter running back Matt Breida caught a 23 – yard touchdown pass from quarterback Josh Allen. This touchdown capped a 4 – play, 51 – yard, and 2:25 drive by the Buffalo Bills. Tyler Bass kicked the extra point.

The Buffalo Bills defeated the New Orleans Saints with a final score of 31 to 6 in the third game of the three on Thanksgiving Day.

Sources:

“Bears vs. Lions – Game Summary – November 25, 2021 – ESPN”, espn.com, November 28, 2021.

“Raiders vs. Cowboys – Game Summary – November 25, 2021 – ESPN”, espn.com, November 28, 2021.

“Bills vs. Saints – Game Summary – November 25, 2021 – ESPN”, espn.com, November 28, 2021

Written by: David Green