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Complete NFL Thanksgiving 2020 Odds, Picks & Betting Guide

Marcus Mosher for Bookies.com

Marcus Mosher  | 4 mins

Complete NFL Thanksgiving 2020 Odds, Picks & Betting Guide

It's Thanksgiving Week in the NFL. We were supposed to have a full buffet of three games on Thursday, but the Steelers-Ravens game scheduled for Thursday night got pushed back to Sunday because of some COVID-19 cases with the Ravens. So it's back to the old-school Thanksgiving with two games, the Lions early and the Cowboys later. Here are our best bets for each game to give fans of NFL betting a little extra to be thankful for.

NFL Thanksgiving TV Schedule

  • Texans-Lions, 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX
  • Washington-Cowboys, 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS

Texans vs Lions Betting Lines & Picks

BETODDS
Lions +2.5-118
Texans Moneyline-141
Over 51.5 Points-110

All odds via FOX Bet and current as of publication; get the latest Texans-Lions odds here

Of the two games on Thursday, the matchup between the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions has the least amount of national appeal. Both teams aren’t destined for the playoffs, and both squads will likely need new head coaches in 2021. But this game does have some fun betting appeal as the Texans are 2.5 point favorites over the Lions despite being on the road.

Houston is just 3-7 on the season, but they have played better as of late. They beat the Patriots in Week 11 and nearly pulled off an upset against the Browns in Week 10. They also played the Packers and Titans closer than their current talent level suggests. But should they be 2.5-point favorites against anyone? That's a different story.

The Lions haven’t been a strong team on Thanksgiving as of late, losing three straight games. Detroit also has lost three of their last four games, with their only win coming in the final seconds against Washington. This isn't a good team, but neither are the Texans.

The smart play here is to take the Lions to cover, considering they are at home and getting a few points. But considering how poorly Matthew Stafford has played in the last few weeks, it's hard to bet against DeShaun Watson. Take the Texans to win, as their offense should have no problem scoring at will in this game. As for the total, take the Over and expect both teams to be throwing the football a ton in this game.



Washington vs Cowboys Betting Lines & Picks

BETODDS
Washington +3-115
Washington Moneyline+130
Under 47.5 Points-110

All odds via Bet MGM and current as of publication; get the latest Washington-Cowboys odds here

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Believe it or not, this game has significant playoff implications. With both teams half a game out of first in the NFC East at 3-7, the winner of this game could be in the driver's seat the rest of the way. Given how difficult first-place Philadelphia’s schedule is over the next month, it’s very likely that one of these two teams will be hosting a playoff game come January.

After starting the season 0-8 against the spread, the Cowboys have covered in two straight. They are slight favorites in this game after an impressive win over the Vikings in Week 11. Andy Dalton will start again at quarterback and he played well against Minnesota. But can he bounce back after a rough game against Washington the first time around, when a big hit sidelined him for weeks?

The offense appears to be finding a groove without starting QB Dak Prescott, improving to a functional level. Dallas has even improved on defense, allowing 28 or fewer points in each of its past four games. While that doesn't seem great, it's a big improvement over where the Cowboys were earlier in the season.

As for Washington, it has played much better since Alex Smith took over as starting quarterback. The defense still needs work, but they are starting to come together. This should be a fun back-and-forth game despite the lackluster quarterback play. Considering both teams are similar, take Washington and the points here. These teams are just too close and the few points Washington gets here tips the scales.

As for the point total, look for this to be a relatively low-scoring game as both teams have problems on the offensive line. The Under feels like the smart bet here.

About the Author

Marcus Mosher for Bookies.com
Marcus Mosher
Marcus Mosher covers the NFL for Bookies.com. The managing editor of The Raiders Wire is also a contributor to The Athletic DFW, Pro Football Weekly and FanSided.