Matches for Thanksgiving and Black Friday

This week is out of the regular season rhythm. Not one, but four games will be played before Sunday - three on Thanksgiving and one on Black Friday.

“Dallas” - "NY Giants". Friday, 00:30 Moscow time .

“Dallas" would have been the clear favorite if Tommy Devito had stayed in the lineup. The coaching staff's choice of him over Drew Lock looks like an attempt to drain the rest of the season, if only Brian Daboll could benefit from it (I doubt Daboll will be retained next season). But this season, favorable fate is helping feckless clubs make upgrades at the quarterback position - that's how Jameis Winston got to run the "Browns" offense, and now Locke will be pulled off the bench where he's already part of the team, part of the ship.

“Cowboys” looked pretty good against "Washington" last week, but I have a lot of arguments against them - the lack of fresh tape on Lock, the coaches‘ desire to prescribe Neibers sedated targets after the scandal, the "Giants" streak of 7 straight losses on the road, the fact that "Dallas" is playing at home.

“Green Bay" - "Miami". Friday, 4:30 Moscow time.

All the pre-match talk about this matchup from afar can't be distinguished from a weather forecast. You bet, because the Dolphins under Mike McDaniel have lost all 3 games in temperatures of zero and below, while the Pacers under Matt Lafleur are 8-3 in such conditions. It's not certain that Miami's offense will fall victim to Sub-Ziro to the same degree as it did in the playoff game against the "Chiefs", after all, cold is cold. But that's really one factor.

More importantly, don't like the chances of the "Dolphins" defense against the "Packers" offense. Yes, the passing game is drought or extravaganza, but Jordan Love has a much tougher schedule on the season than Miami's defense. Conceding less than 20 points per game in the last 3 games is great, but the "Packers" offense is no match for the "Patriots", "Raiders", or even the "Rams" from almost three weeks ago. Both teams will lean heavily on the takeaways, as both Josh Jacobs and Devon Achen look like the most reliable element of the offense of late. Still, I'm leaning toward the "Packers" advantage in scoring and extra interception chances for Zavier McKinnie.

“Kansas City” - ”Las Vegas”. Friday, 23:00 Moscow time.

Does it matter that 10-1 and 2-9 teams meet at "Arrowhead"? Or that the "Chiefs" have Isaiah Pacheco and Charles Omenihu returning to action? Or that the "Raiders" have another forced quarterback change? “Kansas City” has never closed the head start during the season, and will not close it now, especially since it is a decent - 13 points. The previous meeting between these teams ended in one possession.

Mahomes said during the week that he would like to win not on the last play of the game. Let's say he gets his wish, but you could ask the goldfish for something a little weightier.