Thanksgiving Edition Of Highs (Faith, Family, Football) And Lows (Turkeys)

We support our Publishers and Content Creators. You can view this story on their website by CLICKING HERE.

As we’re headed to Thanksgiving Day and a full slate of games and turkey, we’re going to dedicate this edition of NFL highs and lows in terms the holiday understands.

So the highs will be about Faith, Family and Football.

And the lows will all be labeled turkeys.

Let’s go…

Faith:

Have Faith Chiefs Will Do What’s Needed

The Kansas City Chiefs: You can always count on them. Have faith in them. Believe in them.

They aren’t the most talented team. They aren’t the most explosive anymore. But they’re always sound. They usually do enough to win. And usually deliver.

They did exactly that on Sunday in a 30-27 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The Chiefs improved to 10-1.

And what? You’re not impressed with a win over a bad team?

We remind that in Week 12, the 8-2 Steelers lost to the 2-8 Browns. The 7-4 Texans lost to the 2-8 Titans. And the reeling Cowboys beat the Commanders, who were at home.

Against that NFL reality, the Chiefs declined to provide any suggestion they’re fading following a tough loss to Buffalo the previous week. The Chiefs aren’t perfect, but they do enough, produce enough week to week – and their history is one of improvement.

“Yeah, those are things we can keep working on,” coach Andy Reid said. “We’ll get better with that as we go here. We’ve always been good at that. We’ve just got to keep grinding it out here.

Family:

Rallying Around A Brother

The Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Ham is the team’s starting fullback, and he was awarded a game ball on Sunday following the team’s victory over the Bears.

Coach Kevin O’Connell gathered his players for his postgame speech and told how every player in the locker room is a “brothers and it doesn’t matter who’s got to pick up who.”

Said O’Connell “Part of being in this locker room is being a family.”

Well, when the Vikings landed in Chicago on Saturday, Ham was able to leave the team for about five hours and spend it with his ill grandfather. It would be the final time he saw his grandfather, who died on Sunday morning.

“C.J. Ham is one of our captains,” O’Connell said, his voice cracking. “I love this guy with every ounce of me, and we’ve got to be there for him right now. This guy showed up and laid it on the line all day long. Love you, C.J.” 

Football:

Running Backs Have Value

Running backs: This group of players were under some duress in recent years because teams de-valued the position. 

But it is 2024 and running backs are making their mark. Consider Josh Jacobs, Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry.

All three were free agents in the offseason. None of their teams tried to re-sign them. The Titans, for example, decided Dallas free agent Tony Pollard was a better fit than Henry. The Giants decided to invest elsewhere and let Barkley walk. The Raiders didn’t really invest anywhere and let Jacobs go.

How did those evaluations go?

Barkley leads the NFL with 1,392 rushing yards.

Henry is second with 1,185 rushing yards.

Both are averaging at least 6 yards per carry.

And Jacobs is third in rushing with 944 yards and is coming off a game against the San Francisco 49ers in which he scored three rushing touchdowns.

The Eagles, Ravens, and Packers, which signed the three running backs this offseason, have a combined 24-9 record.

Turkeys:

Commanders Are Hurting Themselves

The Commanders: They’ve lost three games in a row, but it’s more than that that’s troubling.

Because they’re not only losing in odd fashion but hurting themselves in the process. 

The Commanders yielded three turnovers on Sunday in their loss to the Cowboys. In the 11 games prior to that, the club yielded only 5 turnovers.

Opposing teams, meanwhile, have figured out that one way to overcome Jayden Daniels is to get after him. He has completed only 9 of 35 passes with 1 TD and 2 interceptions against pressure since Week 8.

He’s been sacked 16 times. 

Here’s an idea: Protect the quarterback.

Bears Coaching Fails Special Teams

Bears coaching: We told you last week the Bears have a scheme issue on their field goal team. And we expected it to be corrected when it basically cost them a game against the Green Bay Packers.

But the Bears didn’t correct their blocking scheme issue.  

So on Sunday, the Vikings took advantage. They had studied the Bears’ field goal operation in Week 11 that led to a block on a game-winning try by Cairo Santos against the Packers. The Vikings identified the issue and used it to have Jerry Tillery block an attempt in second quarter.  

And this is where it gets ugly for the Bears.

Vikings linebacker Pat Jones told ESPN he expected Chicago to fix its protection issues that the Vikings saw on the Green Bay tape. But, nope.

“That’s kind of rare, because normally teams will go clean up what they need to clean up,” Jones said. “… You always expect teams to fix stuff, but we knew if they didn’t get it fixed, we’re going to go get us one.”

And they did.

The Bears have had three field goals blocked this season. Seems like something the coaching staff might want to address.