Are You Ready For Some Football?

They go hand in hand, like peas and carrots, like peanut butter and jelly, like I-95 and congestion. Thanksgiving Day has always showcased many actors and this year is no different with over-sized turkeys playing the lead role and nine hours of hard-nosed football to serve as the supporting cast.

The games this year will feature some of the best teams in the NFL and while most of us remember only two games being on the television set and Detroit and Dallas always playing gracious host, the NFL a few years ago decided to throw one more turkey leg at us and grant us a prime-time game to boot!

Here is a preview of the NFL Turkey Day action:

Green Bay Packers (10-0) @ Detroit Lions (7-3) - 12:30 p.m. on FOX

Truth be told, after about week 4, every NFL fan has been looking forward to this game! Probably the most meaningful Thanksgiving game for Detroit since the 1980s, look for them and quarterback Matthew Stafford to shine in front of the blue collar faithful in the motor city.

And despite being undefeated and Aaron Rogers being near perfect this season, the Lions will keep it close and will be fueled onto victory in front of the home crowd, giving the Packers their first lost of the season.

• Prediction: Lions 34 - Packers 31

Miami Dolphins (3-7) @ Dallas Cowboys (6-4) - 4:15 p.m. on CBS

Turns out, the Dolphins are not as hapless as they seem, having won three straight now and holding their opponents to only 20 points over the three game stretch. That being said, Dallas is also showing that they plan to be around for serious January football, putting together three straight victories of their own and Tony Romo fueling the team to victory in each of their wins.

Call it the tryptophan, call it a hunch, call it whatever you want, I see a blow-out here, with Dallas deep frying the fish on Thanksgiving Day.

• Prediction: Cowboys 30 - Dolphins 10

San Francisco 49ers (9-1) @ Baltimore Ravens (7-3) - 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network

On paper, this game should have the makings of a real battle to the finish, but we here at Patch no better...or so we think.

While both teams seemingly have a number of offensive weapons, from Wide Receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith to the 49ers' Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, there is truly one stark contrast between the Ravens and the 49ers, destiny.

This San Francisco team has battled all season, every quarter of every game and that certainly can be contributed to their fearless leader Jim Harbaugh, who believe it or not, will be coaching against his brother, John Harbaugh, a first in NFL history that two sibling head coaches will square off against one another.

It will be the tenacity of the 49ers, a team who refuses to lose, that will spur them onto victory and dampen the spirits of the Raven faithful.

• Prediction: 49ers 21 - Ravens 17