Jim O'Donnell: NFL is likely looking at its most-watched Thanksgiving Day ever
ON A NEW-MILL THANKSGIVING, does the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line also provide NFL pickin' tricks?
Strong concept, uncertain goodwill, so the answer is probably "no" - unless a telephone adviser with a gaming jones goes rogue.
Nonetheless, the day will attract more TV remotes to pro football games than any windows this sundial side of the postseason.
Centering the fowl bacchanalia is the Cowboys-Giants (Fox, 3:30 p.m.). The NFC-East Yankee-Sawduster matches resurgent Dallas (7-3) against New York (7-3) and Daniel Jones, Gotham's daredevil QB.
THE COWBOYS WERE AWESOME in their 40-3 walkover at Minnesota last Sunday. So much so that with close to 6 minute left in the third quarter, CBS elected to switch away to "a more competitive game."
The U.S.-Wales World Cup match was more competitive. Wales-Qatar would have been more competitive, even with Julie Andrews in goal behind her fellow Welshmen.
That CBS turnover was to Joe Burrows and the Bengals vs. the Steelers. Cincinnati won, 37-30.
FOR THE TV INDUSTRY, the key number from DAL-NYG will be final audience total.
The game will draw at least 40M viewers - best of the regular season - and, with a compelling battle deep into the fourth quarter, could touch 50M.
In an era of relentless cord-cutting and many zap-touch alternatives, that's a supremely hefty tote.
The Raiders' OT win at Dallas last Thanksgiving Day set a new holiday record with 40.8M tuning in. That standard should be surpassed Thursday.
BUFFALO-DETROIT OPENS the day (CBS, 11:30 a.m.). Vikings-Patriots ends it (NBC, 7:20 p.m.).
The first two games have halftime shows. Bebe Rexha plays Ford Field. (Who can forget her 2015 collaboration with G-Eazy?) The Jonas Brothers will command the Cowboys bathroom break at Jerry Land.
Nothing is scheduled in-between for New England at night.
Maybe Bill Belichick can come out early and read from Herman Melville and Robert Frost.
Because only an extraordinarily unexpected event can detract from what will be a huge TV Thanksgiving for the NFL
FOR DESCENT INTO NONSENSE, the cuteness of Bears football bosses on the status of Justin Fields for Sunday's game against the Jets was surpassed only by many of the sports media hyenas babbling on about the unwinding tale.
Free consultation here: Fields is done for the season. It's a remarkably straightforward matter of risk, reward and a quick contemporary NFL uptick just over the horizon.
His shoulder injury was a heaven-sent pretext to pull the plug and aim him for a 2023 playoffs run.
If Ryan Poles lives up to his advance billing, prominent holes in all three football compartments of the Bears will be filled by next summer.
Fields will be more perfectly positioned than ever as a pro to rock, roll and remember:
Headbanging NFL quarterbacks are flirting with a one-way ticket to Cam Newton-Ville.
STREET-BEATIN':
A regional sports handicapper operating under the nom de guerre "Willy Hills" has hit 17 straight bets dating back to Nov. 7. His picks for Thanksgiving Day are: the Lions (+10), the Cowboys (-9 ½), the Patriots (+2 ½) and Ole Miss (-1 ½). (Odenac the Inconsistent says he will go 3-1.) ...
With the CFP possibly expanding to 12 teams next season, people who should know are saying that the Ohio State-Michigan game Saturday could be the last "that really means everything" (Fox, 11 a.m.). C.J. Stroud and the Buckeyes are -8; Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines had so many things go their way in Ann Arbor last year. Will Fox be wishing for "a more competitive game" by the fourth quarter? ...
The musical chairs are not all harmonious around CW26's coverage of the eight IHSA football championships Friday and Saturday (WCIU, Channel 26,). Lee Hall is out, Matt Rodewald is in. Dave Bernhard remains in, Jim Blaney remains knotholing. (Joey Gliatta and IC Catholic go for the 3A crown vs. Williamsville Friday at 4 p.m.; Tyler Jansey and Batavia face mighty Mount Carmel in the 7A topper Saturday at 4 p.m.) ...
Candid Mike Mulligan, on continuing to watch Bears games: "It's really a contractual obligation." (If you are a retrenched newspaperman co-hosting a major-market morning sports talk radio show.) ...
And Sir Walter Ruston, with seasoned advice as 12 hours of Thanksgiving kickoff tee to shining tee looms: "Whatever you do, do it the old-fashioned American way - to excess."
• Jim O'Donnell's Sports and Media column appears Sunday and Thursday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com. All communications may be considered for publication.