Out on a Limb
Fantasy Football Predictions

One Turkey of a Day

The views expressed in this column do not reflect a compilation of all of our correspondents. They should certainly not be used for gambling purposes.

One Turkey of a Day

Over the past couple of seasons, the Thanksgiving matchups have meant little to the two teams that are always involved in them, but the Big Tuna has been out to change that in Big D. After a thrilling 24-20 win over the Panthers last week, the Cowboys still find themselves tied with the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC East lead at 8-3, and they also find themselves right in the hunt for homefield advantage.

The Lions, however, remain a different story. They haven't really been much of a football team since Barry Sanders retired, and this year's squad finds themselves at 3-8 and out of the playoff hunt. When they host the surging Packers on Thursday, they'll try and bring their usual Turkey Day flare and show up the visitors. They will have the advantage of doing this every season, but it probably won't make much of a difference as the Packers continue to claw their way back into the playoff race.

Game of the... Day: Miami at Dallas

When the Mammals have the ball: - Jay Fiedler certainly gave the Dolphins a lift when he came in on Sunday night, and there's no reason that he won't continue to turn this back into a slightly less offensive offense. Fiedler's return showed just how much they really missed their field general. While he may not be nearly as talented as Brian Griese, sometimes it takes a lot more than talent to succeed. Ricky Williams will be running hard for him, just like he did in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, and the Dolphins will need him to pound against a relatively small front four if they have any hopes of winning this. Small or not, Dallas' front four showeed that they can handle a physical back last Sunday when they shut down Stephen Davis, so this should be an interesting matchup.

When the Cowboys have the ball: You have to hand it to Quincy Carter for how he handled a Panthers' squad that loves to pressure the QB last week. Carter had a phenomenal day, completing 29 passes for over 250 yards and throwing two touchdowns. Every time he shows that off for a game, though, he seems to disappear for the next three. Troy Hambrick showed futher emphasis that the running game is dead in Dallas right now, gaining a measley 26 yards on 12 carries. Hambrick shows up with the occasional big game, but he seems incapable of carrying the team when they need him to. In what figures to be a field position battle, Hambrick needs to step up or fade away into obscurity. The Dolphins boast one of the stoutest run defenses in the league, so look for Carter to have to steal the show again for the Cowboys.

Special Teams: Billy Cundiff has cooled off after a hot start, meaning that neither of these kickers are going to steal the show. None of the return men will steal the show either, and the key in a lot of field position games is the punter. Both Toby Gowin and Matt Turk have a lot of experience, and have been solid punters for most of their tenures in the league. Whichever one has the better day will probably see his team emerge victorious.

Coaching - Dave Wannstedt finally decided on his quarterback last week, but he's never shown a whole lot beyond winning games that his team is supposed to win. This is not one of those games. Bill Parcells continues to make a mockery out of all of us (myself included) who refuse to admit that the Cowboys are for real. He's won three big games this year alone, and he's won the big game twice in his career.

The Verdict: I still don't want to admit that the Cowboys will win a game when it really matters, but I have a feeling that they'll pull this one out. Both Detroit and Dallas always have an edge on Thanksgiving, and that will factor in a bit, but the most important factor will be that Miami will still have a lot of trouble moving the ball, even if they find some way to get Peyton Manning in time for Thursday's game. One of the poorest offenses in the league against one of the best defenses in the game won't provide for a lot of fireworks. The Cowboys will find a way to get in the end zone, but they won't find it often. If you're looking for high-flying offense, this won't be your game. If you like hard-hitting defense, on the other hand.... Cowboys 16, Dolphins 9

Turkey of the Day: Green Bay at Detroit - The Packers have found ways to win even with a dinged-up Brett Favre against some pretty solid teams the past few weeks. This week, they get to face a team that wants to live up to the lore that their city's baseball team created earlier this year. The Lions will have trouble stopping Green and Davenport, while they won't be able to muster a whole lot of offense themselves. The final score will be closer than the actual game, but the Packers should win handly on both fronts. Packers 27, Lions 17

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