(01-12-2018, 04:15 PM)empty Wrote:

(01-12-2018, 04:00 PM)D6 Wrote: I'll be surprised if it happens but not because of the Jaguars team or overall franchise.  

FOX and CBS rotate Thanksgiving Day games from the standpoint that one season FOX is in Detroit,  the next season FOX is in Dallas.  With CBS,  the opposite.  

Being that CBS was in Dallas in 2017,   based on history that extends well over two decades,  CBS will be televising the Lions 2018 Thanksgiving Day game.  

With the Patriots one of the 2 Lions home AFC opponents in 2018  ( the Jets are the other ),  I would be surprised if the Patriots aren't the Lions 2018 Thanksgiving Game opponent.  The Lions hosted the Patriots on Thanksgiving Day the last 3 times the teams played in the regular season at Detroit.  

Because there are NFC opponents for the Cowboys that FOX and the NFL would very likely be more than comfortable with on Thanksgiving Day,   I don't think they will move an AFC team to that slot.

They really aren't alternating NFC/AFC anymore though.  Detroit has played 5 straight NFC teams, including Minnesota back to back.  Dallas played 3 straight NFC teams from 2014-16. While I think a Pats-Lions and Eagles-Cowboys lineup has a good chance of happening, I would say it has little to do with the Fox/CBS scheduling.

Yet,  the reason why Detroit played 5 straight NFC teams is the AFC opponent options were probably not considered good enough in those given seasons.  Even with Jim Schwartz as the Bills Defensive Coordinator the first season after being fired as Lions HC,  the NFL/ CBS selected the Bears instead of the Bills as the Lions 2014 Thanksgiving Day opponent.  Miami was the other AFC choice.   Regarding the 2016 options,  the Jaguars of today would be viewed as a much better option than the Jaguars back then.  The same with Tennessee.   If Jacksonville or Tennessee where they are currently was on the Lions home 2018 schedule,  I think one of those two teams would have be selected.

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