Thanksgiving Day NFL Schedule 2015: TV Schedule, Predictions and Picks

Few things go together better than Thanksgiving and football. The annual holiday tradition will once again take center stage this year with a trio of games that, when combined with the Thanksgiving Day parade, basically cover the entire day of television.

All six teams in action come from the NFC, highlighted by the undefeated Carolina Panthers and a pair of longtime rivals, the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. That should make for an entertaining day of action from start to finish.

So let's check out all of the important viewing information for the start of Week 12. That's followed by a preview and prediction for each Thanksgiving matchup.

Thanksgiving Schedule

Time (ET)	Road	Home	TV
12:30 p.m.	Eagles	Lions	FOX
4:30 p.m.	Panthers	Cowboys	CBS
8:30 p.m.	Bears	Packers	NBC

Game Predictions

Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions

Although these two teams are a combined 7-13, neither one is completely eliminated from the playoff race quite yet. Both sides will be hoping a Thanksgiving Day victory can help provide the spark they need to finish the season strong and potentially sneak into the playoffs.

The Lions are already riding a two-game winning streak with impressive defensive efforts to knock off the Packers and Oakland Raiders. Now they need an offense with the weapons to become far more explosive to start handling a little bit more of the burden.

It starts with top target Calvin Johnson. He's caught just three touchdowns in 10 games and has only topped the 100-yard mark once. Joe Banner of ESPN believes there's no excuse for anything less than a monster game from him Thursday:

The Eagles, meanwhile, lost three of their past four games, including a 45-17 rout at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week. Marquee offseason signing Byron Maxwell has struggled mightily, and much of the 25th-ranked defense has followed suit.

That said, Philadelphia's fast-paced offense sits eighth in yards per game, giving this game some shootout potential to get the day started. Since Detroit has showcased better form in recent weeks, it holds the slight advantage at home.

Pick: 31-30 Lions

Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys

Cam Newton has received most of the attention during Carolina's unbeaten start, and he certainly warrants MVP consideration. But the defense has been just as important to the team's success, ranking fourth in yards allowed and fifth in points allowed.

A few weeks ago, that combination of Newton and a top-tier defense would have made this game a slam dunk for the Panthers. Now that Tony Romo is back for the Cowboys, however, this matchup should be a lot more competitive.

Dallas lost seven straight games while Romo was sidelined. He returned last week to lead the charge in a 24-14 win over the Miami Dolphins, keeping the Cowboys in the lackluster NFC East race. Tight end Jason Witten noted they haven't lost hope, per Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPN.

"We believe," Witten said. "It's not my job to convince you or anybody else that we can do it. Our mindset is to take it one game at a time because we believe we can make the plays we need to win games each week."

While the passing game is now in better shape, the biggest concern is Darren McFadden's health. The veteran running back has enjoyed a resurgence, but his heavy workloads are a concern for a player with an extensive injury history. He's missed some practice time this week with a strained groin.

Ultimately, the Cowboys have a reasonable schedule down the stretch and will probably make a push for the playoffs. The hole they dug while Romo was out may be too large, though. In this case, the Panthers are still the more well-rounded squad and should score a narrow victory.

Pick: 24-20 Panthers

Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers

Just as it seemed the Bears were starting to pick up some steam they suffered a setback at home last week against the Denver Broncos. Brock Osweiler carved up the Chicago secondary in his first career start, while Jay Cutler posted his second-lowest passer rating of the season.

It leaves the Bears with little margin for error the rest of the way, starting with their latest clash against the Packers. Green Bay won the first meeting of the campaign between the teams, outscoring Chicago 21-10 in the second half to secure the Week 1 triumph.

The Packers find themselves in a more favorable position at 7-3 and tied with the Minnesota Vikings atop the division. Winning that race is the main focus right now, but there's something else on the line Thursday night, as the team spotlighted:

Getting Eddie Lacy back on track would go a long way in making that happen and brighten the team's outlook for the rest of the season. He looked more like his old self last week, gaining 100 yards and 22 carries after James Starks infringed on the starting role for a while.

On the opposite sideline, Matt Forte's expected return from a sprained MCL should bring some much-needed playmaking ability to the Bears offense. Going out on the road and beating the Packers remains a long shot, though.

Pick: 28-17 Packers