Thanksgiving NFL Schedule: 49ers Will Reign Supreme in Thursday's Final Game

When I saw the NFL Thanksgiving schedule at the beginning of the season, I would be lying if said I thought that the 49ers versus Ravens game would be a potential Super Bowl preview.

But here we are. The 49ers and Ravens have each played 10 times and are both contenders to play for the game's greatest prize.

As of now, the 49ers are 4-0 in the Eastern Time Zone. When Thanksgiving is over and Jim and John Harbaugh are shaking hands, that mark will be 5-0. 

I know that the 49ers have a tough road to hoe. Playing in the second group of games on Sunday and then flying across the country to take on a strong team on the following Thursday is hardly an easy schedule. 

But the 49ers have a toughness this year that they just haven't had in an awful long time. They play with a nasty edge. San Francisco seems generally convinced that the other 31 teams in the NFL can't stand them, and they thrive on that.

The lack of rest won't help them, but that doesn't help the Ravens either. Remember that Baltimore is an old team, specifically on defense. Any questions about Frank Gore's effectiveness and playing ability are completely offset by the fact that Ray Lewis has the same question marks.

The 49ers' style of play is fine for a short turnaround. There's nothing particularly complex about what they do. They run right at their opponent and their passing game is rather simple. 

They don't do a lot of fancy stuff that needs a whole week of preparation. It won't help, but it won't significantly hurt either. 

This game is intriguing for so many reasons. Both of these teams are for real. Even if a blowout happens, it's not going to do anything to sway me from believing that each team will make a deep playoff run.

The fact that the two coaches are brothers only adds to the drama. 

It's very hard to find something about this game that's not appealing.

In the end, an appealing game will have a winner and a loser. In this case, the 49ers will win another ugly game on the road and go to 10-1. If the Seahawks lose on Sunday, the NFC West will be officially clinched.

Prediction: 49ers 17, Ravens 13

Thursday's NFL Schedule:

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions	12:30 p.m. EST	Fox
Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys	4:15 p.m. EST	CBS
San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens	8:20 p.m. EST	NFL Network