The Dallas Cowboys (4-7) will look to sweep the season series from the New York Giants (2-9) for the fourth consecutive season when these two teams meet on Thanksgiving Day.
There have been major changes for both teams since their Week 4 matchup where Dallas won 20-15. Dak Prescott is on IR and Cooper Rush will start in his place, and the Giants released Daniel Jones last week. Tommy DeVito was inserted as the team’s starter but is dealing with a forearm injury and might miss the matchup.
To say a game between two teams with a combined record of 6-16 and playing backup quarterbacks on Thanksgiving lacks luster would be an understatement. But anything can happen in a divisional game.
Here are five bold predictions for Thursday’s Thanksgiving feast.
Related: Week 13 NFL schedule, including the Thanksgiving NFL schedule
Malik Nabers will have 10 receptions
Malik Nabers voiced his frustration with not being targeted in the first half of the Giants 30-7 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday. You can rest assured that head coach Brian Daboll will not let this happen for the second week in a row.
Whether it’s DeVito at quarterback or Drew Lock, Nabers will be the focal point of the offense early and often. Nabers hasn’t had a game with double-digit receptions since the Week 4 matchup when he had 12 catches, and he’ll have another big game against the Cowboys as he’ll haul in 10 receptions.
Related: Top 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year candidates: Where does Malik Nabers rank?
KaVontae Turpin will have another kick return touchdown
A big reason why the Cowboys were able to upset the Washington Commanders last week, was because of KaVontae Turpin’s 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter.
Turpin is arguably the best returner in the NFL today, and this week, he’ll face a Giants special teams unit that has struggled all season. With the new kickoff rule, kickoff returns for touchdowns are rare. But the 28-year-old return specialist will accomplish this feat again as he’ll take another kickoff to the house.
Related: 2024 NFL Quarterback Rankings: Where do the Giants and Cowboys QBs rank?
Tyrone Tracy Jr will set a career-high in rushing yards
Rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr has been one of the few bright spots in what has been a disastrous season. The fifth-round running back is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, and on Thursday, he’ll face a Dallas defense that’s ranked 31st against the run.
No matter who is behind center for New York, Thursday is going to be the Nabers and Tyrone Tracy show. Tracy had a season-high 145 rushing yards in Week 8 against the Steelers, and he’ll eclipse that mark against Dallas and set a new career high.
Related: 2025 NFL Mock Draft: Who should the Giants and Cowboys draft?
Micah Parsons will score on a strip sack fumble recovery
A high ankle sprain that Parsons suffered when these two teams met in September caused him to miss four games. But the All-Pro edge rusher is starting to get back into form. He’s had four sacks in the last three games, and now he’ll go up against a Giants offensive line that might be without Jermaine Eluemunor, who is dealing with a quad injury.
Parsons was held without a sack in the first matchup, but this time around, he’ll make one of the biggest plays of the game as he’ll have a strip sack recovery for a touchdown.
Related: 2024 NFL Defense Rankings
CeeDee Lamb will have another 50-plus-yard touchdown
In their first matchup, CeeDee Lamb had a 55-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter to give the Cowboys a 14-6 lead. Lamb beat second-year corner Deonte Banks on the touchdown, who will likely be matched up against the Cowboys receiver often on Sunday.
Lamb is listed on the injury report with a back and foot injury but is expected to play. The All-Pro wide receiver is a threat to score from anywhere on the field, and he’ll show this on Thursday as he will have his second 50-plus-yard touchdown against New York.
Giants-Cowboys prediction: Based on how the Giants performed on Sunday, it’s hard to see them being competitive in this game. If the team comes out flat as they did last Sunday, this could be an ugly Thanksgiving Day for Big Blue. Cowboys 34, Giants 17.
Related: 1 bold prediction for every Week 13 game, including Giants-Cowboys