CFL Team In Halifax To Be Known As "Atlantic Schooners"

To the surprise of few, the Halifax entry in the CFL will be known as the Atlantic Schooners.

The announcement was made Friday night during Grey Cup festivities in Edmonton.

Schooners beat out other suggestions such as Atlantic Convoy, Storm, and Admirals.

It was picked in a contest and already has a history. The Schooners was to be the name for a proposed CFL team in the 1980s, but that dream never materialized.

The Maritime Football Partnership, which is pursuing the bid, is eyeing a parcel of land on the east side of Halifax harbour for a 24,000-seat facility. The cost is estimated at $170 million to $190 million and the group has said it will need public help with the financing.

So far more than 5,000 fans have put down season ticket deposits.

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the CFL is keen to have Halifax become its 10th franchise.

Earlier Friday, speaking to reporters, Ambrosie said the league has signed a step-by-step agreement of what needs to be accomplished to get the franchise launched.

"Ultimately, the big hurdle is the stadium," said Ambrosie.

But he stressed the willingness is there.

"We're totally committed to their efforts get that 10th team," he said.

"For many of us, that's been a dream now for decades the idea of this truly coast to coast Canadian football league."

Former Regina-Born NHL Ref Mick McGeough Taken Off Life Support After Stroke

The family of former NHL referee Michael "Mick" McGeough  says he will be taken off life support.

McGeough was taken to a Regina hospital Sunday with the early signs of a stroke, and his condition worsened while waiting for tests. He met with a neurosurgeon in Saskatoon to see if clots in the back of his brain could be removed. Unfortunately, the damage caused by the stroke was irreversible.

The 62-year-old is back in Regina to be with his family.

McGeough officiated 1,083 games during his career and another 63 playoff games, including the 2006 Stanley Cup Final between the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes.

A GoFund me page has been set up.

NOTE:  McGeough died late Friday night.   He was a treat to be around and always had a story. 

Many Areas Discussed in CFL "State Of the League" Address

CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie was questioned on many things Friday morning as he met with the media to give the commissioner's annual "State of the League" address.

The main thing those in attendance wanted to know about was the new CBA and whether or not the start of the 2019 season could be threatened.

Ambrosie says the plan is to sit down with the CFLPA and present a plan shortly after Sunday's game with hopes that a deal can be reached.  He is confident one will happen that will suit both sides.

Other things brought up by Ambrosie:

• Things are progressing nicely with Maritime Football Limited and that there is tremendous enthusiasm and excitement in the region.  The question of a stadium remains the biggest obstacle.
• The league is working together on several projects with Mexico’s Liga de Futbol Americano Professional which includes the possibility of the CFL holding a game or two in Mexico City in the year 2020
• The league will look at scrapping East-West because of the many Western teams crossing over into the Eastern playoffs and making the league a one nine-team conference. 
• We will have to wait for a formal announcement on what city hosts the 2020 Grey Cup because of the bids put forth.  It is believed Hamilton and Montreal have expressed an interest to host the game.  The Riders have let it be known they want to be the host as well

Ambrosie says the 106th Grey Cup and the Grey Cup Festival showcase the greatness of our game, the strength of our brand and the support of our great fans. But we can still be a bigger, better, stronger Canadian Football League.”

NHL Award Winners at the 1/4 Pole

If American Thanksgiving, which often signals the end of the first quarter of the campaign, is considered one of the most telling points of the season, it stands to reason that 20-plus games into the season is also a great time to gauge the field for the league’s top awards.

Of course, that there’s still so much season ahead of us means the award races can be ever-changing. Injuries, especially at this point in the season, can significantly alter the field for any of the below-listed awards. Likewise, players catching fire at certain points of the season can shift the standings in the run up to the handing out of the end-of-year hardware. But we can’t predict the future, thus we can only assess the contenders for the top trophies — the Hart, Vezina, Norris and Calder — based on what we’ve seen through the first quarter of the season.

Here are the top-five contenders for the major awards, as well as a few honorable mentions:

HART TROPHY
1. Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
There’s a strong correlation between league scoring leaders and the Hart, which automatically vaults Mackinnon into the conversation. He’s tied for second in the NHL with 31 points and tied for fourth with 14 goals. What puts him over the top, though, is that he’s centering the best line in hockey right now and skating big minutes. His average ice time — 22:14 per game — is fourth-most among all forwards in the NHL. After finishing second in voting last season, MacKinnon is right back in the hunt, and he checks all the boxes as a top candidate.

2. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
At the risk of opening up the whole playoffs-and-the-Hart can of worms all over again, McDavid has to be at or near the top of consideration as league MVP at this point in the campaign. Yes, the Oilers aren’t quite in a wild-card spot and coach Todd McLellan was just let go and replaced by Ken Hitchcock. But nothing going on around Edmonton has slowed McDavid, who ranks third in ice time among forwards, second in points and is tied for eighth in goals. McDavid is going to flirt with a third Art Ross, and if the Oilers so much as sneak into the playoffs, he’ll vault to the top of the list.

3. Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
As colleague Ken Campbell wrote during the pre-season, the Maple Leafs might have a Mitch Marner problem on their hands. The price tag for the skillful winger keeps going up, and his six-goal, 28-point performance — a rate of scoring that has him on pace for a 100-point season — stands to put Marner in the eight-digit salary range. He has been the biggest offensive driver in Toronto this season, and Marner, more than anyone, has helped make John Tavares’ transition to the Maple Leafs seamless.

4. Brayden Point, Tampa Bay Lightning
Nikita Kucherov has the points lead in Tampa Bay, but only a single point separates he and Point. What sets Point apart from Kucherov, and maybe from all others on this list, is his remarkable defensive acumen. Point is a complete player who can be a difference maker by shutting down the opposition’s top line or by filling the net. His 14 goals put him in the early conversation for the Rocket Richard, and he could hang around in the Art Ross discussion well into the season.

5. Mikko Rantanen, Colorado Avalanche
A top-five look at the Hart wouldn’t be complete without the league scoring leader. How good has Rantanen been this season? Well, how’s this: he’s only four points shy of surpassing his rookie season point total, which was 38 points back in 2016-17, and with three quarters of the campaign remaining, Rantanen’s 34 points are creeping up on half of his 84-point total across 81 games last season. He’s been exceptional, the perfect playmaker to fit with MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog. As long as he stays atop the Art Ross race, he’s going to be front-and-center in Hart discussions.

Honorable Mentions: Jack Eichel, Buffalo Sabres; David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins; Blake Wheeler, Winnipeg Jets; Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames; Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes

VEZINA TROPHY
1. Pekka Rinne, Nashville Predators
Not since Martin Brodeur in 2006-07 and 2007-08 has a goalie won consecutive Vezinas. That could all change this season, though, as the Predators seem destined to finish at or near the top of the league standings with Rinne leading the way. Last season, Rinne won the award with 42 wins, a .927 save percentage and 2.31 goals-against average. This season, he’s on pace to win 34 games and he boasts a league-best .944 SP and 1.64 GAA through 13 appearances. His goals-saved above average — an advanced stat that measures how many pucks a goaltender has stopped that a merely league-average netminder wouldn’t have — is 13.4, the second-best in the NHL.

2. Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs
Speaking of GSAA, it wouldn’t be right to leave the league leader off of this list. Andersen has been excellent for the Maple Leafs, whose greatest flaw has and continues to be their defending. He ranks second in the NHL with a .935 SP and fifth with a 2.13 GAA. And while it’s not a true tell of how well a goaltender is performing, Andersen is going to get an influx of Vezina support if he continues to win at his current rate. His 12 wins are tops in the league and put him on pace for a 45-win season. That alone might be enough to sway voters who value wins over everything.

3. Jaroslav Halak, Boston Bruins
Just as we all expected heading into the season, Halak has come to the Bruins and made his case to steal the No. 1 job away from Tuukka Rask. What’s that? Oh, right, no one could have predicted this. Yet, here we are, with Halak among the league leaders in all the major goaltending categories. His .935 SP is second in the NHL, 2.07 GAA ranks third, he has won seven games and Halak has two shutouts (one more than he managed in 54 games with the Islanders last season) in 12 starts and 13 appearances. He’s the biggest surprise in the blue paint this season.

4. Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche
Despite having the best line in hockey, it could be argued that the Avalanche still possess far too many shortcomings to be a true contender. Whatever those issues are, though, be it poor possession or defensive breakdowns, Varlamov has been able to mask them and help Colorado into contention for a divisional playoff spot in the Western Conference. The veteran keeper has a .925 SP, 2.37 GAA and is most impressive in terms of GSAA. His mark of 7.4 ranks seventh among all netminders.

5. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks keeper would be — and maybe should be — higher up the list. What has hamstrung his candidacy, though, is Anaheim’s poor play. The Ducks have been awful in front of their all-world keeper, who has willed Anaheim to victories with his .927 SP through 18 games. His .500 record is going to keep him in the race, but if he slips under the weight of his workload, Gibson stands to fall out of the race entirely.

Honorable Mention: Antti Raanta, Arizona Coyotes; Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning; Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild; David Rittich, Calgary Flames; Carter Hutton, Buffalo Sabres

NORRIS TROPHY
1. Mark Giordano, Calgary Flames
Giordano feels as though he’s the most perennially underrated defenseman in the NHL. In each of the past five seasons, he’s earned at least some Norris recognition, a vote here or there, but he hasn’t finished in the top five in voting once. That could change this year. Giordano has been the same, consistent presence on the Calgary blueline as always, a go-to defender who drives play and can hang with any level of competition, but what he’s added this season that could vault him into the Norris conversation is offense. He hasn’t cracked 40 points in either of the past two seasons, but his 20 points in 22 games this campaign put him on pace to clear the 70-point plateau. More likely is he ends up in the 60-point range, but that should still be enough to get him the credit he deserves.

2. Morgan Rielly, Toronto Maple Leafs
It’s not a debate anymore. Offense matters when it comes to Norris voting, and Rielly’s league-best 26 points by a defender is going to see him right in the thick of things for the best defenseman award if he keeps this up. To put Rielly’s scoring into context, too, he is on pace to finish the year with 97 points. If he manages to even hit the 90-point plateau, they may as well just hand him the award. No defenseman since Ray Bourque in 1993-94 has put up 90 points in a campaign.

3. Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks
Ahead of the year, it would have been no surprise to see both Burns and Erik Karlsson on this list, but the difference between the two defenders is that points are going on the board for the former while the latter hasn’t quite hit his scoring stride. With three goals and 23 points, Burns is primed to score his way into Norris contention once again, and his impressive underlying numbers certainly don’t hurt his candidacy. He ranks 13th among all defensemen in on-ice possession rate, though he does start nearly 70 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone.

4. P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators
Sure, Subban has been sidelined for a short while, but that shouldn’t count against him. Offensively, he’s been the same Subban that one would expect, scoring two goals and 12 points in 18 games. But it’s the defensive aspects of Subban’s game that really stand to put him above a great number of his blueline compatriots. He has been a monster when it comes to driving play, scoring chances and swinging the scoreboard in Nashville’s favor. And he doesn’t benefit from a heavy slant of offensive zone play. Subban’s about equal in offensive and defensive zone starts.

5. Tyson Barrie, Colorado Avalanche
If the best thing defenders can do is keep the puck out of their own net while putting points on the board, then Barrie fits the bill. Of all defensemen in the NHL, Barrie ranks second in 5-on-5 goals for percentage. He has been on ice for 21 goals for and a mere nine against. The only defenseman with a better rate is Nashville’s Yannick Weber, but he’s played 100 fewer minutes than Barrie. Helping Barrie’s case, too, is that he is tied for sixth among defensemen with 19 points.

Honorable Mention: Jeff Petry, Montreal Canadiens; Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning; Ryan Suter, Minnesota Wild; Thomas Chabot, Ottawa Senators; John Carlson, Washington Capitals

CALDER TROPHY
1. Elias Pettersson, Vancouver CanucksThis doesn’t really need much explaining beyond a simple look at his totals. He’s five clear of the next-best rookie with 12 goals. Pettersson’s 19 points put him six ahead of the second-place freshman. And no rookie forward is even closer to Pettersson when it comes to average ice time. He’s been better than advertised and an absolute star thus far for the Canucks.

2. Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Missing significant time isn’t going to help Tkachuk’s case, but the fact that he’s been the only rookie with near the per-game offensive impact of Pettersson likely means these two are due to battle it out come the final tally. Pettersson has a significant edge, but Tkachuk has six goals and 10 points in 11 games. That puts him on pace for a 30-goal, 60-point rookie season.

3. Henri Jokiharju, Chicago Blackhawks
If we’re weighting several aspects of the game — offense, defense, scoring and time on ice — Jokiharju has to be the standout rookie blueliner. Has he benefitted from spending a lot of ice time alongside Duncan Keith? Absolutely, but that doesn’t make his 21:10 average any less impressive, nor should it cause us to overlook his 10 points, which are tied for the sixth-most among rookies. He was thrust into the role early in the season, but he’s acquitted himself well.

4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
What Heiskanen lacks in offensive numbers — he has two goals and eight points — he more than makes up for in reliability and it’s become abundantly clear that he’s among the best young defenders in the game. His skill appears near limitless. The difficulty for Heiskanen is going to be making up ground in the scoring race, and the offensive numbers will likely make or break his candidacy, as we saw last season with Charlie McAvoy.

5. Brett Howden, New York Rangers
Howden surprised by making the Rangers out of camp and he’s been earning his minutes in New York. Not only is he producing, scoring four goals and 12 points in 21 games, but he’s gaining the trust of the coaching staff thanks to his consistency in the faceoff circle and attention to detail. He’ll need a hot streak to get into contention, though, especially with Pettersson and Tkachuk looking as though they could continue to pull away from the pack.

Honorable Mention: Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes; Dennis Cholowski, Detroit Red Wings; Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres; Drake Batherson, Ottawa Senators; Oskar Lindblom, Philadelphia Flyers

(Jared Clinton/The Hockey News)

This And That

--Welcome to Friday and the usual thoughts running through my muddled mind. As always, they are in no particular order.

--The Montreal Alouettes of the NHL.  That is how someone referred to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday when word broke of the Todd McLellan firing.  As much as that hurts being an Oilers fan, its accurate.

Todd McLellan's removal as head coach was somewhat surprising, but it was made moreso because the guy who should be walking the plank is still employed and that is GM Peter Chiarelli.  It is no secret he has been a disaster.  Let's recap

• After getting Connor McDavid, Chiarelli traded Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson.  This deal had to be made because Hall had been the leader of the team and the new leader had shown up. However, the end result for Hall, who is the reigning MVP, wasn't even close to being enough.  The Oilers needed more for someone of Hall's ilk 
• After a horrible playoffs, Jordan Eberle was traded to the Islanders for Ryan Strome. How did that work?
• Milan Lucic was signed to a 7 year, 42 million dollar contract
• He traded three draft picks to the Rangers for an unproven goaltender in Cam Talbot
• He traded a first round pick for Griffin Reinhart.  That pick ended up being last year's rookie of the year Matt Barzal

This is Chiarelli's mess and not McLellan's.  Is Todd to blame for the fact Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer Yamamoto saw their development stall?  That's a question I can't answer.  If one was to go, the other had to as well.  The fact Chiarelli remains makes me think that Ken Hitchcock or no Ken Hitchcock this team is not going to be a playoff team despite the fact we still have three-quarters of the season to go.  When that happens, Chiarelli then indeed should be gone.   I can only wonder what Connor McDavid says about this behind closed doors.  Let's hope he finds the right Uber driver in Arizona so that we can find out. 

--Dave Dickenson was fined this week for swearing.  Huh?  This is just another example of CFL buffoonery.  What head coach doesn't cuss a time or two on the sidelines.  Has Chris Jones ever been fined for this? How about Jason Maas? Did Kent Austin?  Did Wally Buono ever get fined for continuously wandering onto the field.  All Dickenson was guilty of was swearing with a camera nearby.  All coaches --OK, 95 percent of them---cuss and swear their hearts out.  We don't see them getting fined. 

Still with Dickenson, if the Stampeders lose on Sunday what do you do?  That will be three straight years Calgary will have gone to the dance and lost.  Will John Hufnagel stand for that?  There is already talk the Calgary dynasty will crumble if Bo Levi Mitchell heads to the NFL. I've bought into that narrative of Calgary not being as strong as they have the year previous and they just keep winning.  If the Stamps win, this conversation ends. If they don't, it will be a very uncomfortable December for Dickenson.   This just in, I don't think they win.  I am taking Ottawa to win this game.

--In the midst of watching the NFL Thanksgiving Day triple-header, I saw TSN2 was showing the 2013 Grey Cup.  It's an event that you just have to watch whenever it is on isn't it? Damn, Taylor Field looked great that day in what was maybe the old girl's shining moment. I think it is safe to say many members of Rider Nation remember every moment of that November night.  I don't know how many times I have watched that game, but I didn't realize until seeing it Thursday that Corey Chamblin got the gatorade shower with two minutes to go. That was a little early wasn't it?  It doesn't really matter though does it.

--Congrats to Chris Jones for being named the CFL Coach of The Year.  I don't think there was really any doubt.

--The CFLPA announced its all-star team Thursday.  How does Adam Bighill not make it amongst his peers?  That's a weird one. Is the Bombers linebacker not popular with his fellow players?  There has to be a reason.

--Week 12 NFL Lock of the Week -- Eagles over Giants
--Week 12 NFL Upset of The Week -- Browns over Bengals

--Monday's Chiefs-Rams game may have been the best football game I have ever seen. What didn't that game have? Big plays on both sides of the ball with the defense coming up huge for LA in the end.  10 TD passes were thrown in that game----the Riders threw 11 all season.  I think many are hoping for a repeat in the Super Bowl, but I think New Orleans will have something to say about that.  I don't think we have heard the last of the Patriots either.

--There is a long ways to go in the SJHL season, but one can't help notice the Humboldt Broncos have the most wins in the league.  How they are doing this considering what happened is simply amazing.  They had to basically throw a new team together under the worst of circumstances. If they could keep this up and win a league title, you could just start making the movie now.  You know a lot of people are pushing for them.

--If American Thanksgiving is the bellwether of who makes and who doesn't make the NHL playoffs, then there will be a different look to the dance this year.  Both the Penguins and Knights would be out, Buffalo would be in and so would Montreal.  Calgary would be back as well.

Last year at this time, you would have had Ottawa and Calgary in and that didn't happen.  They say 75 percent of the teams in a playoff spot now can start printing playoff tickets.  I guess we'll have to wait until April to see.  It is hard to think there are so many games to go, but we are talking about this. The numbers show there is a reason though.

--That's all I got.  Enjoy Grey Cup weekend and get that credit card out for Black Friday specials.

Dickenson & Campbell Speak On Many Topics at Grey Cup Coaches Newser

Dave Dickenson and Rick Campbell opened the Grey Cup coaches news conference by taking care of business.

Dickenson apologized again for  his controversial remarks during Calgary’s 22-14 West Division final win over Winnipeg. An emotional Dickenson was yelling at officials about some calls that were being made in front of Winnipeg head coach Mike O’Shea when TV cameras picked up Dickenson uttering "(expletive) Canadians."

"I just want to let you know I let my emotions get the best of me," he said. "I talk to my players a lot about having poise and I lacked poise.

"I just want to make sure people know at no time were my comments directed at the Canadian people or the CFL. I really, truly believe I am Canadian, not by birth certificate but by choice. I’ve lived up here for 22 years, I’ve got a Canadian wife, two Canadian kids, and Calgary’s home. Sometimes in football you maybe cross a line and I certainly apologize for that, and I own those remarks."

As for Campbell, he let it be known defensive back Jonathan Rose, who finished tied for the CFL lead in interceptions with five and had a key pick in Ottawa’s 46-27 East Division final win over Hamilton, will play Sunday. Rose was ejected late in the first half Sunday for contacting an official, earning a one-game suspension from the CFL.

That was quickly appealed by the CFL Players’ Association, opening the door for Rose to play Sunday.

"We will use him and have him play in the game," Campbell said. "I’m going to stay away from commenting on it and our team’s going to stay away from commenting on it.

"There’s a whole process that’s got to happen between the league and the union and let that whole thing play out."

Calgary (13-5) finished atop the West Division standings for a third straight year and is a stellar 41-1-2 (.777) under Dickenson. But the ’18 season was hardly a smooth one with numerous injuries to the receiving corps and three late-season losses that forced the Stampeders to earn a 26-9 road win over B.C. to clinch first place.

"I think we showed some resiliency and I think that’s missing in life these days," he said. "We want a resilient team, we want guys that can overcome adversity.

"A lot of people thought we were on our way out. I feel good about the guys in our locker room, and hoping to use that momentum to win one more game."

Campbell has compiled a 41-47-2 since joining the expansion Redblacks. But after posting a 2-16 marks in ’14 — the franchise’s first year of operation — Ottawa is 39-31-2 under Campbell.

The Stampeders are four point favourites to win the 106th Grey Cup Sunday night.. Kickoff is at 5 on TSN and CKRM.

NFL Thanksgiving Day Preview

For generations of Americans, the tradition of Thanksgiving Day and NFL football are historically intertwined.

On Thanksgiving in 1925, a crowd of 36,000 – then the largest in professional football history – watched the Chicago Bears play the Chicago Cardinals to a scoreless tie at Wrigley Field. In 1934, the Detroit Lions and the defending world champion Bears squared off on Thanksgiving in the first NFL game nationally broadcast, with NBC radio on the call. This year, the three holiday games will be played inside stadiums with a combined capacity of over 215,000 and will be aired to millions across the country and around the world.

The 2018 installment of Thanksgiving Day football will feature a tripleheader for the 13th consecutive season. For only the second time since 1970 (2014), the holiday will feature exclusively divisional matchups.

The first game showcases a battle of NFC North rivals as the Chicago Bears travel to Detroit to face the Lions (12:30 PM ET, CBS). The late afternoon game marks the 41st consecutive Thanksgiving Day contest hosted in Dallas as the Cowboys welcome the Washington Redskins to AT&T Stadium (4:30 PM ET, FOX). The holiday concludes at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome as the Atlanta Falcons take on the New Orleans Saints in the 99th regular-season meeting between the NFC South rivals (8:20 PM ET, NBC). 

GAME	NETWORK	LOCAL TIME	EASTERN TIME
Chicago Bears (7-3) at Detroit Lions (4-6)	CBS	12:30 PM ET	12:30 PM
Washington Redskins (6-4) at Dallas Cowboys (5-5)	FOX	3:30 PM CT	4:30 PM
Atlanta Falcons (4-6) at New Orleans Saints (9-1)	NBC	7:20 PM CT	8:20 PM

​

The Lions will play their 79th Thanksgiving Day game dating back to 1934, while the Cowboys will play in their 51st since 1966. The Bears and Redskins will play in their 35th and 11th games, respectively, on the holiday. The Falcons will play in their third and the Saints will play in their second Thanksgiving game.

The Thanksgiving Day records of the teams playing this Thursday:

TEAM	WON	LOST	TIED
Atlanta Falcons	1	1	0
Chicago Bears	17	15	2
Dallas Cowboys	30	19	1
Detroit Lions	37	39	2
New Orleans Saints	1	0	0
Washington Redskins	3	7	0

CHICAGO (7-3) at DETROIT (4-6): Thursday’s matchup marks the 17th Thanksgiving Day meeting between the Bears and the Lions, dating back to November 29, 1934. Pro Football Hall of Famer BRONKO NAGURKSI threw a two-yard touchdown pass to BILL HEWITT for Chicago to secure a 19-16 victory over Detroit in the first holiday meeting between the two teams. In their last Thanksgiving Day matchup, Lions quarterbackMATTHEW STAFFORD completed 34 of 45 attempts (75.6 percent) for 390 yards with two touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 116.0 passer rating in the Lions’ 34-17 victory on November 27, 2014.

Chicago sits atop the NFC North with a 7-3 record and has won four consecutive games. Bears quarterback MITCHELL TRUBISKY leads all NFL quarterbacks with 363 rushing yards this season and is averaging 7.1 yards per carry, the highest average in the league (minimum 50 attempts). Chicago’s defense, led by linebacker KHALIL MACK’s eight sacks and five forced fumbles, leads the NFL with 18 interceptions, ranks first in the NFC with 16 forced fumbles and ties for fourth in the league with 32 sacks.

Detroit enters Week 12 following a 20-19 victory over Carolina last week. Lions wide receiver KENNY GOLLADAY had eight catches for 113 yards, including the go-ahead 19-yard touchdown catch with 5:13 remaining in the fourth quarter, and rookie running backKERRYON JOHNSON added a rushing score in the win. Linebacker JARRAD DAVIS, who leads the team with 63 tackles, is one of four NFL players with at least 60 tackles (63) and four sacks (four) in 2018.

The Lions have won four of its past five Thanksgiving Day games. In eight career games on Thanksgiving, Stafford has 2,469 passing yards (308.6 per game), the most on the holiday in league annals, and 17 touchdown passes, the second-most by a quarterback on Thanksgiving Day behind only TONY ROMO (18 touchdown passes).

The players with the most career passing yards and touchdown passes on Thanksgiving:

PASSING YARDS
PLAYER	TEAM	GAMES	PASSING YARDS
Matthew Stafford*	Detroit	8	2,469
Tony Romo	Dallas	10	2,338
Troy Aikman^	Dallas	10	2,174
Danny White	Dallas	10	1,545
Bart Starr^	Green Bay	8	1,345
*Active ^Pro Football Hall of Famer
TOUCHDOWN PASSES
PLAYER	TEAM	GAMES	TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Tony Romo	Dallas	10	18
Matthew Stafford*	Detroit	8	17
Bobby Layne^	Detroit	8	14
Danny White	Dallas	10	14
Troy Aikman^	Dallas	10	11
Brett Favre^	Green Bay	4	11
*Active ^Pro Football Hall of Famer

WASHINGTON (6-4) at DALLAS (5-5): The Redskins and Cowboys meet for the 118th time in series history (including the postseason), with Dallas holding a 70-45-2 advantage. Thursday marks the ninth Thanksgiving Day meeting between the two teams, with the Cowboys leading the holiday series 7-1.

​The first meeting between the two teams on Thanksgiving was played at the Cotton Bowl on November 28, 1968. Cowboys running backs DON PERKINS and CRAIG BAYNHAMeach rushed for a score and rookie defensive lineman LARRY COLE had a five-yard interception-return touchdown in Dallas’ 29-20 victory.

Last week, Washington running back ADRIAN PETERSON rushed for two touchdowns and safety HA HA CLINTON-DIX tied a career high with 13 tackles and recorded a forced fumble in the Redskins’ loss to Houston. Peterson has 105 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN RIGGINS (104) for the sixth-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history. The five players with more career rushing touchdowns are all enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: EMMITT SMITH (164), LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (145), MARCUS ALLEN (123), WALTER PAYTON (110) and JIM BROWN(106).

Washington will make its 11th appearance on Thanksgiving Day and will play on the holiday for the third-consecutive season. Last year, wide receiver JAMISON CROWDERhad 141 receiving yards with a touchdown and linebacker RYAN KERRIGAN recorded two sacks in the Redskins’ 20-10 victory over the New York Giants.

In Week 11, Dallas running back EZEKIEL ELLIOTT totaled 201 scrimmage yards (122 rushing, 79 receiving) and a rushing touchdown and kicker BRETT MAHER converted the game-winning 42-yard field goal as time expired in the Cowboys’ 22-19 victory over Atlanta. Elliott, who has 4,540 scrimmage yards and 32 touchdowns in 35 career games, joined Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON (4,731 scrimmage yards, 38 touchdowns) and EDGERRIN JAMES (4,842 scrimmage yards, 38 touchdowns) as the only players in NFL history with at least 4,500 scrimmage yards and 30 touchdowns in their first 35 career games in NFL history.

In the last Thanksgiving Day meeting between the teams, Elliott rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns, quarterback DAK PRESCOTT both passed and rushed for a touchdown and linebacker SEAN LEE recorded 14 tackles and one tackle for loss in Dallas’ 31-26 victory in 2016.

ATLANTA (4-6) at NEW ORLEANS (9-1): The Falcons and Saints close out an all-day spread of Thanksgiving football with a meeting of two NFC South rivals. Thursday marks the 100th overall meeting between the two teams (including the postseason), with Atlanta leading the series 52-47. The Falcons will make their third appearance on Thanksgiving and first since 2007, while the Saints will be playing in their second game on the holiday with their only previous appearance coming in 2010.

In Week 3, New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES completed 39 of 49 passes (79.6 percent) for 396 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions and rushed for two scores, including a game-tying seven-yard touchdown with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter and the game-winning one-yard touchdown in overtime, in the Saints’ 43-37 overtime victory at Atlanta. Falcons quarterback MATT RYAN threw five touchdown passes, including three to rookie wide receiver CALVIN RIDLEY, in the loss.

Atlanta looks to rebound following a Week 11 loss to Dallas. Falcons wide receiver JULIO JONES had six catches for 118 yards and a touchdown last week. Jones leads the NFL with 1,158 receiving yards this season and has 46 career games with 100+ receiving yards, the most by a player in his first eight seasons in NFL history. Ryan is averaging 330.6 passing yards per game this season, the highest mark in the NFL, and is the only player in the league averaging 300+ passing yards and completing at least 70 percent of his passes (71.1 percent).

Last week, Brees threw for 363 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 153.2 passer rating in the Saints’ 48-7 victory over Philadelphia. Brees has 23 career games with at least four touchdown passes and zero interceptions, including two this season, surpassing New England's TOM BRADY (22) for the most such games by a quarterback in NFL history. New Orleans, which has won nine consecutive games and sits atop the NFC South with a 9-1 record, has scored at least 40 points in six games this season, the most by a team in its first 10 games of a season in NFL history.