The NFL schedule release revealed that the Patriots and Vikings have been added to the Thanksgiving Day slate of games in 2022.
With the NFL schedule release revealing what this upcoming season will look like, fans are getting a peek at what the Thanksgiving Day feast of games will look like.
As usual, the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are hosting games in the early morning and mid-afternoon slots. But the NFL has played a game of roulette with the primetime matchup, and two new teams have been added to the slate.
More specifically, two teams are making a long-awaited return to football’s special day.
According to Patriots beat writer Karen Guregian, Thanksgiving night will be hosted in Foxborough with the Minnesota Vikings coming to town.
NFL schedule release: Patriots-Vikings rounds our Thanksgiving Day games
It will mark the first time since 2017 that the Vikings are taking part in the Thanksgiving Day action. New England, on the other hand, hasn’t played on Thanksgiving in a decade having last played all the way back in 2012.
Without meaning too much disrespect, the Patriots-Vikings matchup saves the general football public from yet another year of the Saints and Falcons playing each other in the primetime game. Somehow three of the last four Thanksgivings have featured either the Saints and Falcons in the nighttime window with two of those being matchups between the two teams (New Orleans played the Bills last year).
Those already assuming Kirk Cousins and the Vikings will waltz into Gillette Stadium and get handed a loss should know that Minnesota has a 6-2 record in Thanksgiving Day games. The most famous of their showdowns was in 1998 when Randy Moss torched the Dallas Cowboys for three touchdowns, all of which were over 50 yards.
New England, on the other hand, is only 3-2 in Thanksgiving Day games but hasn’t lost since somehow getting blown out by the Detroit Lions back in 2000. Of course, the Patriots most famous Thanksgiving Day highlight was the Mark Sanchez Butt Fumble back in 2012.