Week 13 of the 2024 NFL regular season is upon us. With two-thirds of the season in the books, the postseason countdown and Turkey Day festivities kick off with the NFL Thanksgiving game between the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions.
With the Lions being fixtures across the country on Thanksgiving, they’ll engage in an NFC North battle as they look to continue their dominance this season. Will the Bears be able to put up a fight or just get added to the list of teams Detroit has handily beaten?
Here’s how to watch the first NFL Thanksgiving game today, including the start time, channel, live stream options, and more.
How Do You Watch the First NFL Thanksgiving Game?
The Lions playing on Thanksgiving has been one of the oldest traditions in the NFL. With Detroit playing on Turkey Day since 1934, not only have the Lions become fixtures on Thanksgiving, but so has the NFC North — specifically the Bears and Green Bay Packers.
The Packers’ 2023 matchup against the Lions was the 22nd meeting between the two franchises on Thanksgiving Day. Meanwhile, the battle between the Bears and Lions is just behind them as they play their 20th Thanksgiving throwdown today.
With plenty of food and football to fill your day, here’s how to watch the first NFL Thanksgiving game.
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
- Start time: 12:30 p.m. ET
- Channel: CBS
- Live stream options: Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, CBS All-Access
- Radio Stations: WBBM Newsradio 780 AM & 105.9 FM, 97.1 The Ticket
- Starting QBs: Caleb Williams, Jared Goff
- Betting lines:
- Spread: DET -10
- Total: 48.5
- Moneyline: DET -500, CHI +380
After years of embarrassment in Detroit, the Dan Campbell era has seen a massive turnaround in the quality of play and expectations, as shown by the Lions’ best start to a season since they began playing on Thanksgiving in 1934. From top-notch execution on both the offensive and defensive line, even after the loss of DE Aidan Hutchinson, to elite scheming from the coaching staff, the Lions look borderline unstoppable in 2024.
There weren’t many questions about the offense coming into the season, and it’s clear why. Even if Jared Goff wasn’t the long-term plan when Detroit initially acquired him in a trade for Matthew Stafford, he’s gone from being an afterthought to a franchise leader.
It does help when you are flanked by one of the best running back duos in the NFL. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, or “Sonic and Knuckles,” have combined for 1,518 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. If you include receiving yards, the duo is nearing 2,000 yards on the season with six more games left on the schedule.
Will they be in for a big day on Thanksgiving?
While Chicago has improved somewhat in the past few weeks, the Bears struggle to close out games. That’s not an issue you want to have against a team that can take advantage of every error while brushing off its own.
Rookie QB Caleb Williams and the offense will have to play clean football while utilizing drives to take time off the clock if they hope to take down this year’s NFL’s goliath.
An NFL game is never a foregone conclusion, but based on the level of play this season, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Bears pull this one off. The Lions hope to move to 11-1 and get the all-time Thanksgiving record one game closer to .500.
2024 Regular-Season Stats Leaders
- QB:
- Bears: Caleb Williams, 233 cmp/372 att, 2,356 yards, 11 TDs, five INTs
- Lions: Jared Goff, 223 cmp/306 att, 2,761 yards, 20 TDs, nine INTs
- RB:
- Bears: D’Andre Swift, 168 carries, 665 yards, five TDs
- Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs, 154 carries, 886 yards, 10 TDs
- WR:
- Bears: DJ Moore, 54 rec/80 targets, 566 yards, four TDs
- Lions: Amon-Ra St. Brown, 71/85 targets, 747 yards, nine TDs