It didn’t take long for the drama to ensue during the NFL Thanksgiving games today. The Detroit Lions‘ hot start to the season had many believing a win today was a foregone conclusion. However, the Lions went into a 20-6 hole in the first quarter and could never claw their way back, losing to the Green Bay Packers 29-22. But did a waxing gibbous have anything to do with it?
While three lost fumbles and three failed fourth-down conversions could explain the Lions’ loss, what if the moon phases determined Detroit’s outcome today? Let’s look at what a waxing gibbous is and what it has to do with the Lions’ Thanksgiving record.
What Is a Waxing Gibbous Moon Phase?
There are eight different moon phases. Starting with the new moon as an all-black circle, as the sun begins to illuminate the moon in its orbit, it becomes a waxing crescent until the moon is half-illuminated when it becomes a first quarter moon. From the first quarter to the full illumination of the moon, also known as a full moon, the moon is a waxing gibbous.
As the moon passes halfway through its cycle, the sun starts to lighten less as it becomes a waning gibbous until it hits a third quarter moon. From third quarter back to new, the moon is a waning crescent completing its cycle in about 30 days. But what does this have to do with the Lions?
Did the Moon Predict the Lions’ Thanksgiving Loss?
So, what do the moon phases have to do with the Lions winning or losing? Given that the Lions have played on Thanksgiving every year since 1945, there’s plenty of data to see how the Lions perform under different moon phases.
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When looking through the years, a Twitter user pointed out that since the AFL/NFL merger, the Lions are now 0-13 when there is a waxing gibbous on Thanksgiving. The most recent, before today’s loss, came in 2020 when the Lions lost to the Houston Texans 41-25.
i have bad news for the lions 🙁
since the afl/nfl merger, they are 0-12 (.000) on thanksgiving when the moon is in a waxing gibbous phase. tomorrow is a waxing gibbous pic.twitter.com/IlKqXH5cgr
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) November 22, 2023
“I have bad news for the lions 🙁 since the AFL/NFL merger, they are 0-12 (.000) on Thanksgiving when the moon is in a waxing gibbous phase. tomorrow is a waxing gibbous.”
The Packers’ 29-22 victory further adds to the Lions’ waxing gibbous Thanksgiving curse. With the next Thanksgiving waxing gibbous not until 2031, the Lions will have to wait eight years before they get another chance to get their first win under the moon phase. What about a waning gibbous, you ask? The Lions are 6-7 on the opposite side of the phases.
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