The Houston Texans trailed Detroit 14-13 early in the second quarter of their Week 12 game on Thanksgiving last season before scoring 28 of the game’s next 31 points en route to a 16-point win. And in covering a 3-point spread as a road favorite, the Texans followed an NFL betting trend for Thanksgiving games.
The Texans were the eighth road team since 2003 to close as a favorite of three points or fewer in a Thanksgiving game. Those teams are 8-0 against the spread, covering by an average of 10.9 points per game. Five of those teams covered by at least 10 points, including the Texans.
| Year | Matchup | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Broncos (-1.5) at Cowboys | Broncos 24, Cowboys 21 |
| 2005 | Falcons (-3) at Lions | Falcons 27, Lions 7 |
| 2006 | Dolphins (-3) at Lions | Dolphins 27, Lions 10 |
| 2015 | Panthers (-1) at Cowboys | Panthers 33, Cowboys 14 |
| 2017 | Chargers (-1) at Cowboys | Chargers 28, Cowboys 6 |
| 2017 | Vikings (-2.5) at Lions | Vikings 30, Cowboys 23 |
| 2018 | Bears (-3) at Lions | Bears 23, Lions 16 |
| 2020 | Texans (-3) at Lions | Texans 41, Lions 25 |
In all other Thanksgiving games over the last 18 seasons, the road team is just 21-22 against the spread, including 3-10 when the home team is favored by at least 10 points.
The Chicago Bears, as of Tuesday, Nov. 23, are 3-point road favorites against the Detroit Lions on Thursday. It’s their third Thanksgiving game in the last four seasons, all of which have been at Ford Field against the Detroit Lions. And in one of those visits – 2018 – they covered -3 in a 23-16 win.
You can view updated NFL spreads for all Week 12 games at the BetMGM sportsbook.
