The Houston Texans are taking on the Detroit Lions in Week 12 on Thanksgiving at Ford Field.
Coach Bill O’Brien, who enjoys taking advantage of opportunities and taking part in NFL traditions, is looking forward to the Turkey Day tilt with the NFC North opponent.
“That’s another great opportunity, just such an NFL tradition to be one of the teams to be able to play the Detroit Lions who are always on Thanksgiving, and we’re able to be one of those teams that plays them this year obviously,” O’Brien told Texans TV’s Drew Dougherty on Thursday. “I’ve coached in that game before and it’s an exciting game to be a part of and another really tough NFC North opponent with a head coach that I know very well, Matt Patricia.”
O’Brien was a part of the New England Patriots’ offensive staff in 2010 when the Patriots dispatched the hometown Lions 45-24. Two years later, the Texans would make their Thanksgiving debut in Detroit when they beat the Lions 34-31 in overtime with Shayne Graham delivering the game-winning 32-yard field goal.
With the Texans playing on Thanksgiving for the second time in club history, they will have played more times on the holiday than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Cincinnati Bengals.
“I think, again, that’s something our players are going to be really excited about, national TV game, Thanksgiving,” said O’Brien. “That’s what it’s all about, right? Football and turkey on Thanksgiving, and we’ll be a big part of that.”
The Texans will have a 10-day break after playing the early game on Thanksgiving. It will be a welcome mini-bye as Houston gears up for the final five-game stretch that includes their series with the Indianapolis Colts and a Week 17 encounter with the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium that could be for all the marbles in the AFC South.
