Biggest Winners and Losers of Thanksgiving Day (What's Happening to the Cowboys?)

Favorites had gone 32-14 against the spread on Thanksgiving since 2005, good for a 70% winning percentage. This year, however, the underdogs came out swinging.

First, the Detroit Lions (+3), despite failing yet again to notch their first straight-up victory of the season, still covered for their bettors in their 16-14 loss to the Chicago Bears at home.

Then, the Dallas Cowboys, fresh off a road loss to Kansas City, fell as a 7.5-point favorites in an outright upset by the Las Vegas Raiders, losing in overtime 36-33.

While the Bills destroyed the Saints 31-6, covering the 7-point closing number, a 2-1 day for underdogs; including a straight-up win as the biggest dog of the day remains impressive.

With the Thanksgiving slate of games officially in the books, let's take in the top winners and losers of the day.

All odds referenced are via WynnBET Sportsbook.

Thanksgiving Winners

Kickers not named Greg Zuerlein

Both of the afternoon matchups went down to the wire, with the kickers delivering the final dagger. In Detroit, Bears kicker Cairo Santos hit from 28 yards with no time left on the clock as the Bears completed an 8 minute, 30 second drive down 14-13, churning up nearly 3/4 of the 4th quarter in the process.

Later on, it was Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson who not only gave Las Vegas the go-ahead field goal in overtime, he also went 5/5 with a long of 56 yards at Jerry World on Thursday.

As for Zuerlein, while he finished 2/3 in actual field goals, he missed an extra point as well. If Zuerlein would have hit both, Dallas would have had four more points; giving them a 37-36 victory, rather than a 36-33 defeat.

Josh Allen and the Bills' Offense

Buffalo got their offensive mojo back in a difficult road environment Thursday evening, as they throttled the Saints on the road. Compared to the games at Jacksonville and at home vs. the Colts, Allen didn't make any dangerous turnovers at critical moments.

Despite the up and down nature of their team, the Bills still rank second in the NFL in points scored. Should they continue to string more of these types of wins together, they'll be the once thought-of force many anticipated at the beginning of the year.

Thanksgiving Losers

Jared Goff and Dan Campbell

While Lions' spread bettors aren't complaining one bit; covering as 3-point underdogs in their loss to Chicago, it's another "L" to the column for both the Lions' head coach and his quarterback.

Campbell is now 0-10-1 in his first year as the Lions head coach. Even more eye-opening? Jared Goff still has yet to earn a an NFL victory under a coach not named Sean McVay.

Goff signed a 4 year, $143,000,000 contract a few years back with the Rams, so maybe it's not fair to call him a loser considering the cash he's bringing home, but he's still in search of a very notable win.

Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys and Bettors Who Jumped on the Betting Bandwagon

To those poor bettors who just a few weeks ago saw the Cowboys as an 7-0 team ATS this season, you may want to re-think things at this moment. Dallas has now lost three of their last four games, failing to cover the spread in each one.

Meanwhile, for as much flack as Mike McCarthy takes in Dallas, many of which is deserved, a "blown challenge" should not be on him.

Fans wanted McCarthy to challenge a recovered fumble forced on Darren Waller, but McCarthy couldn't challenge it because an earlier review indicated Waller never possessed the football.

The Saints and their Impressive Season Start

Remember when the Saints, in their first "home game" of the season travelled to Jacksonville to face the Packers and destroyed them 38-3?

Me neither.

Truth of the matter, it feels like ages ago, but at one time this Saints squad was 5-2, sitting in arm's length of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Now they've lost four straight and could be in line for their first under .500 season since 2016. Meanwhile, who knows how Sean Payton and the Saints will handle the latest injury situation for the newly extended Taysom Hill.