5 things to watch during the NFL Thanksgiving games

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SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Eli Manning No. 10 of the New York Giants stands in the tunnel prior to playing the San Francisco 49ers in their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

So how over the hill is Eli Manning?

Interestingly, the Raiders will meet three of these six teams playing on Thanksgiving in the final five weeks. The first team we’ll talk about is the New York Giants. New York is easily the worst of these three teams on the Raiders’ slate. The Giants are a terrible 2-8 and might be the worst team in the NFC.

Then again, they did beat the AFC West division leader in the Kansas City Chiefs at home in Week 11. That being said, Kansas City is struggling mightily having lost four of its last five games. Since the Raiders only play the Giants once every four years, 2017 looks to be the last time that the Silver and Black will play Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

Manning is a two-time Super Bowl champion, a fringe Pro Football Hall of Famer and the youngest son of the first family in the NFL. However, he is falling off a cliff as an NFL quarterback. Sure, we might get to watch Manning be unathletic on Sunday Night Football at least thrice annually, but Raiders fans will play closer attention to this game knowing Manning and the Giants are still on the schedule.

Along with sizing up the Giants, this game and the Washington Redskins could let us know if Manning is still a worthy adversary for Oakland quarterback Derek Carr. The last time the Raiders played an NFC East team, Kirk Cousins destroyed Oakland on Sunday Night Football in Week 3. Essentially, does Manning still have the quarterbacking ability to carve up this bad Raiders defense or is he so over the hill it doesn’t even matter?

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