Fans everywhere are in for a heaping holiday helping of NFL football this weekend, beginning with the traditional Thanksgiving Day games and concluding with a Monday Night Football contest featuring something seemingly as natural as the traditional American holiday – BRETT FAVRE starting at quarterback for the Green Bay Packers.

Detroit (4-6), which will have a vocal sellout crowd welcoming them at Ford Field, has a 33-29-2 (.529) record on Thanksgiving, including wins in 10 of their past 15 Turkey Day games. The Colts will make only their second Thanksgiving appearance, playing to a 24-24 tie with Detroit in 1965.

"It’s an absolute honor to be involved in one of the greatest traditions, not only in the NFL, but in all of sports," says Lions head coach STEVE MARIUCCI. "For someone who is from Michigan and always watched the Lions on Thanksgiving Day, to now be involved in the game makes it even more special."

Meanwhile in Dallas, the second half of the Thursday doubleheader features the Cowboys and Chicago Bears at Texas Stadium.

Dallas is also a tough opponent for any Thanksgiving visitor, posting a 22-13-1 (.625) record on the day. Its first Thanksgiving game was against the Cleveland Browns on November 24, 1966, a 26-14 Cowboys win. The Bears are no stranger to working on Thanksgiving, compiling a 16-13-2 (.548) mark, and will make their 32nd Thanksgiving appearance, the third-most in the NFL (after Detroit and Dallas).

Thanksgiving has been the backdrop for many memorable NFL performances, including ERNIE NEVERS’ NFL record six touchdowns for the Chicago Cardinals on November 28, 1929 in a 40-6 win over the cross-town rival Bears.

A look at various single-game Thanksgiving Day records:

* NFL record

In the NFC East in Week 12, a division title is on the line for the 9-1 Philadelphia Eagles. A road win over the division-rival New York Giants (5-5) on Sunday will make the Eagles division champions for the fourth consecutive season. Philadelphia would also become only the third team since the NFL instituted the 16-game schedule in 1978 to clinch a division title after 11 games, joining the 1985 Chicago Bears and 1997 San Francisco 49ers.

The weekend concludes with a Monday night matchup at venerable Lambeau Field featuring a pair of high-scoring teams bidding for the playoffs – the St. Louis Rams and the Packers – and one quarterback who just keeps going and going and going.

Green Bay passer Favre is expected to start his 200th consecutive game, the most in NFL history by a quarterback. Favre can also accomplish several other significant milestones. With one touchdown pass, he will account for his 11th consecutive 20-TD pass season, surpassing DAN MARINO (10) for the most in NFL history.