How Lions Have Fared in Last 10 Thanksgiving Games

Lions trying to snap seven-game Thanksgiving losing streak.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) scores a touchdown on Thanksgiving against the Philadelphia Eagles. / Tim Fuller-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have enjoyed historic levels of success over the last two seasons, notching their first division title and playoff win in over 30 years last season and starting this year 10-1.

However, the ghosts of Thanksgivings past still linger. Detroit has lost seven straight Thanksgiving games, and will hope to snap the skid with a win on Thursday against the Chicago Bears. The Lions are heavily favored in the matchup, but will have to execute in order to claim what would be their 10th consecutive win this season.

Detroit plays annually on Thanksgiving, which puts them on the national stage as part of a tripleheader. Historically, the Lions are 37-45-2 in games on the holiday. They are 8-11 all-time against the Bears on Thanksgiving, with this year's meeting being the 20th between the two teams.

Here's a look at how the Lions have fared in each of their last 10 appearances on Thanksgiving.

2023: Vs. Green Bay Packers (Loss, 29-22)

The Packers set the tone for this game with a 53-yard pass from Jordan Love to Christian Watson on the first play from scrimmage. Green Bay scored first, and the Lions returned the favor but trailed 7-6 thanks to a missed extra point.

The Packers would tack on 14 unanswered, including a fumble return touchdown by Jonathan Owens, to take a 20-6 lead. A field goal made it 23-6 at halftime, and the Packers added a touchdown in the third quarter before Detroit's late score made it the final of 29-22.

2022: Vs. Buffalo Bills (Loss 28-25)

The Lions entered this game as winners of three straight after a 1-6 start to the year. The Bills at 7-3 were considered to be one of the league's best teams, but Detroit put up a strong battle. Buffalo led 19-14 at the end of three quarters, setting the stage for an exciting final stanza.

Detroit took a 22-19 lead on a touchdown from Jared Goff to DJ Chark, but Buffalo answered with a touchdown from Josh Allen to Stefon Diggs with 2:40 remaining. The Lions drove down the field before making the questionable decision to throw deep on third-and-1 from Buffalo's 33-yard line.

The pass was incomplete, and Michael Badgley tied the game with a field goal from 51 yards out with :28 remaining. However, a long pass from Allen to Diggs set up Tyler Bass' game-winning 45-yard field goal.

2021: Vs. Chicago Bears (Loss 16-14)

The last time these two teams met on Thanksgiving, their respective situations looked much different. Andy Dalton was Chicago's starting quarterback, and threw for 317 yards on a winless Lions team in the first year of the Dan Campbell era.

Detroit led 14-13 after three thanks to two Jared Goff touchdown passes. With the Bears facing a third-and-9 with under two minutes to go, Campbell called back-to-back timeouts resulting in a five-yard penalty. Chicago would then convert the shorter third down and run out the clock, leading to a game-winning field goal from Cairo Santos.

2020: Vs. Houston Texans (Loss 41-25)

This game will be remembered as the final one of the Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn era. Detroit entered the game with a record of 4-6, clinging to slim playoff chances. They were throttled by Houston, who was 3-7 entering the game.

Deshaun Watson threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Will Fuller V who had 171 receiving yards. The Lions actually held a 7-0 lead, but a pick-six by J.J. Watt set off a 23-7 run for the Texans to give them a nine-point halftime lead.

The Lions pulled within a score with a Matt Prater field goal, but the Texans would stretch their lead to 41-17 before a late touchdown from Matthew Stafford to Mohamed Sanu.

2019: Vs. Chicago Bears (Loss 24-20)

With Matthew Stafford and Jeff Driskel both out, the Lions placed their hopes of winning in the hands of rookie quarterback David Blough. The rookie's career started off with a bang, as he hit Kenny Golladay for a 75-yard touchdown on his first drive.

Blough threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and the Lions held a 20-17 lead after a Matt Prater field goal with 10:47 remaining. However, current Lions running back David Montgomery had the game-winning score on a 3-yard pass from Mitch Trubisky with 2:17 remaining.

Montgomery wasn't the only current Lion to make an impact, as wide receiver Allen Robinson caught the game's first touchdown from Trubisky.

2018: Vs. Chicago Bears (Loss 23-16)

The Bears featured backup quarterback Chase Daniel as their starter in the 2018 edition of this matchup. A pair of rushing touchdowns by LeGarrette Blount put the Lions in front 13-9 after three quarters.

Chicago would take a lead early in the fourth quarter on a touchdown pass from Daniel to Tarik Cohen, but Detroit answered on a Matt Prater field goal. Yet, Matthew Stafford threw the game-deciding interception to Eddie Jackson, who returned it for a touchdown with six minutes left.

Stafford would lead the Lions down the field, but his final pass was picked off in the end zone by Kyle Fuller.

2017: Vs. Minnesota Vikings (Loss 30-23)

The Minnesota Vikings were in the midst of a historic season that would end in the NFC Championship when they came to Ford Field with an 8-2 record. Detroit, meanwhile, was hoping to challenge with its 6-4 record.

Minnesota, behind Case Keenum under center, jumped out to a 20-3 lead. Stafford hit Marvin Jones with a touchdown pass late in the first half to cut the lead to 10, but Latavius Murray's third quarter touchdown stretched it back to 17.

The Lions mounted a comeback to get within seven late in the game. Their hopes looked grim when Stafford threw an interception, but appeared to be on the mend when Darius Slay blocked a field goal that was returned by Nevin Lawson for a score with 1:02 remaining. However, that play was negated by an offsides penalty, and the Vikings were gifted a first down and ran out the remainder of the clock.

2016: Vs. Minnesota Vikings (Win, 16-13)

The Lions' last Thanksgiving win came in thrilling fashion. It was a defensive battle, as Detroit scored its only touchdown in the first quarter. Minnesota led 13-10 midway through the fourth, but Stafford led a drive to tie the game with a Prater field goal with 1:45 remaining.

Faced with the decision to either go to overtime or play for the win, the Vikings chose the latter and made a critical mistake. Sam Bradford was picked off by Darius Slay deep in Vikings territory with 30 seconds left, and Detroit was able to run out the clock before Prater's game-winning field goal as time expired.

Nov 24, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay (23) celebrates after making an interception during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. / Raj Mehta-Imagn Images

2015: Vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Win, 45-14)

The 2015 season was the last in Calvin Johnson's career, and his final Thanksgiving game was a grand one. He caught eight passes for 93 yards, including three touchdowns as his connection with Stafford was humming at an elite clip.

After Philadelphia scored to tie the game at 7 apiece, the Lions rattled off 38 unanswered points. Stafford threw for 337 yards and five touchdowns, and Detroit rolled to what was its third-consecutive Thanksgiving win at the time.

2014: Vs. Chicago Bears (Win, 34-17)

The 2014 season was one to remember for the Lions, even though it ended in tragic fashion with a controversial loss to Dallas. Chicago started fast with a 14-3 first quarter lead, but Detroit smothered the Bears for the next three quarters.

Johnson played a big role in the win, catching 11 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Stafford was turnover-free and threw for 390 yards, while Joique Bell added 91 yards on the ground. Glover Quin and James Ihedigbo each had interceptions, and the Lions won comfortably.