Anthony GaribESPN2 minute reading
The Detroit Lions are looking to start 9-2 for the first time since 1962. Their ninth win of the season came after defeating the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving — the 12th straight time the two teams have met on the holiday.
The Lions have a chance to write a new chapter in their history when they face the Packers on Thursday. This will be their 22nd meeting on Thanksgiving Day, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
Even though Detroit is off to its best start in years, the Lions still have to get over the Thanksgiving cone. The Lions have lost every Thanksgiving Day game since 2016 when they beat the Minnesota Vikings 16-13.
The world seemed a little different then. Here’s a look back at Detroit’s last win on Thanksgiving:
‘Mannequin Challenge’ goes viral
November 2016 became the month of the “Mannequin Challenge,” a viral Internet video in which participants danced to Ray Sremmurd’s “Black Beatles” played in the background. The trend took over social media, with many sports teams and celebrities chiming in with their versions.
Although the Lions did not participate in the challenge, several NFL teams did. After starting the season 7-1, the Dallas Cowboys recorded one of their team’s flight.
‘Hamilton’ hype reaches new heights
The Broadway musical about one of America’s founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, dominated 2016 and won 11 awards at the 70th Tony Awards. Five days after Thanksgiving, Lin Manuel-Miranda and company entered the record books.
“Hamilton” became the first Broadway show to gross $3 million in an eight-performance week. The drama grossed $3.3 million in one week.
Running on the back in opposite positions
David Montgomery and Jahmir Gibbs form a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield. However, they were at completely different stages of their careers during the Lions’ last Thanksgiving win.
Montgomery spent his freshman season with the Iowa State Hurricanes. Two days after Thanksgiving he ran for 141 yards against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Gibbs is a freshman at Dalton High School in Georgia.
‘Stranger Things’ jumps onto the scene
Netflix’s “Stranger Things” became the breakout show of the summer when its first season premiered in July 2016. Within its first 35 days of release, “Stranger Things” averaged 14.07 adult viewers, making it the third-most-watched first season. of last year’s Netflix original series.
The Super Bowl that followed featured an eco-themed ad for the series’ next season.
