There have been many years (including, to some extent, 2015) when the NFL’s Thanksgiving games are merely entertainment for entertainment’s sake, with little on the line in terms of the standings.
This is not one of those years.
Every team that takes the field Thursday is at or above .500, and four of them are either all alone in or tied for first place in their divisions. All three games are of vital importance in the playoff race, starting with the opener between the Vikings and the Lions, which will go a long way in deciding the NFC North.