1st Annual Turkey Awards for Thursday's Football Games

I love awards given out for great players and great plays. I also appreciate when awards are given out for horrible gaffs (C'mon Man) and terrible players. So, today marks the first annual Turkey Awards, after watching yesterday's Thanksgiving Day games, I realized that three players stood out and deserved an award for their horrible play. Hence, the Turkey Awards.

New England Patriots at Detroit Lions

CB Alphonso Smith -Detroit Lions

Smith had a very forgettable game. Either his mind was on some Turducken or he wanted to stand out on National TV. He was torched on two TD catches, he whiffed on a tackle that led to a third TD and then was run over by BenJarvus Green-Ellis on a TD run. Giving up one TD is normal and happens to even the best defensive players at times, giving up two is a bad day, giving up three and you're probably looking for a place to hide. But having a part in surrendering four TD's and most of the time you're looking for a new team. Smith was grilled by coaches and teammates on the sideline, which just added to his embarrassment on this national broadcast. Alphonso you definitely earned this Turkey Award.

New Orleans Saints at Dallas Cowboys

WR Roy Williams -Dallas Cowboys

Williams was having a decent game and would not have received this award, especially if the Cowboys had ended up winning the game. That didn't happen but what did happen was a microcosm of the Cowboys season. With Dallas leading 27-23 late in the 4th quarter, Jon Kitna hit Williams on a slant and it seemed as though he was going to take it in to seal the win. Instead, as he was being tackled at the 11, Williams was stripped of the ball by the Saints Malcolm Jenkins and New Orleans recovered the ball. The Cowboys defense could have saved the day and stopped the Saints from scoring. That's easier said than done, as New Orleans was led down the field by Drew Brees and scored a game winning TD. Roy maybe it would have been for the best to stay in Detroit. You didn't and so here is your Turkey Award.

Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets

QB Carson Palmer -Cincinnati Bengals

Palmer really needed to distinguish himself to walk away with the Turkey Award in this one. Multiple Bengals were fighting for the fictional final Turkey Award of the day. Do you remember when Carson Palmer was a very good, almost great quarterback, for Cincinnati? I do but it seems like decades ago. Palmer finished with a quarterback rating of 41.0, which is a really nice bookend to Tom Brady's perfect QB rating in the first game of the day. Palmer threw 2 INT and was sacked for a safety. It seems like he really knows how to share, giving to the Jets like that and so I'm sure he'll share his Turkey Award with many of his Bengal teammates after this Thanksgiving Day disaster.

Congratulations to all the winners, here's hoping you don't win this again next year!!!