Climb aboard Carolina’s gravy train on Thanksgiving vs. Dallas

On Thanksgiving, it's fitting that NFL Most Valuable Player candidate Cam Newton and the unbeaten Carolina Panthers (10-0) will treat their backers to another ride on the gravy train.

At least that's the opinion of The Gold Sheet handicapper Bruce Marshall (goldsheet.com), who is siding with Carolina as his best bet in the NFL's Turkey Day tripleheader of Lions-Eagles (9:30 a.m., Fox (5)), Cowboys-Panthers (1:30 p.m., CBS (8)) and Packers-Bears (5:30 p.m., NBC (3)).

With Tony Romo and Dez Bryant back in the fold for Dallas (3-7), the Cowboys are 1-point favorites over Carolina, with the game a pick at some Las Vegas sports books.

"I don't think that's walking into a trap," Marshall said of siding with the Panthers. "This team doesn't show any sign of slowing down. They seem to be gaining more momentum. They're getting fueled by this (quest to go 16-0). They're playing with a kind of reckless abandon and they look better every day.

"I understand Dallas with Romo, but they're talking about Romo like he's Roger Staubach here. It wasn't long ago they were sending Romo to the CFL and all of a sudden he's a savior? That's team's got internal issues but Carolina's got none as far as I see. They're a wrecking machine right now."

Brett Favre will have his number retired at halftime of the Packers-Bears game at Lambeau Field, where Green Bay is favored between 8½ and 9 points at Las Vegas sports books. Detroit is laying between 2 and 2½ points against Philadelphia in the early game and all three games feature totals around 46.

"All these teams can put up points," Sunset Station sports book director Chuck Esposito said. "I'm guessing all the sports books will be under fans on Thanksgiving."

Esposito expects the Cowboys-Panthers game to generate a huge handle.

"It's almost quasi-playoff-type action," he said. "Carolina has been a bettors' favorite the last couple of weeks. They've been the biggest decision week in and week out. And the Cowboys are one of the most popular teams out there for fans and bettors with Tony Romo back.

"You could make a case for both teams."

Carolina is 14-0 overall and 10-3-1 against the spread in its last 14 regular-season games and is 4-0 ATS on the road this season. Dallas, which is 3-0 with Romo and 0-7 without him, is 2-7 ATS in its last nine home games and 0-4 ATS in its last four Thanksgiving games.

The Cowboys have dominated the series, winning the last nine regular-season meetings, including four straight at home, but the teams haven't faced each other since 2012.

"I think Carolina may run the table but I do not expect them to get to the Super Bowl. I think they'll get their comeuppance in the playoffs," Marshall said. "They're more likely to go 16-0 than New England because of all the injuries New England has. This might be their toughest test the rest of the way, but I think they're up for it."

The Packers (7-3) have won and covered eight of their last nine meetings with the Bears (4-6), with their lone loss coming in 2013 when Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers was knocked out of the game with an injury.

Marshall leans to the Packers to cover.

"Green Bay played its first complete game in a month last week (in a 30-13 victory over the Vikings)," he said. "Getting Eddie Lacy back running well is a big plus for Rodgers."

The Bears have been in every game since a 26-0 loss to Seattle in Week 3, going 4-3 with each of their three losses by three points or less.

Chicago coach John Fox has made a major impact on the team, but Jay Cutler is still the quarterback and is winless in his last eight trips to Green Bay.

In the early game, the Lions (3-7) have shown some life in winning back-to-back games against Oakland and Green Bay while the Eagles (4-6) have lost two straight to Tampa Bay and Miami.

"Detroit has kind of impressed me. They've circled the wagons and have played better, with only one lousy game in the last five," Marshall said. "The Eagles have had a couple of good games and several mediocre or bad games. I don't know if they can rally with (quarterback Mark) Sanchez.

"If (Sam) Bradford plays, maybe I would look at the Eagles but I'm not going to risk them with Sanchez."

The Lions are 1-4 ATS in their last five at Ford Field and have lost nine of 11 on Thanksgiving, though they've won and covered the last two.

While Carolina is on Marshall's mind as his best bet in Thursday's NFL games, his best bet overall on Turkey Day is South Florida, a 22½-point favorite over Central Florida (7:30 p.m., ESPN (30)).

The Bulls are 8-2 ATS while the Knights are 2-9 ATS and 0-11 straight-up. UCF starting quarterback Justin Holman is questionable with an ankle injury, which is why the Wynn is currently the only place taking action on the game.

"Central is an absolute mess. It looks like they've quit. They quit last week (in a 44-7 loss) against East Carolina," Marshall said. "South Florida has come on incredibly well. They're covering numbers and destroying teams and face a regional rival here."

It could be gravy.