Grading the key performances from Thanksgiving action

Thanksgiving provides us with family, friendship, and football, the latter of which captivated us with three games Thursday as the NFL season enters its home stretch.

The holiday is often used for a period of reflection, and we're no different here at theScore. Below are grades for Thursday's key performances.

Keenan Allen/Philip Rivers

Allen recorded a career-high 172 yards while Rivers was cool and composed as the Chargers stomped the Cowboys 28-6 during the second game of Thursday's tripleheader. Rivers absolutely scorched the Cowboys, finishing 27 of 33 for 434 yards and three touchdowns - including a 42-yard strike to Allen - as the Chargers cruised past a worn-out secondary during the second half. There's a growing sentiment that the Chargers will catch the Chiefs in the AFC West, and the team's top two offensive players took matters into their own hands in this one.

Grade: A+

Everson Griffen

(Photo courtesy: Action Images)

Griffen continued his All-Pro-worthy campaign, recording four tackles, two sacks, and three quarterback hits in a dominant outing against the Lions. The 29-year-old somehow remains underrated despite consecutive Pro Bowl selections, but that won't last long if he continues to ball out on national television. Griffen also asked fans to help name his newborn son who was born Thursday - a blessing to be thankful for above all.

Grade: A+

Case Keenum

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It's time to make the case for Case.

Keenum was excellent for most of Minnesota's 30-23 win over the Lions, going 21 of 30 for 282 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 20 yards and a score. Although he was considered the team's third option behind a recovering Teddy Bridgewater and fellow veteran Sam Bradford, the Vikings may need to entertain a scenario in which Keenum is their best option going forward. At the very least, he's made himself a viable starting option for the 2018 season, whether it's for the Vikings or another team.

Grade: A

Marvin Jones

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Not only did Jones make Xavier Rhodes look silly throughout Thursday's matchup - he also did this:

Grade: A

Jamison Crowder

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Crowder was one of the few reasons to stay awake for the Redskins-Giants game, posting seven receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown. The receiver operated as the fulcrum of the passing game, giving the Redskins a 10-3 lead on his third-quarter score. Washington could've easily failed to pull away from the Giants if it wasn't for Crowder, and he deserves the game ball for his efforts.

Grade: A -

Matthew Stafford

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Stafford was outdueled by his less-heralded counterpart, and failed to elevate the Lions' offense at home during a key divisional clash. If it weren't for the heroics of Jones, Stafford's stat line could've ended up looking a lot worse, as he finished 20 of 35 for 250 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, while losing a fumble. He was also limping briefly after getting hit in the leg, and though he's shown a willingness to play through injuries, any ailment would be a scary development for Lions fans.

Grade: C+

Dez Bryant

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It seems almost premature, but at 29, Dez Bryant's prime is a thing of the past.

Bryant once again failed to show he's among the league's best receivers on Thursday, and was held to three catches for 37 yards in Dallas' blowout loss. At halftime, Chad Johnson ripped into the Cowboys for not feeding Bryant, but the three-time Pro Bowler consistently fails to beat defenders off the line like he used to. Bryant needs to be better if the Cowboys are to make a late-season playoff push.

Grade: D

Eli Manning

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Manning is often unfairly maligned for his cold streaks, but Thursday wasn't one of those instances. The veteran quarterback went 11 of 24 for 77 yards as the Giants failed to move the ball downfield against the Redskins. At 2-9, this may be the last five games of Manning's career with the Giants.

Adding insult to injury, Manning became the eighth quarterback with 100 career losses following Thursday's game. This was a Thanksgiving for him to forget.

Grade: F

Dak Prescott

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Prescott was dreadful during Thursday's loss to the Chargers, and is the player most responsible for his team's dismal showing. Although it may be unfair to say Prescott isn't the same without Ezekiel Elliott, he no longer looks unflappable and was a mess during the second half on Thursday. Prescott has now thrown zero touchdowns and five interceptions during his last two games, and the wheels appear to be quickly falling off for the Cowboys.

Grade: F