Today’s NFL Games : Cowboys Face Seahawks, and Packers Tackle Lions

The Dallas Cowboys need one of those Thanksgiving Day victories they have come to count on to gain ground in the NFC wild-card chase.

“We wait until after the game to have our Thanksgiving dinner,” Dallas Coach Tom Landry said. “And I’ve been able to eat it 14 times.”

The Cowboys will play host to a Thanksgiving game for the 19th time today when the Seattle Seahawks visit.

Dallas, 14-3-1 on Thanksgiving, is 7-5 this season and fighting for the wild-card berth in the NFC playoffs. The Cowboys are two games behind the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants in the NFC East, and a half-game behind San Francisco (7-4-1) in the race for the second wild-card spot.

In the other Thanksgiving game, Green Bay is at Detroit.

The Seahawks ended a four-game losing streak last week with a 24-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles to improve to 6-6 and keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

The Cowboys, who have won six straight on Thanksgiving, were pounded, 41-14, by the Redskins last week.

“We’ve gone through a terrible siege,” said Landry, whose team has lost three of its last four. “We’ve had some very big injuries. If that is an excuse, then that’s the way it goes.”

At Pontiac, Mich., the Lions (5-7) and Packers (2-10) are out of playoff contention, but Packer Coach Forrest Gregg says he has seen improvement in recent weeks.

“I’m not disappointed,” Gregg said after Green Bay lost, 12-10, to the Bears Sunday in a game marred by Green Bay nose guard Charles Martin’s late hit on Chicago quarterback Jim McMahon.

“I’ve got something to build on. I know that if I can play these (Chicago) people for 60 minutes and my punt team and defense give them nine points and we score 10, then I know we’ve got a chance to win.”

Martin was fined and suspended two games for slamming McMahon but will play against Detroit while appealing his suspension.

Detroit defeated Green Bay, 21-14, seven weeks ago.