Hurley's Thanksgiving NFL Picks: Let's be thankful we're not Jim Irsay

BOSTON -- As we all gather around the table and give thanks for our blessings this year, let's all make sure to take a moment and thank the heavens that we are not Jim Irsay. The owner of the Colts has endured the painful trial of being a rich, white billionaire. We are all so fortunate to have avoided the same fate in life.

Irsay shared his woeful status in an interview with "Real Sports" when discussing his 2014 arrest.

"I am prejudiced against because I'm a rich white billionaire," Irsay said with an earnest face. "If I'm just the average guy down the block, they're not pulling me in! Of course not."

Likely sensing she had just heard an insane thing being said, veteran journalist Andrea Kremer gave Irsay the opportunity to at least try to make that statement sound a little bit better. He passed up on that opportunity.

"I don't care what it sounds like. It's the truth," he snapped back. "I don't -- you know, I could give a damn what people think how anything sounds or sounds like. The truth is the truth, and I know the truth."

Irsay made this statement while staring at the ground and sounding like a spoiled kid talking back to his parents after getting denied a piece of candy. (Sorry if that sounds like a disrespectful assessment, but it's the truth. And I know the truth.)

If you've forgotten over the past nine years, Irsay was arrested in March of 2014 and pleaded guilty for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Reports at the time said Irsay "had trouble standing, his speech was slurred and he admitted taking several medications but refused to voluntarily submit to a blood test." He was also carrying $29,000 in cash in a briefcase and a laundry bag. That bag also had "numerous bottles containing prescription drugs" in it. Having thousands of dollars of cash in a bag isn't illegal, no, but it's certainly ... curious, to say the least.

What Irsay -- who was born into his wealth and inherited the team from his father -- might not have really appreciated about the matter is that his white, billionaire status certainly played in to the very minimal consequences he faced for that arrest. Likewise, he didn't face all that much scrutiny for an overdose death that took place "in a home purchased for her by a trust controlled by the Colts" just weeks before his arrest.

Because, as history shows, white billionaires don't often face many consequences.

Alas.

What's sad about the matter is that Irsay seems to be one of the rare NFL owners with a conscience. He spoke out against Daniel Snyder when most owners were afraid to touch the topic. He brings his music memorabilia to spots around the country and lets people in for free. He's been open and honest about his battles through substance abuse, and he's pushed for better mental health awareness. He genuinely loves his team and his players. He seems ... kind of decent?

Or at least, he seemed that way. In one quick clip, he revealed a lot about the feelings deep down in his heart that being a white billionaire in America is a struggle. Maybe he'll walk it back, say he misspoke, try to smooth it over. But real feelings are real feelings, and man, that's a tough one to have.

Anyway, as you get ready to enjoy food and family time while temporarily taking a break from your worries about bills and the cost of living, just be happy that you aren't prejudiced against for being one of the persecuted white billionaires. Those are the people who truly know what struggling means.

Let's pick the games, though.

(Home team in CAPS; Wedesday lines)

DETROIT (-7.5) over Green Bay
Great uniform game. Great history game. Unfortunately, not a great actual game.

Jordan Love can make some passes, but the Green Bay Packers are a bad team. The only fear is that the Lions do their little no-show or semi-show thing that they tend to do. But at home? On Thanksgiving? With Eminem watching and tweeting? It can't happen. Time for the Lions to put together a solid 10-point victory on a short week at home.

Washington (+12.5) over DALLAS
Let's get frisky, folks.

The Commanders smell, and they're spiraling, and THEY JUST LOST TO THE NEW YORK GIANTS AND TOMMY DEVITO. But, let us not forget that these are Thursday games. And from the years of watching Thursday night games, we know it can be challenging for teams -- even good to great teams like Dallas -- to put together a whopper of an offensive game plan. 

So, yeah, the Cowboys are winning. But are they blowing out? OK, maybe they are. But take a gamble for once in your life, would you? Think outside the box. Zag, don't zig.

Be a winner.

Root for the Sam Howell backdoor cover. Scream in front of your extended family. Live a little.

SEATTLE (+7) over San Francisco
Give me all of the points on Thanksgiving. I'm gonna gobble 'em all up. Gobble, gobble, gobble. Yum, yum, yum.

Again, this one's risky, BUT! The Niners lost three straight heading into their bye. They came out of their bye with two thumping wins. Next week, they've got the Eagles, in Philly, in the late-afternoon national window in a game everyone will call an NFC Championship Game preview. I think there's a recipe there for the Niners to put forth their C+ game in this one and do enough to eke out a win in an environment that will be loud and unfriendly. 

Do I have concerns about the state of Geno Smith's arm and the Seahawks in general? Sure. But chances are we'll all (hopefully) be asleep for the fourth quarter of this one anyway. So it's almost like it's not even happening at all?

Miami (-9.5) over NEW YORK JETS
The first Black Friday game is ... a dud. The Jets are that bad. Game should stink. I'll watch every snap. The NFL always wins, doesn't it?

Last week: 3-11 (!!!!!!)
Season: 72-85-4