Philadelphia Stumble in Dallas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or perhaps an massive Philadelphia Eagles implosion?
Playoff Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's season while the Bears keep to impress while they continue their winning streak.
And did Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to earn the starting job in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys were down and out at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they engineer their equal-largest recovery ever?
Sentiment of a first home game after a teammate’s untimely passing may have been a factor, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that cashed in on rare errors by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo marks for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an dynamic display – his diving score embodying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several giveaways this year – the previous being another bad NFC East loss at the New York.
In addition to fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the attacking struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was huge. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games before Sunday, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Dallas.
However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense fell apart spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a fumble giving chance after opportunity to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, as the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s approach is all about winning the key moments, the defense maintains them in it and what offence there is manages just about sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there could be problems in the future.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn't quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the final period versus a powerful Colts team was hugely notable – and could have only rescued their season.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have reduced that figure to 28%.
It’s no surprise the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and leading three scoring drives in their last four possessions to seal it in extra time.
Some big passes and daring runs are typical for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and just tenth in the AFC standings.
This was closer to the former Kansas City however, with a initial close victory of the season after losing 5 already – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done just yet.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Kings of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the identical record as the Eagles.
They appear dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in picks and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to winning close games.
He may still be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he also passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this year, he understands how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are right there after overcoming the Giants in extra time with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with eight victories in nine, but as they visit the Super Bowl winners on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how strong they truly are.
Preview – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
It appears one of the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with every game packed with playoff consequences.
Detroit host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a unusual trip return to Texas for the Kansas City, who began life as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Missouri.
The weekend’s rally kings are each holding on to playoff hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
What about the Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets in fact has them top of the division after starting one and five and looking dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first professional start to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
But the issue will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to secure his first league game after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 other rookie quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.
It was just the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly feral Browns defense getting 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offence needs a director, a figurehead to build confidence.
Moreover confidence is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {