Philadelphia Falter in Dallas & Patrick Rescues Chiefs – Best Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an epic Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles implosion?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Bears continue to surprise while they continue their winning run.
And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional start to earn the full-time role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas were trailing badly at 21-0 down against the reigning Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they engineer their joint-best comeback ever?
The emotions of a first home game since Marshawn Kneeland tragic death may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on rare errors by the Eagles.
Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (25) with an all-action performance – his diving touchdown personifying his energetic showing.
Philadelphia wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the other being a disappointing NFC East defeat at the New York.
In addition to 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense fell apart dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a turnover handing opportunity after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defence is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Nick Sirianni game is all about securing the big moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and possession security is breaking down, there may be trouble in the future.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn't as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a strong Indianapolis squad was hugely notable – and could have just saved their season.
How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, when a loss on the weekend would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes arrived, passing for 235 yards in the second half by itself and leading three scoring possessions in their final four possessions to win it in extra time.
A few big passes and daring scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at six and five and just 10th in the conference standings.
This was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a initial one-score victory of the season after dropping 5 previously – they secured 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done just yet.
Talking Point – Can Bears Become Kings of the North?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at 8-3 – holding the identical record as the Eagles.
They look dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to winning close games.
He may at times be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s end zone – but he additionally threw three scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this year, he understands how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in hot pursuit in the division after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in extra time with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the championship champs on the holiday we'll discover just how good they truly are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store
It appears among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with every game loaded with playoff consequences.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a rare visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback kings are both holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
What about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York in fact has them leading of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and looking finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Browns head coach Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his first professional outing to maintain the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.
But the issue will keep being raised as Shedeur became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his first NFL start since Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It was just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defense recording 10 tackles, but Cleveland's offense needs a leader, a presence to build belief.
And confidence is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a network {