Philly Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Rescues Kansas City – Best Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an epic Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Postseason Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season as the Bears keep to surprise as they continue their victorious streak.
And did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first NFL outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down against the reigning Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best comeback in history?
Sentiment of a first home game after Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging score personifying his all-action showing.
Philadelphia wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the other being a disappointing NFC East defeat at the New York.
Along with fourteen penalties for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a missed field goal and then a turnover handing opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Nick Sirianni game is all about securing the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is manages just about enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be trouble ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn’t as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a strong Colts team was hugely impressive – and may have just rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of making the postseason, when a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to 28%.
It’s no surprise the postseason form of Mahomes arrived, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and leading 3 point-scoring possessions in their last 4 possessions to seal it in extra time.
Some big passes and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at 6-5 and only 10th in the conference rankings.
This was more like the former Kansas City however, with a first close win of the season after losing five previously – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished just yet.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the North?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the same standing as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young player now accustomed to securing tight games.
He may at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s end zone – but he also passed for three touchdowns and, with already 5 final period rallies this season, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in 9, but as they visit the championship winners on the holiday we'll see exactly how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect
This looks among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with every game packed with playoff implications.
Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional opener in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit back to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's comeback kings are both holding on to playoff aspirations but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting 1-5 and looking finished.
Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first professional outing to keep the starting job when Gabriel comes back.
But the issue will keep being raised as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his debut league start after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It came just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defence getting 10 tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a presence to build confidence.
And confidence is something not missing in Shedeur, who told a CBS {