Philadelphia Falter in Texas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Top Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an epic Cowboys rally, or perhaps an epic Eagles collapse?
Playoff Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' season while the Bears keep to impress as they extend their winning streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to earn the full-time role in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
The Cowboys found themselves trailing badly at 21-0 behind versus the reigning championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best recovery ever?
Sentiment of a first home game after a teammate’s untimely passing may have played a part, however it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (25) with an all-action performance – his diving score personifying his energetic display.
Philadelphia squandered a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the other being a disappointing division defeat at the New York.
Along with 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was significant. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half alone in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart spectacularly – with four consecutive kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover giving opportunity after chance to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defense is excellent, it really is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, because the components are all there but it's just not working.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about securing the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offense there is does just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and possession security is failing, there may be trouble ahead.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn't as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the final period versus a strong Colts squad was very notable – and could have just rescued their season.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the postseason, when a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding 3 scoring possessions in their last 4 possessions to win it in extra time.
Some big throws and swashbuckling runs are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at six and five and just tenth in the AFC standings.
This was more like the former Chiefs however, with a first one-score win of the year after dropping five previously – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be done just yet.
Discussion – Can Bears Be Kings of the Division?
You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, minus Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to securing close games.
He can at times be inconsistent, giving away a score after a fumble 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.
Green Bay are in hot pursuit in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after beating the Giants in extra time with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in 9, but as they visit the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how good they truly are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Prospect
It appears among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with every game loaded with playoff implications.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's rally kings are both clinging to playoff hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets actually has them leading of the division after starting one and five and appearing finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his first professional start to maintain the starting job when Gabriel comes back.
Yet the issue will keep being raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut league start since Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It was only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defense recording 10 tackles, but Cleveland's offence requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.
And confidence is something not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {