Philadelphia Falter in Dallas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Top Moments from National Football League Week 12
Week 12 provided an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Chicago Bears keep to impress as they extend their victorious streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional start to secure the full-time job in Ohio?
We’ll examine at the best of the week in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at 21-0 behind versus the reigning championship winners, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best recovery ever?
The emotions of a first home game after Marshawn Kneeland tragic death could have played a part, however it was a combination of Prescott’s determination and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic performance – his diving touchdown embodying his all-action showing.
Philly squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the other being a bad division loss at the Giants.
Along with fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters alone in Dallas.
However from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defence is excellent, it really is, but an offence that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of seven games (3 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 big moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there could be trouble ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the final period versus a powerful Indianapolis team was hugely impressive – and may have just saved their season.
How big was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of making the postseason, whereas a loss on Sunday would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes arrived, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and guiding 3 scoring drives in their final four series to win it in overtime.
Some huge passes and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season form – at six and five and only 10th in the conference standings.
This was more like the old Chiefs though, with a first one-score victory of the year after dropping five previously – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the North?
You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the same record as the Philadelphia.
They appear dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defence that leads the NFL in picks and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young player now used to securing tight games.
He can still be shaky, surrendering a score after a fumble in his own goal area – but he additionally passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 final period comebacks this year, he understands how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most consistent with eight victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll discover exactly how good they really are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Store
This looks one of the best holiday schedules for a long time, with each game packed with playoff implications.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
The weekend’s comeback teams are each holding on to postseason aspirations but have very little room for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets actually has them leading of the division after beginning one and five and appearing finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his first NFL start to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
But the issue will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to win his debut NFL start since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost aggressive Browns defence recording 10 tackles, but Cleveland's offence requires a leader, a presence to inspire belief.
And confidence is something not missing in Shedeur, who informed a network {