Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Eagles implosion?
Playoff Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to impress as they extend their winning streak.
Did Shedeur Sanders do enough on his first professional outing to secure the full-time role in Ohio?
We’ll examine at the best of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best comeback in history?
The emotions of a initial home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland untimely death could have played a part, however it was a combination of Prescott’s determination and a defensive unit that pounced on rare errors by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (25) with an dynamic display – his plunging score embodying his all-action showing.
Philadelphia wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time since 1999, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the previous being a disappointing NFC East loss at the New York.
In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in four games before the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half alone in Texas.
However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a huge concern, as the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s game is all about winning the key situations, the defence maintains them in it and what offense there is does just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is failing, there could be problems in the future.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Indianapolis team was very notable – and may have just rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a 58% chance of reaching the postseason, whereas a loss on the weekend would have dropped that number 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 final four series to seal it in extra time.
A few huge throws and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC standings.
That was closer to the former Kansas City however, with a first one-score victory of the season after dropping five already – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the North?
You can no longer overlook the Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, without Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at eight and three – holding the identical record as the Philadelphia.
They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now accustomed to securing tight games.
He can still be shaky, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he additionally threw 3 scores and, with already five final period comebacks this year, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in hot pursuit in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they visit the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they truly are.
Preview – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
This looks one of the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game loaded with postseason implications.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic opener in Michigan, before a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback teams are each clinging to playoff hopes but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting one and five and appearing finished.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had performed enough in his debut NFL outing to keep the first-team position when Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first NFL start after Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It came just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an almost aggressive Browns defense recording ten sacks, but the Browns’ offence requires a director, a presence to inspire confidence.
Moreover confidence is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {