Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Patrick Rescues Kansas City – Top Moments from NFL Week 12
The twelfth week provided an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles collapse?
Postseason Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Bears continue to surprise as they continue their victorious streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform sufficiently on his debut professional outing to earn the starting job in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero behind against the defending Super Bowl champions, so how on earth did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?
Sentiment of a first home game after Marshawn Kneeland untimely death could have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defensive unit that pounced on uncommon errors by the Eagles.
Prescott surpassed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his diving score embodying his all-action showing.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time since 1999, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the other being another disappointing NFC East loss at the New York.
Along with fourteen penalties for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.
However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart spectacularly – with four straight punts, a failed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving chance after chance to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s 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 major worry, as the components are all there but it's just not working.
Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offense there is manages just about enough – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there may be trouble in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Appears Early to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn’t quite as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the final period versus a powerful Indianapolis team was very notable – and could have only rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Chiefs a 58% probability of making the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the postseason form of Patrick Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring possessions in their final four possessions to win it in extra time.
A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at 6-5 and only 10th in the AFC rankings.
That was more like the old Chiefs however, with a initial one-score win of the season after losing five previously – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished just yet.
Discussion – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?
You just can't overlook the Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at 8-3 – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.
They look dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now used to winning tight games.
He can still be inconsistent, surrendering a score after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he additionally threw 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in hot chase in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and the Lions are in contention after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how strong they really are.
Preview – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
This looks among the best Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with each game loaded with playoff implications.
Detroit welcome the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began life as the Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.
The weekend’s rally kings are both holding on to postseason aspirations but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
And how about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them leading of the AFC North after starting one and five and appearing finished.
Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut NFL start to maintain the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
But the issue will continue to be raised as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his first NFL start since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional first-year signal callers failing to do so afterward.
It came just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Browns defence recording ten tackles, but Cleveland's offense requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.
Moreover confidence is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {