Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Top Highlights from NFL Week 12
The twelfth week delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Eagles collapse?
Postseason Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's campaign as the Chicago Bears continue to impress as they extend their winning streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to earn the starting job in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas were trailing badly at 21-0 behind versus the reigning Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?
The emotions of a first home game since a teammate’s tragic passing could have been a factor, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Prescott surpassed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an dynamic performance – his plunging score embodying his all-action showing.
Philly squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with several giveaways this season – the other being a disappointing NFC East defeat at the New York.
In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only thrown for over two hundred yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a fumble giving chance after opportunity to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a major concern, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key moments, the defence maintains them in it and what offence there is manages barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and possession security is breaking down, there may be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn't as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point comeback in the fourth quarter versus a strong Indianapolis team was hugely impressive – and may have just rescued their season.
How significant was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Chiefs a 58% probability of reaching the postseason, when a loss on Sunday would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half by itself and leading three point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to seal it in overtime.
A few huge passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season form – at six and five and just 10th in the AFC rankings.
That was closer to the old Chiefs though, with a first close victory of the season after dropping 5 previously – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful might not be done so soon.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?
You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the identical record as the Eagles.
They appear dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now used to securing close games.
He can at times be shaky, surrendering a score after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also threw 3 scores and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this season, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the NFC North after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are right there after beating the New York in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in nine, but as they travel to the championship champs on the holiday we'll see just how strong they really are.
Preview – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store
It appears one of the best holiday line-ups for years, with each game packed with playoff implications.
The Lions host the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual trip back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's rally kings are both holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York actually has them top of the division after beginning one and five and looking dead and buried.
Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Browns head coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed enough in his first professional outing to keep the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the issue will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his first league start after Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other rookie signal callers failing to do so afterward.
It came only the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defense getting 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offence requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire confidence.
And confidence is something not missing in Shedeur, who told a CBS {