Philly Falter in Dallas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Top Moments from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Chicago Bears continue to surprise as they extend their winning streak.
Did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional outing to secure the starting role in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the best of the week in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the reigning championship winners, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest comeback ever?
The emotions of a first home fixture since a teammate’s untimely death may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Eagles.
Prescott eclipsed Romo’s records for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown embodying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the other being a bad NFC East loss at the New York.
Along with fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the offensive struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing opportunity after chance to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of 7 games (three losses) is now a huge concern, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not clicking.
Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the big moments, the defense 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 could be trouble in the future.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was very notable – and could have only saved their campaign.
How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to 28%.
It’s no surprise the playoff form of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and leading 3 point-scoring possessions in their final four possessions to seal it in extra time.
Some huge passes and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at 6-5 and only tenth in the conference standings.
This was more like the old Chiefs however, with a initial close victory of the year after dropping five already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the North?
You just can't overlook the Bears any longer. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the same record as the Eagles.
They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now used to winning close games.
He may still be shaky, surrendering a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he additionally passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he understands how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in hot chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with eight wins in 9, but as they visit the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll discover just how good they really are.
Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect
This looks among the best holiday line-ups for years, with every game loaded with playoff consequences.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the traditional opener in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began life as the Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's rally teams are each holding on to playoff hopes but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
And how about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them top of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and looking dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional outing to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his debut NFL game after Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost aggressive Cleveland defence recording ten sacks, but Cleveland's offense needs a leader, a figurehead to build belief.
And confidence is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {