Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Patrick Rescues Chiefs – Top Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Chicago Bears continue to impress as they extend their victorious streak.
Did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his debut NFL outing to secure the starting job in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the best of the action in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down versus the defending championship champions, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest comeback ever?
Sentiment of a first home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland untimely death may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defence that cashed in on rare errors by the Eagles.
Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch possessions (25) with an all-action performance – his diving score personifying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time after 1999, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the previous being another bad division defeat at the Giants.
In addition to fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games before Sunday, he had more than one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Texas.
However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover handing opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in five of seven games (three losses) is now a huge concern, because the components are all there but it's simply not clicking.
Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is does barely sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t as extreme, but Kansas City's 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a strong Colts squad was hugely notable – and may have only rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the playoff form of Mahomes arrived, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding three point-scoring drives in their final four series to seal it in overtime.
Some big throws and daring runs are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at six and five and just tenth in the conference standings.
This was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a first close win of the year after losing five previously – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Kings of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A win over the Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the same record as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to securing close games.
He may at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he additionally passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this year, he understands how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the NFC North after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how strong they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Store
This looks among the best holiday schedules for a long time, with each game packed with postseason consequences.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a rare visit return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began life as the Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's rally teams are both clinging to postseason aspirations but have very little room for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
What about the Ravens? An ugly win over the New York actually has them top of the AFC North after beginning one and five and looking dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ 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 (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his debut professional start to keep the starting job when Gabriel returns.
Yet the issue will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first league game after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional rookie signal callers failing to do so afterward.
It came just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defence recording ten tackles, but Cleveland's offence needs a leader, a presence to build belief.
And confidence is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who informed a network {