Philly Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Rescues Kansas City – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week delivered an epic Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles implosion?
Playoff Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Bears keep to impress as they continue their victorious run.
And did Sanders perform enough on his debut NFL start to earn the full-time job in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending championship winners, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best recovery ever?
The emotions of a first home game after Marshawn Kneeland untimely death may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an dynamic performance – his plunging score personifying his energetic showing.
Philadelphia wasted a advantage of 21 points or more for the first time since 1999, with only their second game with several turnovers this year – the previous being a disappointing NFC East loss at the Giants.
In addition to fourteen penalties for 96 yards, the offensive struggles that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving chance after chance to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defense is excellent, it really is, but an offence that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, as the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Sirianni’s game is all about winning the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is does barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Save Kansas City
It wasn't quite as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a strong Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and could have just rescued their season.
How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a 58% probability of making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have reduced that number to 28%.
It’s no surprise the postseason version of Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and leading 3 scoring possessions in their final four series to seal it in overtime.
A few big throws and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC rankings.
This was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a first one-score win of the season after dropping five previously – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the same record as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that leads the league in picks and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to winning tight games.
He may still be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he additionally threw 3 touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this year, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the division after dominating the Minnesota and the Lions are right there after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll see just how good they truly are.
Preview – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Prospect
This looks one of the most exciting holiday line-ups for years, with each game packed with postseason consequences.
Detroit welcome the Packers in the traditional opener in Michigan, prior to a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out existence as the Texans long ago in the sixties before relocating to Kansas City.
The weekend’s comeback kings are each holding on to playoff hopes but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York in fact has them leading of the division after beginning one and five and looking finished.
Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?
Browns coach Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed enough in his debut professional start to maintain the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.
Yet the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut league game after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so since.
It came only the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost feral Cleveland defence getting 10 tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a leader, a presence to inspire confidence.
And self-belief is something not lacking in Sanders, who informed a network {