Philly Falter in Dallas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week provided an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Bears keep to surprise as they extend their winning streak.
Did Shedeur Sanders do enough on his debut NFL start to earn the starting job in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero down against the reigning Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best comeback in history?
Sentiment of a first home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (25) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic showing.
Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after 1999, with just their second game with several turnovers this year – the other being a bad NFC East loss at the Giants.
Along with 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was huge. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half by himself in Texas.
However from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense fell apart spectacularly – with four straight punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a fumble giving opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of 7 games (three losses) is now a huge concern, as the pieces are all there but it's simply not clicking.
Nick Sirianni game is all about securing the big situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there could be trouble in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the fourth quarter against a strong Indianapolis team was hugely impressive – and may have only rescued their season.
How significant was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have dropped that number to 28%.
No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and leading 3 point-scoring possessions in their last 4 series to win it in extra time.
A few big throws and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at 6-5 and just tenth in the conference standings.
That was closer to the old Chiefs however, with a first one-score victory of the season after dropping five already – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.
Talking Point – Can Bears Be Rulers of the North?
You just can't ignore the Bears now. A win over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the same record as the Philadelphia.
They look threatening on both sides of the field, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning close games.
He can at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he additionally passed for three scores and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this year, he understands how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most consistent with eight victories in 9, but as they visit the Super Bowl winners on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
It appears among the most exciting holiday line-ups for a long time, with every game loaded with playoff implications.
Detroit host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a unusual visit return to Texas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before relocating to Kansas City.
Sunday's comeback kings are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York actually has them top of the division after beginning 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Browns head coach Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had performed enough in his debut NFL start to keep the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
But the issue will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his debut NFL start since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional rookie signal callers failing to do so since.
It came just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defense recording ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a presence to build belief.
And confidence is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {