Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an incredible Cowboys rally, or perhaps an massive Eagles implosion?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Bears continue to impress as they extend their victorious run.
And did Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the league.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero down against the defending championship champions, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best comeback in history?
Sentiment of a first home fixture since a teammate’s untimely passing may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.
Prescott surpassed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his diving touchdown personifying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time after 1999, with just their second game with several turnovers this year – the previous being another disappointing division loss at the Giants.
In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a missed field goal and then a fumble handing opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (3 losses) is now a huge concern, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Nick Sirianni 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 failing, there could be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn’t quite as extreme, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Colts squad was very impressive – and could have only saved their season.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent probability of making the playoffs, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and leading three scoring possessions in their last four series to seal it in overtime.
A few huge passes and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season form – at six and five and just 10th in the AFC standings.
This was closer to the former Kansas City though, with a initial one-score victory of the year after losing 5 previously – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Become Kings of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the same record as the Eagles.
They look dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that leads the NFL in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now accustomed to securing tight games.
He can at times be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his own goal area – but he also passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the Giants in extra time with a monster game from Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the championship winners on the holiday we'll discover just how strong they truly are.
Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Store
It appears among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game loaded with playoff consequences.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic opener in Detroit, before a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.
The weekend’s rally teams are each clinging to postseason hopes but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.
What about the Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York in fact has them leading of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.
Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first NFL outing to keep the starting job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
Yet the issue will keep being raised as Shedeur became the first Cleveland quarterback to win his first NFL start since Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional rookie signal callers unsuccessful to do so since.
It was only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost aggressive Browns defence getting ten tackles, but the Browns’ offence needs a leader, a presence to inspire confidence.
And self-belief is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {