Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Rescues Chiefs – Best Highlights from NFL Week 12
The twelfth week provided an incredible Cowboys rally, or perhaps an massive Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Bears keep to surprise while they continue their winning run.
Did Sanders do sufficiently on his first NFL outing to earn the full-time job in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the league.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
The Cowboys were trailing badly at 21-0 down against the reigning championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best recovery ever?
The emotions of a initial home fixture since a teammate’s tragic passing could have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defence that pounced on rare errors by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging score embodying his energetic showing.
Philly squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after 1999, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the previous being a bad NFC East defeat at the Giants.
Along with fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was huge. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a missed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing chance after chance to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defence is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a huge worry, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the key situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is does barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and possession security is failing, there could be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Early to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t quite as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point comeback in the final period against a strong Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and could have just rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a 58% chance of reaching the playoffs, whereas a loss on Sunday would have reduced that number to 28%.
It’s no surprise the playoff version of Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and leading 3 scoring drives in their last 4 possessions to seal it in overtime.
A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at 6-5 and just 10th in the AFC standings.
That was more like the old Kansas City though, with a first close win of the season after losing 5 previously – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be done so soon.
Discussion – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the Division?
You can no longer overlook the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them first of the division and at 8-3 – sharing the same record as the Eagles.
They look dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning tight games.
He can still be shaky, giving away a score after a fumble in his own end zone – but he additionally passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the NFC North after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the Giants in extra time with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with eight wins in 9, but as they travel to the championship champs on the holiday we'll discover just how good they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
It appears one of the best holiday line-ups for a long time, with each game packed with playoff consequences.
Detroit welcome the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual trip return to Texas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's comeback kings are both clinging to postseason aspirations but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York in fact has them top of the AFC North after beginning one and five and looking finished.
Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut professional outing to keep the first-team job when Dillon Gabriel returns.
But the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his first league game after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional first-year quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.
It came just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Cleveland defense getting ten tackles, but Cleveland's offense requires a director, a presence to build confidence.
Moreover confidence is one thing not missing in Sanders, who informed a network {