Philly Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from NFL Week 12
The twelfth week provided an epic Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Philadelphia Eagles implosion?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's season while the Chicago Bears keep to impress as they continue their winning streak.
And did Sanders perform sufficiently on his debut NFL outing to secure the starting job in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they engineer their equal-largest recovery in history?
The emotions of a first home fixture since a teammate’s tragic passing could have played a part, however it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch possessions (25) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action display.
Philadelphia wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the other being a disappointing division defeat at the Giants.
In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a failed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the pieces are all there but it's just not clicking.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the big situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is manages barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Prematurely to Save Kansas City
It wasn’t as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the final period versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was very impressive – and may have just rescued their campaign.
How big was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a 58% probability of reaching the playoffs, when a loss on the weekend would have reduced that number to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the postseason form of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the second half alone and guiding three scoring drives in their final 4 possessions to win it in overtime.
A few big throws and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and just 10th in the AFC standings.
This was more like the old Chiefs though, with a initial close win of the season after losing 5 already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Kings of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at eight and three – holding the same record as the Eagles.
They look dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a young player now used to securing tight games.
He may still be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he also threw three scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and the Lions are right there after beating the New York in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most consistent with eight victories in 9, but as they visit the championship champs on the holiday we'll see just how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Prospect
This looks among the most exciting holiday line-ups for a long time, with every game packed with postseason implications.
Detroit host the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a unusual trip return to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Kansas City.
The weekend’s rally teams are both clinging to playoff aspirations but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
And how about the Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York in fact has them top of the division after starting one and five and looking finished.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Browns head coach Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional start to keep the starting position when Gabriel returns.
But the issue will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut league game after Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other rookie signal callers failing to do so since.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Browns defense getting ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a presence to inspire belief.
And confidence is something not missing in Shedeur, who told a network {