Philly Stumble in Texas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Top Highlights from NFL Week 12
Week 12 provided an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles implosion?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's campaign as the Bears continue to impress while they continue their winning streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his first professional outing to secure the full-time job in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at 21-0 down versus the reigning Super Bowl champions, how exactly did they engineer their joint-best comeback ever?
Sentiment of a initial home fixture since a teammate’s tragic death could have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defensive unit that pounced on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Prescott surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging score embodying his all-action display.
Philly wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time after 1999, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the previous being a disappointing division defeat at the Giants.
In addition to 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He'd only passed for 200-plus yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than one hundred fifty in the first half alone in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offense fell apart spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a failed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing chance after chance to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of 7 games (three losses) is now a huge worry, as the components are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the big moments, the defense maintains them in it and what offence there is does barely sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there may be trouble ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t quite as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a strong Colts team was hugely notable – and may have only rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, when a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to win it in overtime.
Some huge throws and swashbuckling runs are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season form – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC rankings.
That was closer to the former Kansas City though, with a first close victory of the season after losing five already – they won eleven of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the Division?
You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the identical standing as the Philadelphia.
They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defense that leads the NFL in picks and total takeaways and, in Williams, a young player now used to winning close games.
He may still be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s goal area – but he additionally threw 3 scores and, with already 5 final period comebacks this season, he understands how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in hot 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 eight wins in 9, but as they visit the Super Bowl winners on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
This looks among the most exciting Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with every game packed with postseason consequences.
Detroit host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit back to Texas for the Kansas City, who started out existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's rally teams are both clinging to postseason aspirations but have minimal room for error – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly win over the New York actually has them leading of the division after beginning one and five and appearing dead and buried.
Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Browns coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first NFL outing to maintain the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.
But the question will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Browns quarterback to secure his first NFL start since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional first-year quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It was only the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Browns defense recording 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offense requires a leader, a figurehead to build confidence.
Moreover confidence is something not lacking in Shedeur, who told a CBS {