Philadelphia Falter in Dallas & Patrick Rescues Chiefs – Top Moments from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week provided an epic Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Eagles collapse?
Playoff Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's season while the Chicago Bears keep to surprise while they continue their victorious streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his debut professional outing to secure the starting role in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero behind against the reigning championship winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?
The emotions of a initial home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing may have played a part, however it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (25) with an all-action performance – his diving score personifying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a advantage of 21 points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several giveaways this year – the other being another bad NFC East loss at the New York.
Along with 14 penalties for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He had only thrown for over two hundred yards in 4 games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters alone in Dallas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the components are all there but it's simply not clicking.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about securing the big situations, the defense maintains them in it and what offence there is does just about enough – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there could be trouble ahead.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn’t quite as extreme, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter against a powerful Indianapolis team was hugely notable – and may have just saved their season.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s Next Gen Stats now assign the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the playoffs, when a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that number to 28%.
No wonder the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding 3 scoring drives in their last 4 possessions to win it in extra time.
Some huge throws and daring runs are typical for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and just 10th in the AFC standings.
This was more like the old Chiefs however, with a first one-score win of the year after dropping five already – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done so soon.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?
You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears any longer. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them top of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the same record as the Eagles.
They look dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defense that leads the NFL in interceptions and total takeaways and, in Williams, a young quarterback now used to securing close games.
He may at times be inconsistent, giving away a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he also passed for three scores and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the division after overpowering the Vikings and Detroit are in contention after overcoming the New York in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in nine, but as they travel to the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll see just how good they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Store
This looks one of the best Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with every game packed with postseason consequences.
The Lions host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual visit return to Texas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before relocating to Kansas City.
Sunday's rally kings are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly win over the New York actually has them leading of the AFC North after starting one and five and looking dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Browns coach Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first professional start to maintain the starting job when Dillon Gabriel returns.
But the issue will continue to be raised as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his first league start after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It was only the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly aggressive Browns defence getting 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense needs a leader, a presence to build belief.
Moreover self-belief is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who told a network {