Philly Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Top Highlights from NFL the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an incredible Cowboys comeback, or was it an massive Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Kansas City's season while the Bears keep to surprise as they extend their victorious run.
And did Sanders do sufficiently on his debut NFL start to secure the full-time role in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas were trailing badly at 21-0 behind against the reigning Super Bowl champions, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best comeback ever?
Sentiment of a first home game after a teammate’s untimely death may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging score personifying his all-action display.
Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several giveaways this season – the other being a disappointing division defeat at the New York.
Along with 14 infractions for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a turnover giving opportunity after chance to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence that's not surpassed 21 points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major concern, as the components are all there but it's just not working.
Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the big situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages just about sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there may be trouble ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn’t as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter against a strong Colts squad was very impressive – and may have only rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now assign the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, when a defeat on Sunday would have dropped that figure to 28%.
No wonder the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding three point-scoring possessions in their last four series to seal it in extra time.
A few big passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at six and five and just 10th in the conference rankings.
This was closer to the old Kansas City however, with a first one-score win of the year after dropping 5 already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished just yet.
Talking Point – Can Bears Be Kings of the Division?
You just can't overlook the Bears now. A win over the Steelers, minus Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the same record as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on both sides of the field, with a defense that leads the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young player now used to winning close games.
He may still be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also passed for three touchdowns and, with already 5 final period comebacks this season, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in hot chase in the division after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after beating the New York in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with eight wins in nine, but as they visit the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how good they really are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Store
It appears among the most exciting holiday schedules for years, with every game loaded with playoff implications.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the sixties before relocating to Kansas City.
Sunday's comeback kings are each holding on to postseason aspirations but have very little room for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York in fact has them leading of the division after starting one and five and looking dead and buried.
Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had done enough in his first NFL outing to maintain the first-team job when Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first NFL start after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional first-year signal callers failing to do so afterward.
It came only the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly feral Browns defence recording ten tackles, but Cleveland's offence requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.
Moreover confidence is one thing not missing in Sanders, who told a network {