Philadelphia Falter in Texas & Mahomes Rescues Chiefs – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week provided an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Kansas City's season as the Bears continue to impress while they continue their winning run.
And did Sanders do enough on his debut professional start to secure the starting role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the league.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning championship winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?
Sentiment of a first home fixture after a teammate’s untimely passing could have been a factor, however it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Eagles.
Prescott surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (25) with an dynamic display – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action showing.
Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the other being another disappointing division defeat at the Giants.
In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking struggles that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He had only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a fumble giving opportunity after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a huge worry, as the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Sirianni’s game is all about winning the key situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is failing, there may be trouble ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the final period against a strong Colts squad was hugely notable – and may have only rescued their season.
How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Chiefs a 58% probability of making the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have dropped that number to 28%.
It’s no surprise the postseason form of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half alone and leading three point-scoring drives in their final 4 possessions to win it in overtime.
A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in post-season form – at 6-5 and only 10th in the conference standings.
This was closer to the former Kansas City though, with a initial close win of the year after dropping 5 previously – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the same standing as the Eagles.
They look threatening on each side of the field, with a defence that leads the NFL in picks and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to securing close games.
He can still be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a fumble in his own goal area – but he additionally threw three touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and the Lions are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most reliable with eight victories in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl winners on the holiday we'll see just how strong they truly are.
Preview – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
This looks among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game packed with postseason consequences.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a rare visit back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.
Sunday's comeback teams are both holding on to playoff hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a playoff feel.
What about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them leading of the AFC North after starting one and five and looking dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed enough in his first professional outing to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
But the issue will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his first NFL game after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It came just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost feral Browns defense recording ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a figurehead to inspire belief.
Moreover confidence is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who informed a CBS {