Philly Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week provided an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an massive Eagles collapse?
Playoff Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Bears continue to surprise while they continue their winning streak.
Did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his debut NFL outing to secure the full-time role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the best of the week in the league.
Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys found themselves trailing badly at 21-0 down versus the defending Super Bowl champions, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best comeback in history?
Sentiment of a initial home fixture since a teammate’s untimely passing could have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that cashed in on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic display – his plunging touchdown embodying his energetic showing.
Philly squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since 1999, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the previous being another disappointing NFC East loss at the Giants.
In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Dallas.
However from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover giving chance after chance to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of 7 games (three losses) is now a huge concern, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s game is all about winning the key moments, the defence maintains them in it and what offense there is manages barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems in the future.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t quite as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point comeback in the final period versus a strong Indianapolis team was hugely impressive – and could have only saved their season.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, passing for 235 yards in the second half alone and guiding 3 scoring possessions in their final 4 possessions to seal it in extra time.
A few huge passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff form – at six and five and just tenth in the AFC rankings.
This was more like the former Kansas City however, with a first close victory of the season after dropping 5 previously – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be done so soon.
Discussion – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the identical record as the Philadelphia.
They appear dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that tops the league in picks and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to securing close games.
He can at times be shaky, surrendering a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close chase in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after overcoming the Giants in extra time with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on the holiday we'll discover just how good they really are.
Preview – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
It appears one of the most exciting holiday schedules for years, with every game packed with postseason consequences.
Detroit welcome the Packers in the traditional opener in Detroit, before a rare trip return to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
The weekend’s comeback teams are both clinging to playoff hopes but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York in fact has them top of the division after beginning one and five and appearing dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had done enough in his debut professional start to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his first NFL game after Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defence recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a figurehead to inspire confidence.
Moreover self-belief is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who told a network {