Philly Falter in Texas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Top Moments from National Football League the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Eagles collapse?
Postseason Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Bears continue to surprise as they extend their victorious run.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform sufficiently on his debut professional outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas were down and out at twenty-one to zero behind against the reigning Super Bowl champions, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?
The emotions of a first home fixture since a teammate’s untimely death could have been a factor, however it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defensive unit that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak eclipsed Tony Romo marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action display.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with several turnovers this season – the other being a bad division loss at the Giants.
Along with fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a failed field goal and then a fumble giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a huge worry, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Sirianni’s approach is all about winning the key situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is manages just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the final period versus a powerful Colts team was hugely notable – and may have just rescued their campaign.
How big was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a 58% chance of making the postseason, whereas a defeat on Sunday would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding 3 scoring possessions in their final four possessions to win it in extra time.
A few huge passes and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and only 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 already – they won 11 of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished so soon.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Kings of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the same standing as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defense that tops the NFL in picks and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning tight games.
He may at times be inconsistent, giving away a score after a fumble in his team’s goal area – but he also threw 3 touchdowns and, with already five final period comebacks this season, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the NFC North after dominating the Minnesota and the Lions are right there after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most consistent with 8 wins in 9, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll see just how good they really are.
Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect
It appears one of the best Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with every game packed with postseason implications.
Detroit host the Green Bay in the classic opener in Michigan, prior to a unusual trip back to Texas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Kansas City.
The weekend’s comeback teams are each clinging to playoff aspirations but have minimal room for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets actually has them leading of the AFC North after starting one and five and looking finished.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had done enough in his debut professional start to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
Yet the question will continue to be raised as Sanders became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his first league game after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Cleveland defense getting 10 tackles, but Cleveland's offence requires a director, a presence to inspire confidence.
Moreover self-belief is something not missing in Shedeur, who informed a network {