Philly Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
Week 12 provided an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's season while the Chicago Bears keep to impress as they continue their winning run.
And did Sanders perform enough on his debut professional start to secure the full-time role in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the pick of the action in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero behind against the defending championship champions, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest recovery ever?
Sentiment of a initial home fixture after a teammate’s untimely death may have been a factor, however it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Prescott eclipsed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch possessions (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown embodying his energetic display.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time since 1999, with just their second game with several turnovers this year – the other being a disappointing division loss at the Giants.
In addition to fourteen penalties for 96 yards, the offensive struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was huge. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in four games before Sunday, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half alone in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence fell apart dramatically – with four straight punts, a missed field goal and then a fumble giving chance after chance to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a major worry, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is does just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there may be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn't as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the final period against a strong Colts squad was hugely impressive – and may have just rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have reduced that number to 28%.
No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and leading three scoring drives in their final four series to seal it in overtime.
A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC rankings.
That was closer to the former Kansas City however, with a initial one-score win of the season after dropping 5 previously – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?
You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears any longer. A win over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the identical standing as the Philadelphia.
They look dangerous on each side of the field, with a defense that tops the league in picks and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young player now used to securing close games.
He may at times be shaky, giving away a score after a fumble in his own goal area – but he additionally threw 3 touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the NFC North after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in extra time with a monster game from Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with 8 wins in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
This looks one of the most exciting holiday schedules for a long time, with each game packed with postseason implications.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began life as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before relocating to Kansas City.
The weekend’s rally teams are each holding on to playoff hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Ravens? An ugly victory over the Jets actually has them leading of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and looking finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut NFL start to maintain the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the issue will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Cleveland quarterback to win his first league start after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost aggressive Browns defense recording ten sacks, but the Browns’ offence requires a director, a presence to inspire confidence.
Moreover self-belief is something not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {