Philadelphia Falter in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Top Highlights from NFL Week 12
Week 12 provided an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Kansas City's season as the Bears keep to impress while they extend their winning run.
Did Shedeur Sanders do enough on his debut NFL start to earn the starting role in Ohio?
We’ll examine at the pick of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they produce their joint-best comeback ever?
The emotions of a initial home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing could have played a part, however it was a combination of Prescott’s resolve and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (25) with an dynamic display – his diving score embodying his all-action display.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time since 1999, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the previous being another bad division defeat at the Giants.
In addition to fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was significant. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in four games before Sunday, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Dallas.
However from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a failed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing opportunity after chance to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s 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 concern, because the components are all there but it's simply not clicking.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about securing the key situations, the defense maintains them in it and what offence there is manages just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and possession security is failing, there may be problems in the future.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn't as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the final period against a powerful Indianapolis team was very impressive – and may have only saved their season.
How big was it? Indeed, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the postseason form of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and guiding three point-scoring drives in their final 4 possessions to seal it in extra time.
A few huge passes and daring scrambles are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC standings.
That was more like the former Kansas City though, with a initial one-score win of the season after losing 5 already – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done so soon.
Talking Point – Can Bears Be Kings of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at 8-3 – holding the same standing as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defence that leads the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a young player now used to securing close games.
He can still be shaky, giving away a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he additionally threw three touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter comebacks this year, he understands how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot pursuit in the NFC North after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are in contention after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most consistent with 8 wins in 9, but as they visit the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll see just how good they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store
It appears one of the most exciting holiday schedules for years, with each game loaded with playoff implications.
The Lions host the Packers in the classic opener in Michigan, prior to a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out existence as the Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
The weekend’s comeback kings are each holding on to postseason aspirations but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets actually has them top of the AFC North after starting one and five and looking finished.
Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut professional start to maintain the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.
But the question will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to win his debut NFL start after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional first-year quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so since.
It came just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defense recording ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a figurehead to build confidence.
And self-belief is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {