Philadelphia Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
Week 12 delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or perhaps an epic Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to impress as they continue their winning streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut NFL outing to earn the full-time role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the best of the action in the NFL.
Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves trailing badly at 21-0 behind against the reigning championship champions, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best recovery ever?
Sentiment of a initial home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland untimely passing may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak eclipsed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning possessions (25) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown embodying his all-action display.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the other being a bad NFC East loss at the Giants.
Along with fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the attacking malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Texas.
However from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offense derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive punts, a failed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing opportunity after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, because the pieces are all there but it's just not working.
Nick Sirianni game is all about winning the big moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is does just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn’t quite as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the final period against a strong Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and could have only rescued their season.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now assign the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of making the postseason, whereas a loss on Sunday would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and guiding three point-scoring possessions in their final 4 series to seal it in extra time.
A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Patrick in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and just 10th in the AFC standings.
That was closer to the former Chiefs though, with a first one-score victory of the season after losing five already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the division and at eight and three – sharing the same standing as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning tight games.
He may still be shaky, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he also threw 3 scores and, with already five final period comebacks this year, he knows how to finish the game.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the NFC North after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the New York in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they visit the championship winners on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they truly are.
Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Store
This looks among the most exciting Thanksgiving schedules for years, with every game packed with playoff consequences.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic opener in Detroit, before a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.
The weekend’s rally kings are each clinging to playoff hopes but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
What about the Baltimore 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.
Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his first NFL start to keep the starting job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
But the question will continue to be raised as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut NFL game after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It was only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Cleveland defence recording 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offense requires a director, a figurehead to build confidence.
Moreover confidence is something not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {