Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Best Moments from National Football League the Twelfth Week
Week 12 delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Kansas City's campaign as the Chicago Bears keep to impress while they extend their winning run.
And did Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional outing to earn the starting job in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down against the defending championship champions, how exactly did they engineer their joint-best recovery in history?
Sentiment of a first home game since a teammate’s tragic passing could have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s records for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic display – his diving score personifying his energetic showing.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time after 1999, with just their second game with several turnovers this season – the previous being another bad NFC East defeat at the New York.
Along with 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the attacking struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half alone in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense fell apart dramatically – with four straight punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a major worry, because the pieces are all there but it's just not clicking.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about securing the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and possession security is breaking down, there could be trouble in the future.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn't quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the final period versus a strong Colts team was hugely notable – and could have only saved their campaign.
How big was it? Well, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the postseason, when a loss on Sunday would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding three point-scoring possessions in their last 4 series to win it in overtime.
Some huge passes and daring runs are typical for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and only 10th in the AFC standings.
This was more like the old Kansas City however, with a initial one-score victory of the season after dropping five already – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?
You just can't ignore the Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the same record as the Eagles.
They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defense that tops the NFL in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a young player now used to winning close games.
He may still be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s end zone – but he additionally threw 3 touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in close pursuit in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after beating the New York in extra time with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the championship winners on the holiday we'll see just how strong they really are.
Preview – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Store
This looks one of the most exciting holiday schedules for years, with each game packed with postseason implications.
Detroit host the Packers in the traditional opener in Michigan, prior to a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Texans long ago in the sixties before relocating to Missouri.
Sunday's rally kings are both clinging to postseason hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York in fact has them top of the division after beginning one and five and appearing finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (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, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional outing to keep the first-team position when Gabriel returns.
Yet the issue will continue to be raised as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his first league start after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It was only the Raiders, and with the assistance of an almost aggressive Browns defense getting ten tackles, but Cleveland's offense needs a director, a figurehead to inspire belief.
And self-belief is one thing not missing in Shedeur, who told a CBS {