Philadelphia Stumble in Dallas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Best Moments from NFL Week 12
The twelfth week delivered an incredible Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Eagles collapse?
Playoff Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to impress as they extend their victorious streak.
And did Sanders perform enough on his debut professional outing to earn the full-time job in Ohio?
We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending championship winners, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest comeback in history?
Sentiment of a first home fixture since a teammate’s untimely death may have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defensive unit that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak surpassed Tony Romo marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an all-action display – his plunging score personifying his energetic showing.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since 1999, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the other being a disappointing division loss at the New York.
Along with fourteen penalties for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He had only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence fell apart dramatically – with four straight kicks, a failed three-point attempt and then a fumble giving chance after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a huge worry, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Nick Sirianni game is all about winning the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there may be trouble ahead.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Save Chiefs
It wasn't quite as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a strong Colts team was very notable – and may have only rescued their season.
How big was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a 58% chance of reaching the postseason, whereas a loss on Sunday would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and leading three scoring possessions in their final 4 possessions to win it in overtime.
Some huge passes and daring runs are typical for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Chiefs are in playoff form – at 6-5 and just tenth in the conference rankings.
This was closer to the old Chiefs though, with a initial one-score win of the season after losing 5 previously – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Can Bears Be Rulers of the North?
You can no longer ignore the Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the same record as the Eagles.
They appear threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to winning tight games.
He may still be inconsistent, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he also passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 final period rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in hot pursuit in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl winners on Thanksgiving we'll discover exactly how good they truly are.
Preview – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Store
This looks one of the best Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with each game packed with playoff implications.
Detroit welcome the Green Bay in the traditional opener in Michigan, before a unusual trip return to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.
What about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York actually has them leading of the AFC North after beginning one and five and appearing dead and buried.
Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut NFL outing to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the issue will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first NFL start after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 other first-year signal callers failing to do so since.
It came only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defence getting 10 tackles, but the Browns’ offence needs a director, a figurehead to build belief.
Moreover confidence is one thing not missing in Sanders, who told a network {