Philly Falter in Dallas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week provided an epic Cowboys comeback, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' season as the Chicago Bears keep to surprise as they continue their victorious run.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform sufficiently on his first professional start to earn the starting role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas were down and out at 21-0 down versus the defending championship champions, how exactly did they produce their joint-best recovery in history?
Sentiment of a initial home game after a teammate’s tragic death could have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.
Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch possessions (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action showing.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since 1999, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the other being another bad NFC East defeat at the Giants.
Along with fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was significant. He'd only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover giving opportunity after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not surpassed 21 points in five of seven games (three losses) is now a major concern, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the key situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Early to Rescue Chiefs
It wasn't as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the final period against a strong Colts squad was very impressive – and could have just saved their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a 58% probability of making the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that number to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the second half by itself and guiding 3 scoring drives in their last 4 series to win it in extra time.
Some big passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at 6-5 and only tenth in the conference rankings.
This was more like the former Kansas City though, with a initial close win of the year after losing 5 previously – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful might not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the North?
You can no longer ignore the Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at 8-3 – holding the same record as the Philadelphia.
They appear dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning close games.
He may still be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in close chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are right there after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with eight victories in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll see just how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store
It appears among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with every game packed with playoff consequences.
The Lions welcome the Packers in the classic opener in Detroit, before a rare trip back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Texans long ago in the sixties before relocating to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback teams are each clinging to playoff aspirations but have very little room for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York 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, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Browns head coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional outing to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
Yet the issue will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Browns quarterback to secure his debut league start since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It came just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defense recording ten sacks, but the Browns’ offense requires a director, a presence to build belief.
Moreover self-belief is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {