Philadelphia Falter in Dallas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Top Highlights from National Football League Week 12
Week 12 delivered an epic Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles collapse?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Bears keep to surprise as they continue their victorious streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to earn the starting job in Ohio?
We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down against the reigning championship winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?
The emotions of a initial home game since a teammate’s untimely passing could have been a factor, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defensive unit that pounced on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic showing.
Philadelphia squandered a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since 1999, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the previous being a bad NFC East defeat at the New York.
Along with 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had over 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.
However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive punts, a failed field goal and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.
The Eagles defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a major concern, as the components are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s approach is all about winning the big situations, the defense 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 may be problems ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn't quite as extreme, but Kansas City's 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a powerful Colts team was hugely impressive – and could have only saved their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now assign the Chiefs a 58% probability of making the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding three point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to seal it in extra time.
A few huge throws and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at six and five and only 10th in the AFC standings.
This was closer to the old Chiefs though, with a first one-score victory of the season after dropping five already – they won 11 of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished so soon.
Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the Division?
You can no longer overlook the Bears any longer. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the division and at eight and three – holding the identical record as the Eagles.
They look threatening on both sides of the field, with a defence that leads the NFL in interceptions and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now accustomed to securing close games.
He can at times be shaky, giving away a touchdown after a fumble in his own end zone – but he additionally threw three scores and, with already five final period comebacks this season, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in hot pursuit in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after beating the New York in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they visit the championship champs on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
It appears one of the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with each game loaded with playoff implications.
The Lions host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before relocating to Missouri.
The weekend’s comeback teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York actually has them top of the division after beginning 1-5 and appearing finished.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had performed enough in his debut professional start to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his debut league game after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Browns defense getting 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offence needs a director, a figurehead to inspire belief.
Moreover confidence is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {