Philly Stumble in Dallas & Patrick Saves Chiefs – Top Moments from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week provided an incredible Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Eagles collapse?
Playoff Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' season as the Bears continue to surprise while they extend their victorious streak.
And did Sanders perform enough on his debut professional start to secure the starting role in Ohio?
We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the league.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero down against the defending championship winners, how exactly did they produce their joint-best recovery in history?
Sentiment of a initial home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland untimely passing could have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Prescott’s determination 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 dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action display.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several turnovers this season – the previous being another disappointing division defeat at the New York.
In addition to 14 penalties for 96 yards, the attacking struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive kicks, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing chance after opportunity to the Cowboys.
The Eagles defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a huge concern, as the pieces are all there but it's just not clicking.
Sirianni’s game is all about winning the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offense there is does just about sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there could be problems ahead.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn’t quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the final period versus a strong Indianapolis team was very impressive – and may have only saved their season.
How big was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of making the playoffs, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that number to 28%.
No wonder the playoff form of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and leading 3 point-scoring drives in their final 4 possessions to win it in overtime.
A few big throws and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff form – at six and five and only 10th in the conference rankings.
That was closer to the old Chiefs though, with a first close win of the year after losing five previously – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Become Kings of the Division?
You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the same standing as the Eagles.
They appear dangerous on both sides of the field, with a defense that leads the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to winning close games.
He can still be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his own goal area – but he additionally threw 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this year, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close pursuit in the NFC North after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after beating the New York in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most reliable with eight victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll discover exactly how strong they really are.
Preview – Exciting Holiday in Store
It appears among the best Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game packed with playoff consequences.
The Lions welcome the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback teams are each holding on to playoff hopes but have very little room for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.
And how about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York in fact has them leading of the AFC North after beginning one and five and looking finished.
Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first professional start to maintain the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.
But the question will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland quarterback to win his debut league start after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 other first-year signal callers failing to do so afterward.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost aggressive Browns defence getting ten tackles, but the Browns’ offence requires a leader, a presence to build belief.
And self-belief is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {