Philly Stumble in Dallas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Best Moments from NFL Week 12
Week 12 provided an incredible Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Postseason Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season as the Bears continue to impress while they continue their victorious run.
Did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first professional start to earn the full-time role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the best of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?
Dallas were down and out at 21-0 behind versus the defending championship champions, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?
The emotions of a first home fixture since a teammate’s tragic death could have been a factor, but technically it was a combination of Prescott’s resolve and a defensive unit that pounced on rare errors by the Philadelphia.
Prescott eclipsed Romo’s records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown embodying his all-action display.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the other being another bad division defeat at the New York.
Along with 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense fell apart spectacularly – with four straight punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of seven games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the big situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there may be trouble ahead.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Early to Save Chiefs
It wasn't quite as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point recovery in the final period versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was very notable – and could have just rescued their season.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the postseason, when a loss on Sunday would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the postseason form of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and leading 3 point-scoring drives in their last four series to win it in overtime.
Some huge throws and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at 6-5 and only tenth in the conference rankings.
This was closer to the old Kansas City however, with a initial close win of the year after dropping five previously – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the Division?
You can no longer overlook the Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the same record as the Eagles.
They appear dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defence that leads the NFL in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a young quarterback now used to securing tight games.
He can at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s goal area – but he additionally passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter comebacks this year, he understands how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in hot chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in 9, but as they travel to the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect
This looks one of the most exciting Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with each game packed with postseason consequences.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out existence as the Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.
The weekend’s comeback kings are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have very little room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting one and five and looking finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional outing to maintain the starting job when Gabriel comes back.
Yet the issue will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut league game since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 other first-year quarterbacks failing to do so since.
It came only the Raiders, and with the help of an almost aggressive Browns defence getting ten sacks, but Cleveland's offense requires a leader, a presence to inspire confidence.
And confidence is one thing not missing in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {