Philly Falter in Dallas & Mahomes Rescues Chiefs – Top Moments from National Football League Week 12
Week 12 delivered an incredible Cowboys rally, or perhaps an epic Eagles implosion?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Kansas City's campaign as the Bears continue to impress as they continue their victorious run.
And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the best of the week in the NFL.
The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys were down and out at 21-0 down versus the defending championship champions, so how on earth did they produce their equal-largest comeback in history?
The emotions of a initial home fixture after a teammate’s untimely death could have been a factor, however it was a combination of Prescott’s resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare errors by the Philadelphia.
Dak eclipsed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic showing.
Philadelphia wasted a advantage of 21 points or more for the first time after 1999, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the previous being another bad division loss at the New York.
Along with 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that affected 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 more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.
However from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a turnover giving opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge concern, as the components are all there but it's just not clicking.
Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key situations, the defence maintains them in it and what offense there is manages barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and possession security is failing, there could be trouble ahead.
Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn't as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a powerful Colts team was hugely notable – and may have only saved their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Chiefs a 58% chance of reaching the playoffs, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that number to 28%.
It’s no surprise the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding three point-scoring drives in their final four series to win it in overtime.
A few huge throws and daring runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season form – at 6-5 and just tenth in the AFC rankings.
That was closer to the former Kansas City though, with a first one-score win of the season after losing 5 already – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done so soon.
Discussion – Can Bears Be Rulers of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the division and at 8-3 – sharing the identical record as the Eagles.
They appear dangerous on both sides of the field, with a defence that leads the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a emerging quarterback now used to winning close games.
He may at times be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his own goal area – but he also passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll see just how strong they really are.
Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Store
This looks among the best holiday line-ups for years, with every game packed with playoff consequences.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's rally kings are each clinging to playoff hopes but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a playoff feel.
What about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut NFL start to keep the starting job when Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his first league game since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional first-year quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.
It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost feral Cleveland defense recording ten sacks, but Cleveland's offence needs a leader, a presence to build confidence.
And confidence is something not missing in Sanders, who told a network {