Philadelphia Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Rescues Kansas City – Top Moments from National Football League the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week provided an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an epic Eagles implosion?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's campaign as the Chicago Bears keep to impress while they extend their victorious streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut NFL outing to earn the starting role in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas were down and out at twenty-one to zero behind versus the reigning championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best recovery ever?
The emotions of a first home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland untimely death may have played a part, however it was a mixture of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that pounced on uncommon errors by the Eagles.
Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (25) with an all-action display – his diving touchdown embodying his all-action display.
Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several giveaways this year – the other being a bad division defeat at the New York.
Along with 14 penalties for 96 yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a fumble handing opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.
Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence 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 simply not clicking.
Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key situations, the defence maintains them in it and what offence there is does just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there could be trouble in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn’t as extreme, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the final period versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and could have just rescued their season.
How big was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now assign the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that number to 28%.
No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes arrived, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and leading three scoring possessions in their last four possessions to seal it in extra time.
Some huge passes and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in playoff form – at 6-5 and just tenth in the conference standings.
That was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a first one-score win of the year after losing 5 already – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done so soon.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the same standing as the Philadelphia.
They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defense that tops the NFL in picks and total takeaways and, in Williams, a young quarterback now used to winning tight games.
He may at times be inconsistent, surrendering a score after a fumble in his own end zone – but he also threw 3 scores and, with already five final period rallies this season, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close pursuit in the division after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the Giants in extra time with a monster game from Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most consistent with eight victories in nine, but as they visit the Super Bowl winners on the holiday we'll see exactly how good they really are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Store
It appears among the best holiday line-ups for a long time, with each game packed with playoff consequences.
The Lions welcome the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a rare trip back to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Missouri.
The weekend’s rally kings are each clinging to postseason aspirations but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets in fact has them top of the AFC North after starting 1-5 and looking dead and buried.
Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had performed enough in his debut NFL start to keep the first-team job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
Yet the question will continue to be asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his first NFL start after Zeier in 1999 – with 17 other rookie quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.
It came only the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defense recording ten sacks, but Cleveland's offence needs a director, a presence to inspire confidence.
Moreover confidence is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {