Philadelphia Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Saves Chiefs – Best Moments from National Football League the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Philadelphia Eagles implosion?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Bears continue to impress while they continue their victorious streak.
Did Sanders do enough on his first professional outing to secure the starting role in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the pick of the action in the NFL.
Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?
Dallas were trailing badly at 21-0 down against the defending championship champions, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?
Sentiment of a first home game since Marshawn Kneeland untimely passing may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.
Dak eclipsed Romo’s records for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (25) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action showing.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time after 1999, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the previous being another bad division loss at the New York.
Along with 14 infractions for 96 yards, the attacking struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He had only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of 7 games (three losses) is now a major worry, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the big situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is manages just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and possession security is breaking down, there may be problems ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs
It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the final period against a strong Indianapolis squad was very notable – and may have only rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a 58% probability of reaching the postseason, when a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to 28%.
It’s no surprise the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their final four series to win it in extra time.
Some huge throws and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at six and five and only 10th in the AFC rankings.
That was more like the former Chiefs however, with a first one-score win of the season after losing 5 already – they secured 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the same standing as the Philadelphia.
They look dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young player now accustomed to winning close games.
He can at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s end zone – but he also passed for three touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close pursuit in the division after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how good they truly are.
Preview – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
It appears one of the most exciting Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with each game packed with postseason consequences.
Detroit host the Green Bay in the classic opener in Detroit, before a rare visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began life as the Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback teams are both clinging to postseason aspirations but have very little margin for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.
What about the Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York actually has them leading of the AFC North after starting 1-5 and looking dead and buried.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut NFL start to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
But the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to secure his debut league start after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so since.
It came only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defence getting 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offence needs a leader, a figurehead to build confidence.
Moreover self-belief is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a network {