Philadelphia Falter in Texas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Top Moments from National Football League Week 12
The twelfth week delivered an epic Cowboys rally, or perhaps an epic Philadelphia Eagles implosion?
Playoff Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's season as the Bears keep to surprise while they extend their victorious run.
And did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first NFL outing to earn the full-time job in Cleveland?
We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves down and out at 21-0 down versus the reigning championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their equal-largest comeback in history?
The emotions of a first home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing could have been a factor, however it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare errors by the Eagles.
Prescott surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (25) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time since 1999, with only their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the other being a bad division defeat at the New York.
Along with fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He'd only passed for 200-plus yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters alone in Dallas.
However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offense fell apart spectacularly – with four consecutive punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is excellent, it really is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a major worry, as the pieces are all there but it's just not working.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the big situations, the defence maintains them in it and what offense there is does barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and possession security is failing, there could be problems ahead.
In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn't quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was very notable – and could have only saved their season.
How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now assign the Chiefs a 58% probability of making the playoffs, whereas a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that number to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the playoff version of Mahomes arrived, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half by itself and guiding three scoring drives in their final 4 series to win it in extra time.
A few big throws and daring runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season form – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC standings.
That was closer to the former Chiefs though, with a initial one-score victory of the year after dropping 5 previously – they won 11 of them last year so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be done just yet.
Talking Point – Can Bears Become Rulers of the North?
You just can't overlook the Bears any longer. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the same standing as the Philadelphia.
They look threatening on both sides of the field, with a defense that tops the league in picks and total turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to winning close games.
He may still be inconsistent, giving away a score after a fumble in his own goal area – but he also passed for three touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to get the job done.
The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the division after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover exactly how good they truly are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Prospect
This looks one of the most exciting holiday schedules for years, with every game loaded with playoff implications.
The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a unusual visit back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before relocating to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback kings are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting 1-5 and looking dead and buried.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first NFL start to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.
Yet the issue will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his first NFL game since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional rookie signal callers failing to do so since.
It was only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Cleveland defense getting 10 tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a presence to inspire confidence.
Moreover self-belief is something not missing in Sanders, who told a CBS {