Philly Stumble in Texas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Best Moments from National Football League the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles implosion?
Playoff Mahomes showed up to salvage the Chiefs' season while the Chicago Bears keep to surprise while they extend their winning run.
And did Sanders perform enough on his first professional start to secure the full-time job in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the best of the week in the NFL.
Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at 21-0 down against the reigning Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?
The emotions of a initial home game since Marshawn Kneeland tragic death may have been a factor, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that pounced on rare errors by the Eagles.
Prescott surpassed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch possessions (twenty-five) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown embodying his all-action display.
Philadelphia squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time after 1999, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the other being a bad division loss at the Giants.
Along with 14 infractions for 96 yards, the offensive struggles that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was significant. He'd only thrown for over two hundred yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had more than 150 in the first half alone in Texas.
However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart spectacularly – with four consecutive punts, a missed field goal and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.
The Eagles defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the components are all there but it's simply not clicking.
Sirianni’s approach is all about winning the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter versus a strong Colts squad was very notable – and may have only saved their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the playoff version of Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding three scoring possessions in their final four possessions to seal it in overtime.
Some huge throws and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and only 10th in the conference standings.
This was closer to the old Kansas City however, with a first one-score win of the year after losing 5 already – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done so soon.
Discussion – Can Bears Become Rulers of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the identical record as the Philadelphia.
They look dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and total turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging quarterback now accustomed to winning close games.
He may still be shaky, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this season, he knows how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in close chase in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after overcoming the New York in extra time with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with 8 wins in 9, but as they visit the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll see just how good they truly are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
It appears one of the best Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game packed with playoff implications.
Detroit welcome the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a rare visit back to Texas for the Kansas City, who started out existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.
The weekend’s comeback teams are both clinging to postseason hopes but have very little room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.
And how about the Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets in fact has them leading of the AFC North after starting 1-5 and looking dead and buried.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed enough in his first professional start to keep the first-team job when Gabriel comes back.
But the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to secure his first league start since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 other first-year quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so since.
It came only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Browns defence getting 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offense needs a leader, a figurehead to build confidence.
And self-belief is something not lacking in Sanders, who informed a CBS {