Philly Stumble in Texas & Patrick Rescues Chiefs – Best Highlights from National Football League the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?
Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to surprise as they continue their winning streak.
And did Shedeur Sanders perform sufficiently on his debut NFL outing to earn the full-time role in Ohio?
Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.
Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas found themselves down and out at twenty-one to zero behind against the defending Super Bowl champions, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?
Sentiment of a initial home game since a teammate’s untimely death may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.
Prescott eclipsed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (25) with an all-action display – his diving touchdown embodying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a advantage of 21 points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the previous being another bad division defeat at the Giants.
Along with 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a failed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving opportunity after chance to the Dallas.
The Eagles defence is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, as the components are all there but it's just not working.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and possession security is failing, there could be problems in the future.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Save Kansas City
It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the final period against a strong Colts team was hugely notable – and may have only saved their campaign.
How big was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of making the playoffs, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and guiding three point-scoring possessions in their last four possessions to win it in overtime.
A few big throws and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and only 10th in the AFC rankings.
This was more like the former Chiefs however, with a initial one-score win of the year after dropping five already – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful might not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the Division?
You can no longer overlook the Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at 8-3 – sharing the same record as the Philadelphia.
They appear dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to securing close games.
He can at times be shaky, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this year, he understands how to get the job done.
Green Bay are in hot pursuit in the division after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after beating the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how strong they really are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Store
It appears among the best holiday line-ups for years, with every game loaded with playoff implications.
The Lions host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a rare visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began life as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback teams are both holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
And how about the Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets in fact has them top of the division after starting one and five and looking finished.
Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)
Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Job?
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional outing to keep the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
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 failing to do so since.
It was only the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defence getting ten sacks, but the Browns’ offence needs a leader, a presence to inspire belief.
And self-belief is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {