Philly Stumble in Texas & Mahomes Saves Chiefs – Best Highlights from National Football League the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles implosion?
Postseason Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's season while the Bears continue to surprise while they continue their winning streak.
Did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his debut NFL start to secure the starting role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
The Cowboys found themselves down and out at 21-0 behind against the reigning Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest comeback in history?
The emotions of a first home game after a teammate’s tragic death could have been a factor, however it was a combination of Prescott’s resolve and a defence that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Eagles.
Dak eclipsed Tony Romo marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic display.
Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time after 1999, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the other being another bad division defeat at the Giants.
In addition to fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the attacking malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was huge. He'd only passed for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Texas.
Yet from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a fumble giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (3 losses) is now a major worry, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.
Nick Sirianni approach is all about securing the big moments, the defense maintains them in it and what offense there is manages just about enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is failing, there may be problems in the future.
Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Rescue Kansas City
It wasn't as extreme, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the final period against a strong Indianapolis squad was very notable – and may have just rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Indeed, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of making the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.
No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes arrived, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and guiding 3 scoring possessions in their last four possessions to seal it in extra time.
A few huge passes and daring runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and just tenth in the conference standings.
This was more like the old Kansas City however, with a initial close victory of the season after dropping 5 already – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful might not be finished just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Kings of the Division?
You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the division and at eight and three – holding the same record as the Philadelphia.
They look dangerous on each side of the field, with a defense that leads the league in picks and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a young quarterback now used to winning tight games.
He can at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he additionally passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this year, he understands how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close pursuit in the NFC North after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
Chicago are strangely the most consistent with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how strong they truly are.
Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Store
This looks among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with every game packed with playoff implications.
Detroit host the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a rare trip back to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.
Sunday's comeback kings are both holding on to postseason hopes but have minimal room for error – so this will have a post-season feel.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York actually has them leading of the AFC North after beginning one and five and appearing finished.
Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
- Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
- Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)
Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut NFL start to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to secure his debut league game after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other rookie signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.
It came just the Raiders, and with the help of an almost aggressive Browns defence getting 10 tackles, but Cleveland's offense requires a director, a figurehead to build confidence.
Moreover self-belief is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {