Philadelphia Falter in Texas & Mahomes Rescues Kansas City – Top Moments from National Football League the Twelfth Week
The twelfth week delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an epic Eagles implosion?
Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season as the Bears continue to impress as they continue their winning run.
And did Shedeur Sanders do enough on his first NFL start to secure the full-time role in Cleveland?
Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.
The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?
Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest comeback ever?
Sentiment of a initial home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Prescott’s determination and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare errors by the Philadelphia.
Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now 34,378) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic showing.
Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this year – the previous being a disappointing NFC East loss at the Giants.
In addition to 14 penalties for 96 yards, the attacking struggles that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He'd only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.
Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.
Philadelphia’s defence is excellent, it truly 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 simply not clicking.
Nick Sirianni game is all about securing the big situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is manages just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there may be problems ahead.
In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Save Kansas City
It wasn't as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the final period against a strong Indianapolis team was hugely impressive – and may have only rescued their campaign.
How significant was it? Well, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a 58% chance of reaching the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.
It’s no surprise the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and guiding 3 scoring possessions in their final four possessions to seal it in overtime.
A few huge passes and daring scrambles are commonplace for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at 6-5 and only 10th in the AFC rankings.
That was closer to the former Chiefs though, with a first close victory of the season after dropping five previously – they won 11 of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done just yet.
Discussion – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?
You just can't ignore the Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the identical record as the Philadelphia.
They appear dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the league in picks and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now used to securing close games.
He may still be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his own end zone – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already 5 final period rallies this season, he knows how to finish the game.
Green Bay are in close pursuit in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after beating the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how strong they really are.
Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect
This looks among the best Thanksgiving schedules for years, with every game packed with postseason implications.
Detroit host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a rare visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans way back in the 1960s before relocating to Kansas City.
The weekend’s comeback kings are both holding on to postseason hopes but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.
What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly win over the Jets in fact has them top of the AFC North after starting one and five and appearing finished.
Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)
- Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (18:00)
- Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
- Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
- Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)
Can Sanders Retain His Job?
Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first professional outing to keep the first-team job when Gabriel returns.
Yet the question will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his first league game since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 additional first-year signal callers failing to do so afterward.
It was only the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defence recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a figurehead to build belief.
And confidence is one thing not missing in Shedeur, who told a network {