Philadelphia Falter in Texas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Top Highlights from NFL Week 12

The twelfth week delivered an incredible Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles implosion?

Postseason Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's season while the Chicago Bears keep to surprise as they extend their winning streak.

And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to earn the starting job in Ohio?

We’ll examine at the pick of the week in the NFL.

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down against the defending championship winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?

Sentiment of a first home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland tragic death may have been a factor, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.

Prescott surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action showing.

Philadelphia wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since 1999, with only their second game with several turnovers this year – the previous being a bad division defeat at the New York.

Along with 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.

However from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four straight punts, a failed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing chance after chance to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a major concern, because the pieces are all there but it's just not working.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the big moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is failing, there may be problems ahead.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Rescue Chiefs

It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Indianapolis team was hugely impressive – and could have only saved their season.

How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent probability of making the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that number to 28%.

It’s no surprise the postseason form of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the second half by itself and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their final four series to win it in extra time.

Some big passes and daring runs are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC standings.

That was more like the old Kansas City though, with a first close win of the season after dropping 5 already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be done so soon.

Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the Division?

You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Rodgers, maintained them first of the division and at 8-3 – holding the same record as the Philadelphia.

They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a young player now accustomed to winning close games.

He can still be shaky, surrendering a score after a fumble in his own goal area – but he additionally threw three touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.

Green Bay are in close pursuit in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after beating the New York in extra time with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how strong they really are.

Preview – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect

This looks among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with each game packed with postseason consequences.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a rare visit back to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.

The weekend’s comeback teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the Jets in fact has them leading of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and looking finished.

Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)

  • Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
  • Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
  • Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
  • Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?

Browns coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had performed enough in his debut NFL start to keep the first-team job when Gabriel returns.

But the question will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Browns quarterback to win his first league game after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so since.

It came just the Raiders, and with the help of an almost feral Browns defence getting ten tackles, but Cleveland's offense needs a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.

And self-belief is something not lacking in Shedeur, who told a CBS {

Mrs. Vicki Wright
Mrs. Vicki Wright

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