Philadelphia Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Chiefs – Top Highlights from National Football League Week 12

Week 12 provided an epic Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Eagles collapse?

Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to surprise while they extend their winning run.

And did Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to secure the starting job in Cleveland?

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

The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas were down and out at twenty-one to zero down versus the defending Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best recovery ever?

The emotions of a first home game since a teammate’s tragic passing could have been a factor, but technically it was a combination of Prescott’s determination and a defensive unit that cashed in on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.

Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an dynamic performance – his plunging score personifying his all-action showing.

Philly squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time after 1999, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the previous being a disappointing NFC East defeat at the Giants.

Along with fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was significant. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.

However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Dallas.

The Eagles defense is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a major worry, as the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Nick Sirianni game is all about winning the key moments, the defence maintains them in it and what offence there is manages just about sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there may be trouble ahead.

Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs

It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's 11-point comeback in the final period versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and may have only saved their campaign.

How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the playoffs, when a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that number to 28%.

It’s no surprise the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half by itself and leading 3 scoring possessions in their final four possessions to win it in extra time.

Some big throws and swashbuckling runs are typical for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at 6-5 and just tenth in the conference rankings.

This was closer to the former Chiefs though, with a initial close win of the season after losing five already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished just yet.

Talking Point – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?

You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the identical standing as the Philadelphia.

They appear threatening on each side of the field, with a defence that leads the league in interceptions and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to securing tight games.

He can at times be shaky, surrendering a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he also passed for three touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.

Green Bay are in close chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.

The Bears are strangely the most consistent with 8 wins in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll see just how good they really are.

Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Store

It appears one of the most exciting holiday line-ups for a long time, with every game packed with playoff implications.

The Lions welcome the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a rare visit return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.

Sunday's comeback kings are each holding on to postseason hopes but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

What about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York in fact has them top of the division after starting 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

  • Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
  • Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
  • Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
  • Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional start to maintain the starting job when Gabriel comes back.

But the issue will continue to be asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his debut league game since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so since.

It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an almost aggressive Cleveland defence getting ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a leader, a presence to inspire belief.

And confidence is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {

Brian Lowery
Brian Lowery

Digital strategist and UX designer with over a decade of experience in tech innovation and web development projects across Europe.