🔗 Share this article

Week 12 provided an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an epic Philadelphia Eagles collapse?

Postseason Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Bears continue to surprise while they continue their winning run.

Did Sanders perform enough on his debut NFL outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?

Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down against the reigning Super Bowl champions, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best comeback in history?

The emotions of a first home game after Marshawn Kneeland untimely passing could have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare errors by the Philadelphia.

Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic display – his plunging score personifying his energetic showing.

Philly wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the other being another bad NFC East loss at the Giants.

Along with fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking struggles that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was huge. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in four games before Sunday, he had over 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.

However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four consecutive kicks, a missed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing opportunity after chance to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (three losses) is now a major concern, as the pieces are all there but it's simply not working.

Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the big situations, the defense maintains them in it and what offence there is does barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there may be trouble in the future.

Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City

It wasn't quite as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the final period against a powerful Indianapolis team was very notable – and may have just rescued their campaign.

How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the postseason, whereas a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.

No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the second half by itself and guiding three point-scoring drives in their last 4 possessions to win it in extra time.

Some big throws and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season form – at 6-5 and only 10th in the conference standings.

This was closer to the former Chiefs however, with a first close win of the year after losing 5 already – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished just yet.

Talking Point – Can Bears Be Rulers of the Division?

You can no longer overlook the Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the same standing as the Philadelphia.

They appear dangerous on both sides of the field, with a defense that leads the NFL in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning tight games.

He may still be shaky, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he additionally threw three scores and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are in contention after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

Chicago are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in 9, but as they visit the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how good they truly are.

Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Prospect

This looks among the most exciting holiday line-ups for years, with each game packed with playoff implications.

The Lions welcome the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a unusual trip return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.

The weekend’s comeback kings are each holding on to postseason hopes but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting one and five and looking finished.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Keep His Job?

Browns head coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had performed enough in his debut professional outing to keep the starting position when Gabriel returns.

But the issue will continue to be asked as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut NFL start after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other rookie signal callers failing to do so afterward.

It came just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Browns defence recording 10 tackles, but Cleveland's offence requires a director, a presence to build belief.

And self-belief is one thing not lacking in Sanders, who informed a network {