🔗 Share this article

Week 12 provided an incredible Dallas Cowboys comeback, or perhaps an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?

Postseason Mahomes arrived to rescue the Kansas City's campaign as the Bears keep to surprise while they extend their winning streak.

Did Shedeur Sanders do sufficiently on his first professional outing to secure the full-time job in Ohio?

We’ll examine at the pick of the action in the league.

The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys were down and out at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending Super Bowl champions, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best comeback in history?

The emotions of a first home fixture after a teammate’s tragic passing may have been a factor, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defensive unit that pounced on rare errors by the Philadelphia.

Dak surpassed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning possessions (twenty-five) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action display.

Philly wasted a advantage of 21 points or more for the first time since 1999, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the other being another bad NFC East loss at the New York.

In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was significant. He had only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games prior to Sunday, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.

Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed spectacularly – with four straight punts, a failed field goal and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of 7 games (three losses) is now a huge concern, because the components are all there but it's just not working.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is manages just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and ball protection is breaking down, there may be trouble ahead.

In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Early to Rescue Kansas City

It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter against a strong Indianapolis squad was very impressive – and may have just saved their season.

How significant was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the postseason, whereas a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that figure to 28%.

It’s no surprise the postseason form of Mahomes arrived, passing for 235 yards in the second half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their last 4 series to win it in overtime.

Some huge passes and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at six and five and just tenth in the conference standings.

That was more like the former Kansas City though, with a initial one-score win of the season after dropping five already – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be done just yet.

Talking Point – Can Bears Be Kings of the North?

You can no longer ignore the Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.

They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defense that leads the NFL in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning tight games.

He can at times be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s goal area – but he also passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.

Green Bay are in hot chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and the Lions are in contention after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.

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

Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Store

This looks among the best holiday schedules for a long time, with every game packed with postseason consequences.

Detroit welcome the Green Bay in the classic opener in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Missouri.

Sunday's rally kings are both clinging to playoff hopes but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.

What about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them top of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and looking dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)

Can Sanders Retain His Job?

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut professional start to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.

Yet the issue will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first league game since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 other rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.

It was only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defense getting 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense needs a leader, a presence to build belief.

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