🔗 Share this article

The twelfth week delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or perhaps an massive Eagles implosion?

Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' season as the Bears keep to impress while they continue their winning streak.

And did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first professional outing to earn the full-time role in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the reigning Super Bowl champions, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?

Sentiment of a first home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland untimely death could have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Romo’s records for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic display – his diving touchdown embodying his energetic showing.

Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after 1999, with only their second game with several turnovers this year – the previous being a bad division defeat at the Giants.

In addition to 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He had only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games before the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.

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

The Eagles defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not clicking.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key situations, the defense maintains them in it and what offense there is manages barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there could be trouble in the future.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City

It wasn't as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the final period versus a powerful Colts squad was hugely impressive – and could have just saved their season.

How significant was it? Well, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of making the postseason, whereas a loss on Sunday would have reduced that number to 28%.

No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the second half alone and leading three scoring possessions in their last four possessions to seal it in overtime.

A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and just 10th in the conference rankings.

That was more like the former Kansas City though, with a initial one-score win of the year after dropping 5 previously – they secured 11 of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done so soon.

Discussion – Can Bears Become Rulers of the Division?

You can no longer overlook the Bears any longer. A victory over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at eight and three – holding the same record as the Philadelphia.

They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in picks and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to securing tight games.

He may still be shaky, surrendering a score after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this season, he understands how to get the job done.

The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the NFC North after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are right there after overcoming the New York in extra time with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Bears are strangely the most consistent with eight wins in 9, but as they travel to the championship champs on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they really are.

Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect

This looks one of the best holiday line-ups for a long time, with each game packed with playoff implications.

The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a unusual trip back to Texas for the Kansas City, who began life as the Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.

The weekend’s comeback kings are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have very little room for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.

And how about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York actually has them leading of the division after beginning 1-5 and looking dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first professional outing to keep the first-team position when Gabriel returns.

Yet the question will keep being raised as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut league start since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 other first-year signal callers failing to do so afterward.

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

Moreover self-belief is one thing not missing in Shedeur, who told a CBS {