🔗 Share this article

Week 12 delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?

Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' season as the Chicago Bears keep to surprise as they continue their victorious streak.

Did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first NFL outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?

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

Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?

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

Sentiment of a initial home fixture after a teammate’s tragic death may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Prescott’s resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch possessions (25) with an all-action performance – his diving touchdown personifying his all-action display.

Philly wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the other being another bad NFC East defeat at the New York.

In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was significant. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in 4 games prior to the weekend, he had more than 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 missed field goal and then a turnover handing opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of seven games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Nick Sirianni game is all about securing the big moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages just about sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there may be trouble in the future.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Early to Rescue Chiefs

It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Colts team was hugely notable – and may have just rescued their season.

How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the playoffs, when a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that figure to 28%.

It’s no surprise the postseason form of Mahomes arrived, throwing for 235 yards in the second half by itself and guiding three scoring drives in their last 4 series to seal it in overtime.

Some big passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at six and five and only 10th in the AFC standings.

This was more like the old Chiefs however, with a first one-score victory of the year after dropping 5 previously – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done so soon.

Talking Point – Can Bears Be Rulers of the North?

You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the same record as the Eagles.

They look threatening on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a young quarterback now used to securing close games.

He may at times be inconsistent, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his own goal area – but he also threw three scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he knows how to get the job done.

Green Bay are in close pursuit in the division after overpowering the Vikings and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.

Chicago are strangely the most reliable with eight wins in 9, but as they travel to the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover exactly how strong they really are.

Preview – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Prospect

This looks among the most exciting holiday schedules for a long time, with every game loaded with playoff implications.

Detroit welcome the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual visit back to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans long ago in the sixties before relocating to Kansas City.

The weekend’s comeback teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal room for error – so this will have a post-season feel.

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York in fact has them top of the AFC North after beginning one and five and looking dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut professional start to keep the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

Yet the issue will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his first league start since Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so since.

It came only the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly aggressive Browns defense getting ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense needs a director, a figurehead to inspire belief.

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