🔗 Share this article

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

Playoff Mahomes showed up to salvage the Chiefs' season while the Chicago Bears keep to surprise while they extend their winning run.

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

Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the league.

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys were down and out at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they engineer their joint-best recovery in history?

Sentiment of a initial home game after a teammate’s tragic death could have been a factor, however it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.

Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now 34,378) and clutch drives (25) with an dynamic performance – his diving score personifying his all-action showing.

Philadelphia wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the previous being another disappointing division loss at the Giants.

Along with fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games prior to Sunday, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters alone in Dallas.

Yet from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence fell apart spectacularly – with four straight punts, a failed field goal and then a turnover handing opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a major worry, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.

Nick Sirianni game is all about securing the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is does barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there could be trouble ahead.

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

It wasn't quite as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point comeback in the final period against a powerful Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and could have just rescued their campaign.

How big was it? Indeed, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of making the postseason, whereas a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.

No wonder the postseason form of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and leading three scoring drives in their final four possessions to seal it in extra time.

Some big throws and daring runs are typical for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in playoff form – at six and five and just tenth in the AFC standings.

That was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a initial close win of the season after dropping five already – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished just yet.

Discussion – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the Division?

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

They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Williams, a emerging quarterback now accustomed to securing close games.

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

Green Bay are in close pursuit 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.

Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover exactly how strong they really are.

Preview – Exciting Holiday in Store

This looks one of the best Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game packed with postseason consequences.

The Lions welcome the Green Bay in the classic opener in Michigan, before a unusual visit return to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Missouri.

Sunday's rally kings are both holding on to postseason hopes but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.

What about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting one and five and appearing dead and buried.

Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Job?

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed enough in his debut NFL outing to keep the first-team job when Gabriel comes back.

But the issue will continue to be raised as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first league game since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional rookie signal callers failing to do so afterward.

It came only the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defence getting 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense requires a director, a presence to inspire belief.

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