🔗 Share this article

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

Postseason Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's campaign as the Chicago Bears continue to impress as they continue their winning run.

Did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first professional outing to secure the full-time role in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas were down and out at twenty-one to zero down against the defending Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?

The emotions of a first home game since Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing could have played a part, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that cashed in on uncommon mistakes by the Philadelphia.

Prescott surpassed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown embodying his energetic showing.

Philadelphia wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since 1999, with just their second game with several turnovers this season – the other being a disappointing division defeat at the Giants.

Along with fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was significant. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Dallas.

Yet from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence fell apart dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a missed field goal and then a fumble handing chance after chance to the Cowboys.

Philadelphia’s defense is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of seven games (3 losses) is now a huge worry, as the components are all there but it's just not clicking.

Sirianni’s game is all about winning the big situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is manages just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.

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

It wasn’t quite as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter versus a strong Indianapolis squad was very impressive – 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 making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.

No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes turned up, passing 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.

A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season form – at six and five and just tenth in the conference rankings.

That was more like the former Chiefs though, with a initial close victory of the season after dropping 5 already – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished so soon.

Discussion – Can Bears Become Kings of the North?

You just can't ignore the Bears any longer. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the division and at 8-3 – holding the same standing as the Philadelphia.

They look dangerous on both sides of the ball, with a defence that leads the NFL in interceptions and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now accustomed to securing tight games.

He can still be shaky, giving away a score after a fumble in his team’s end zone – but he additionally threw 3 touchdowns and, with already five final period comebacks this year, he knows how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the NFC North after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after beating the New York in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

Chicago are strangely the most reliable with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll see exactly how good they truly are.

Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store

It appears one of the most exciting Thanksgiving schedules for years, with every game loaded with postseason consequences.

The Lions welcome the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a unusual visit back to Dallas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Missouri.

Sunday's rally kings are each clinging to postseason hopes but have very little margin for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets in fact has them top of the division after starting one and five and looking dead and buried.

Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed enough in his debut professional outing to keep the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

Yet the issue will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his debut NFL start since Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.

It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Browns defence recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.

Moreover confidence is one thing not missing in Sanders, who told a CBS {