🔗 Share this article

The twelfth week delivered an epic Cowboys comeback, or was it an massive Eagles collapse?

Playoff Patrick Mahomes arrived to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Bears keep to surprise while they extend their victorious run.

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

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

The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas found themselves down and out at 21-0 down versus the defending Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best recovery ever?

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

Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an dynamic display – his diving touchdown embodying his all-action display.

Philadelphia wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with several turnovers this season – the previous being another disappointing division defeat at the Giants.

In addition to 14 penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He had only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games before the weekend, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.

However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed dramatically – with four straight punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not surpassed 21 points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, as the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Nick Sirianni game is all about winning the key moments, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages just about sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.

Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Rescue Chiefs

It wasn’t as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a strong Indianapolis squad was very impressive – and may have just rescued their season.

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

No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes turned up, passing for 235 yards in the second half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to seal it in extra time.

A few huge throws and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and only tenth in the AFC standings.

That was more like the former Kansas City though, with a initial one-score victory of the season after losing five already – they secured 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be finished just yet.

Talking Point – Can Bears Become Rulers of the North?

You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.

They look dangerous on both sides of the field, with a defence that tops the league in interceptions and total takeaways and, in Williams, a young player now accustomed to securing tight games.

He may at times be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a fumble in his own end zone – but he also passed for 3 touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this season, he understands how to finish the game.

Green Bay are in close chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and Detroit are right there after overcoming the Giants in extra time with a monster game from Gibbs.

The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll see just how good they really are.

Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store

It appears among the best holiday line-ups for a long time, with each game loaded with postseason implications.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional opener in Detroit, before a unusual trip back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Missouri.

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

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets actually has them top of the division after starting one and five and appearing finished.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his first professional start to maintain the first-team position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

Yet the issue will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to win his debut league game after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.

It came just the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Browns defence recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offence requires a director, a figurehead to inspire confidence.

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