🔗 Share this article

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

Playoff Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' campaign as the Bears keep to surprise as they continue their winning streak.

And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first NFL outing to secure the starting role in Cleveland?

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

Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?

Dallas were down and out at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning Super Bowl winners, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery ever?

Sentiment of a first home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland tragic death may have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Philadelphia.

Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an dynamic performance – his diving touchdown personifying his all-action showing.

Philadelphia squandered a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time since 1999, with only their second game with several giveaways this year – the other being a bad NFC East loss at the New York.

Along with fourteen infractions for 96 yards, the attacking malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He'd only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.

However from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed three-point attempt and then a fumble handing opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence that's not surpassed twenty-one points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a huge concern, as 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 offence there is does just about enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and possession security is breaking down, there may be trouble in the future.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Save Kansas City

It wasn't as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the final period against a powerful Indianapolis team was very notable – and could have just saved their campaign.

How big was it? Indeed, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the postseason, when a defeat on Sunday would have dropped that figure to 28%.

It’s no surprise the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half by itself and guiding 3 point-scoring possessions in their final 4 possessions to seal it in overtime.

Some huge throws and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at 6-5 and only tenth in the conference rankings.

That was more like the former Chiefs though, with a first close victory of the season after losing 5 already – they won 11 of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done so soon.

Discussion – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the North?

You just can't overlook the Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the division and at 8-3 – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.

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

He may at times be inconsistent, giving away a score after a fumble in his team’s end zone – but he additionally threw 3 touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he knows how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the division after dominating the Vikings and the Lions are right there after beating the New York in extra time with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship champs on the holiday we'll discover just how good they really are.

Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Prospect

This looks one of the best holiday schedules for years, with each game packed with postseason implications.

The Lions host the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a rare visit back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.

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

What about the Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York actually has them top of the AFC North after beginning one and five and appearing dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)

Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Starting Role?

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

Yet the issue will continue to be asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his debut league game since Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional rookie signal callers failing to do so since.

It came just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defense recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offence needs a director, a figurehead to build confidence.

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