🔗 Share this article

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

Postseason Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' season as the Bears keep to surprise as they extend their victorious run.

Did Sanders do sufficiently on his debut professional outing to secure the starting role in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

The Cowboys found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning championship winners, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best recovery ever?

The emotions of a first home game since a teammate’s tragic passing may have been a factor, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that cashed in on rare errors by the Eagles.

Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action display.

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

In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was significant. He had only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games prior to Sunday, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Texas.

Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a turnover giving chance after opportunity to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge concern, because the pieces are all there but it's just not clicking.

Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the big moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there may be problems in the future.

Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Save Kansas City

It wasn't as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a strong Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and may have just rescued their campaign.

How significant was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a 58% probability of making the playoffs, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that figure to 28%.

It’s no surprise the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half by itself and guiding 3 point-scoring possessions in their last four possessions to seal it in extra time.

A few huge throws and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at 6-5 and only 10th in the AFC standings.

This was closer to the old Chiefs though, with a first close victory of the year after losing five already – they won eleven of them last year so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished so soon.

Talking Point – Can Bears Be Rulers of the Division?

You can no longer overlook the Bears now. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the identical standing as the Eagles.

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

He may still be inconsistent, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also threw three scores and, with already five fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he understands how to get the job done.

The Green Bay Packers are in hot pursuit in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the Giants in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.

Chicago are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they truly are.

Preview – Exciting Holiday in Store

It appears one of the best holiday schedules for years, with every game packed with postseason consequences.

The Lions host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a rare visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Texans way back in the sixties before relocating to Kansas City.

The weekend’s comeback teams are both holding on to postseason hopes but have very little room for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

What about the Ravens? An ugly win over the New York actually has them leading of the division after starting 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.

Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, 28 November: Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Keep His Job?

Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first professional outing to maintain the starting job when Dillon Gabriel returns.

But the issue will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his first NFL game after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.

It came only the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Browns defence getting ten sacks, but Cleveland's offence requires a director, a figurehead to inspire confidence.

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