🔗 Share this article

Week 12 delivered an incredible Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an epic Eagles collapse?

Playoff Mahomes showed up to rescue the Chiefs' season while the Chicago Bears keep to impress while they extend their victorious run.

Did Sanders perform sufficiently on his debut professional start to secure the starting role in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

The Cowboys were trailing badly at 21-0 behind versus the reigning Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best comeback ever?

The emotions 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 pounced on rare errors by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch drives (25) with an dynamic display – his plunging score embodying his energetic display.

Philadelphia squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the first time after 1999, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the previous being a bad NFC East defeat at the New York.

In addition to 14 infractions for 96 yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was significant. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in four games prior to Sunday, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.

However from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge concern, as the pieces are all there but it's just not clicking.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key moments, the defence maintains them in it and what offence there is does barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and ball protection is breaking down, there may be trouble in the future.

In Focus – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs

It wasn’t as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point comeback in the fourth quarter versus a strong Colts squad was very notable – and may have only saved their season.

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

It’s no surprise the playoff version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and leading 3 point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to seal it in extra time.

A few big throws and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season form – at 6-5 and only tenth in the conference rankings.

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 last year so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be done just yet.

Discussion – Can Bears Be Rulers of the Division?

You just can't ignore the Chicago Bears any longer. A win over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at 8-3 – sharing the identical record as the Eagles.

They appear dangerous on both sides of the field, with a defense that leads the NFL in interceptions and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now used to winning tight games.

He can still be shaky, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he additionally passed for 3 scores and, with already five fourth-quarter comebacks this year, he understands how to finish the game.

Green Bay are in hot chase in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.

Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with 8 victories in 9, but as they travel to the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how strong they really are.

Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Store

It appears among the best holiday line-ups for years, with each game loaded with playoff consequences.

The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic opener in Michigan, prior to a unusual trip return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.

Sunday's rally teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.

And how about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York in fact has them leading of the AFC North after beginning one and five and appearing dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (20:00)

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Browns coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first professional start to keep the first-team job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

Yet the issue will keep being asked as Shedeur became the first Cleveland quarterback to win his debut NFL start after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other rookie signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.

It came just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an almost aggressive Cleveland defence recording ten tackles, but the Browns’ offence needs a director, a presence to inspire confidence.

And self-belief is one thing not missing in Sanders, who told a network {