🔗 Share this article

The twelfth week delivered an epic Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Eagles implosion?

Postseason Mahomes arrived to rescue the Chiefs' campaign while the Bears keep to surprise as they extend their victorious streak.

And did Sanders do enough on his debut NFL start to earn the starting job in Ohio?

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

The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

The Cowboys found themselves down and out at 21-0 behind against the reigning Super Bowl champions, how exactly did they produce their joint-best recovery in history?

Sentiment of a first home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland untimely passing could have been a factor, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare errors by the Philadelphia.

Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch drives (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action showing.

Philly squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple giveaways this season – the previous being another bad NFC East defeat at the Giants.

Along with 14 penalties for 96 yards, the attacking malaise that hit Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an fast beginning was huge. He had only thrown for 200-plus yards in 4 games prior to the weekend, he had more than one hundred fifty in the first half alone in Dallas.

However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a missed field goal and then a turnover giving opportunity after chance to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence that's not surpassed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (three losses) is now a huge concern, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.

Nick Sirianni approach is all about securing the key moments, the defense maintains them in it and what offence there is manages barely sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.

Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs

It wasn't quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the final period against a powerful Colts squad was very impressive – and could have only saved their campaign.

How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now assign the Chiefs a 58% chance of reaching the postseason, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.

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

Some huge passes and daring scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at six and five and only 10th in the conference rankings.

That was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a initial one-score win of the season after dropping 5 previously – they won eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done just yet.

Discussion – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?

You can no longer ignore the Bears any longer. A win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at 8-3 – sharing the same standing as the Eagles.

They look threatening on both sides of the field, with a defense that leads the NFL in picks and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to winning tight games.

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

The Green Bay Packers are in close pursuit in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.

The Bears are interestingly the most reliable with eight wins in nine, but as they travel to the championship winners on the holiday we'll discover exactly how strong they truly are.

Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Prospect

This looks among the best Thanksgiving schedules for years, with every game packed with postseason consequences.

Detroit welcome the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a unusual trip back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began life as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Kansas City.

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

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York actually has them top of the AFC North after starting 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Job?

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done enough in his debut professional start to maintain the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.

Yet the issue will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his debut league start after Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional first-year quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.

It was only the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defense recording ten tackles, but Cleveland's offense needs a director, a presence to inspire confidence.

And self-belief is something not missing in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {