🔗 Share this article

Week 12 provided an incredible Cowboys comeback, or was it an epic Eagles collapse?

Postseason Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Chicago Bears continue to impress while they extend their winning streak.

And did Sanders perform enough on his debut professional outing to secure the starting job in Cleveland?

Let's take a look at the best of the action in the league.

Analysis – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?

The Cowboys found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the defending championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their equal-largest comeback ever?

The emotions of a first home game after Marshawn Kneeland tragic passing could have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that cashed in on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.

Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and clutch possessions (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown embodying his all-action showing.

Philly wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the first time after 1999, with only their second game with several turnovers this year – the other being a bad NFC East defeat at the New York.

In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in four games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the first half by himself in Dallas.

However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover giving chance after chance to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of seven games (3 losses) is now a major worry, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Nick Sirianni game is all about winning the key situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is does barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there may be trouble in the future.

Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Prematurely to Save Chiefs

It wasn't as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the fourth quarter against a strong Indianapolis team was hugely notable – and could have just saved their season.

How big was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a 58% chance of reaching the postseason, when a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that number to twenty-eight percent.

No wonder the playoff form of Patrick Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and leading 3 point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to seal it in extra time.

A few big passes and daring scrambles are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and just 10th in the conference standings.

This was closer to the former Chiefs however, with a first close win of the season after dropping 5 already – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished just yet.

Discussion – Can Bears Become Kings of the North?

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

They appear dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the league in picks and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a young player now accustomed to winning tight games.

He may at times be inconsistent, giving away a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he additionally passed for three touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to get the job done.

Green Bay are in close chase in the division after dominating the Minnesota and the Lions are in contention after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

The Bears are strangely the most consistent with 8 victories in nine, but as they visit the Super Bowl champs on the holiday we'll discover just how strong they really are.

Look Ahead – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store

This looks one of the best holiday line-ups for a long time, with each game packed with playoff consequences.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional opener in Detroit, prior to a rare visit return to Texas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the sixties before relocating to Missouri.

The weekend’s comeback teams are both clinging to playoff hopes but have minimal room for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

What about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York actually has them top of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and looking dead and buried.

Holiday and Black Friday Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his debut NFL outing to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

But the issue will keep being asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his first NFL start after Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so since.

It came just the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defence recording ten sacks, but Cleveland's offense requires a director, a presence to inspire belief.

And self-belief is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a CBS {