🔗 Share this article

The twelfth week provided an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or perhaps an epic Philadelphia Eagles implosion?

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

Did Sanders perform enough on his first NFL start to secure the starting job in Cleveland?

Let's take a look at the best of the week in the NFL.

The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys found themselves down and out at 21-0 down against the reigning championship winners, how exactly did they engineer their joint-best comeback ever?

The emotions of a initial home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland tragic death may have played a part, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s resolve and a defence that pounced on rare errors by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Romo’s marks for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown personifying his all-action display.

Philadelphia wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with several turnovers this season – the previous being another bad division defeat at the Giants.

Along with 14 infractions for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He had only thrown for over two hundred yards in four games before Sunday, he had over one hundred fifty in the first half by himself in Dallas.

However from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offense derailed dramatically – with four consecutive punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Dallas.

The Eagles defence is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not surpassed 21 points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offense 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.

Spotlight – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Early to Save Chiefs

It wasn’t as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a strong Colts team was very impressive – and could have only saved their season.

How big was it? Well, the NFL's Next Gen Stats now assign the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent probability of reaching the postseason, whereas a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that number to twenty-eight percent.

No wonder the playoff form of Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their last four possessions to seal it in overtime.

A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Chiefs are in post-season mode – at six and five and just tenth in the conference rankings.

This was more like the former Chiefs though, with a initial one-score win of the season after dropping five already – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished so soon.

Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Kings of the Division?

You can no longer ignore the Bears now. A win over the Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them first of the division and at 8-3 – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.

They look dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that leads the NFL in picks and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to securing tight games.

He can still be shaky, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also passed for 3 scores and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.

Green Bay are in close pursuit in the NFC North after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after beating the Giants in overtime with a monster game from Gibbs.

The Bears are strangely the most consistent with eight victories in nine, but as they visit the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how good they truly are.

Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect

It appears one of the best holiday line-ups for a long time, with every game packed with postseason consequences.

The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic opener in Detroit, prior to a unusual trip back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began life as the Texans way back in the 1960s before relocating to Missouri.

The weekend’s comeback kings are each holding on to postseason aspirations but have minimal room for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

What about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly victory over the New York in fact has them top of the AFC North after beginning one and five and appearing finished.

Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)

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

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?

Cleveland Browns coach Stefanski batted away inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut NFL outing to keep the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.

Yet the issue will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his first league game after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen additional first-year quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.

It was just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defense getting 10 tackles, but the Browns’ offence requires a director, a presence to build belief.

And self-belief is one thing not missing in Sanders, who informed a CBS {