🔗 Share this article

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

Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's campaign while the Bears continue to impress while they extend their victorious streak.

Did Sanders do sufficiently on his first professional start to secure the full-time role in Cleveland?

Let's take a look at the pick of the action in the NFL.

The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind against the defending Super Bowl champions, so how on earth did they engineer their joint-best recovery ever?

Sentiment of a initial home fixture after a teammate’s untimely passing may have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that cashed in on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Tony Romo marks for passing yards (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning drives (25) with an dynamic performance – his plunging touchdown embodying his energetic showing.

Philly squandered a lead of 21 points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this year – the previous being a disappointing division defeat at the Giants.

Along with 14 penalties for 96 yards, the offensive malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was significant. He had only passed for 200-plus yards in four games prior to Sunday, he had more than one hundred fifty in the first half alone in Dallas.

However from the time Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four consecutive punts, a missed field goal and then a fumble handing opportunity after chance to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, as the pieces are all there but it's just not working.

Nick Sirianni game is all about winning the key situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is does barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is failing, there may be problems ahead.

In Focus – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City

It wasn't as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point comeback in the fourth quarter versus a powerful Indianapolis squad was very impressive – and could have just saved their campaign.

How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a 58% chance of making the postseason, whereas a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that number 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 latter half by itself and guiding three scoring drives in their last four possessions to seal it in overtime.

Some huge throws and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Patrick in the postseason, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season form – at six and five and only 10th in the AFC rankings.

That was more like the former Kansas City though, with a first one-score win of the season after losing five already – they secured 11 of them last year so, if that belief comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be finished just yet.

Talking Point – Can Bears Be Kings of the Division?

You can no longer overlook the Bears any longer. A victory over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, kept them first of the division and at eight and three – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.

They look dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defense that leads the league in picks and overall turnovers and, in Williams, a young quarterback now accustomed to winning tight games.

He may still be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a fumble in his own end zone – but he additionally passed for three scores and, with already five final period rallies this year, he knows how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the division after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a monster game from Jahmyr Gibbs.

Chicago are interestingly the most consistent 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 – Exciting Thanksgiving in Prospect

This looks one of the most exciting holiday line-ups for years, with each game packed with playoff implications.

The Lions host the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Michigan, before a unusual visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.

The weekend’s comeback teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have very little margin for mistakes – so this will have a playoff feel.

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

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (20:00)

Can Sanders Keep His Job?

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had done enough in his debut professional outing to keep the starting job when Dillon Gabriel returns.

Yet the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his first NFL game since Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional rookie signal callers failing to do so afterward.

It came only the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly feral Browns defence getting 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offence needs a leader, a presence to inspire confidence.

And confidence is one thing not lacking in Shedeur, who told a network {