🔗 Share this article

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

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

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

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

The Cowboys were trailing badly at 21-0 behind against the defending championship winners, so how on earth did they engineer their equal-largest recovery ever?

Sentiment of a first home game after a teammate’s untimely passing may have played a part, however it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.

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

Philadelphia wasted a lead of 21 points or more for the initial time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several giveaways this season – the other being another bad NFC East loss at the Giants.

Along with 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 200-plus yards in 4 games before Sunday, he had over 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Texas.

However from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight punts, a failed field goal and then a turnover giving chance after chance to the Cowboys.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, because the pieces are all there but it's just not clicking.

Nick Sirianni approach is all about winning the key situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is manages barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the composure and ball protection is failing, there may be trouble in the future.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Prematurely to Rescue Kansas City

It wasn't quite as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a strong Colts team was hugely notable – and could have just rescued their campaign.

How big was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the postseason, when a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to 28%.

No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, passing for 235 yards in the latter half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their last four possessions to seal it in extra time.

Some huge passes and swashbuckling runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the playoffs, but right now the Chiefs are in playoff mode – at 6-5 and just 10th in the conference standings.

This was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a first close victory of the season after losing 5 previously – they secured eleven of them the previous season so, if that belief comes back, this Chiefs Kingdom may not be finished so soon.

Talking Point – Are Chicago Become Rulers of the Division?

You can no longer overlook the Chicago Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at 8-3 – holding the identical standing as the Eagles.

They look dangerous on each side of the ball, with a defense that leads the league in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Williams, a young quarterback now used to winning close games.

He can at times be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a turnover in his team’s goal area – but he also passed for three touchdowns and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this season, he understands how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in close chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after beating the Giants in extra time with a huge game from Gibbs.

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

Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Store

It appears one of the best Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with each game loaded with playoff implications.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the classic opener in Detroit, before a rare trip return to Texas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.

Sunday's comeback teams are both holding on to postseason hopes but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a playoff atmosphere.

And how about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the Jets in fact has them top of the AFC North after beginning one and five and looking finished.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, 28 November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Job?

Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had done enough in his debut NFL outing to maintain the starting position when Dillon Gabriel returns.

Yet the question will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to win his debut NFL start after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.

It was just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Cleveland defence recording 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offense requires a leader, a figurehead to build belief.

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