🔗 Share this article

Week 12 provided an epic Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?

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

And did Sanders perform enough on his debut professional outing to earn the starting role in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind against the defending championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their equal-largest recovery in history?

The emotions of a initial home fixture since a teammate’s tragic death could have played a part, however it was a combination of Prescott’s determination and a defence that pounced on rare mistakes by the Eagles.

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

Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the other being another bad NFC East loss at the New York.

Along with fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only thrown for over two hundred yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.

However from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart spectacularly – with four consecutive punts, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defense is excellent, it truly is, but an offence that's not surpassed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major concern, because the components are all there but it's just not clicking.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key moments, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is manages barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Shows Up Prematurely to Save Kansas City

It wasn’t quite as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the final period versus a strong Colts squad was very notable – and could have just saved their campaign.

How significant was it? Indeed, the league’s Next Gen Stats now give the Kansas City a 58% chance of making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have dropped that figure to twenty-eight percent.

It’s no surprise the playoff form of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half alone and guiding three point-scoring drives in their last 4 possessions to seal it in overtime.

Some huge passes and daring runs are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season form – at 6-5 and only 10th in the AFC standings.

That was more like the former Chiefs though, with a initial close victory of the season after dropping five already – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful might not be done so soon.

Talking Point – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?

You just can't ignore the Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, minus Rodgers, maintained them first of the division and at 8-3 – holding the same standing as the Philadelphia.

They appear threatening on both sides of the field, with a defense that tops the league in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now accustomed to winning close games.

He can still be inconsistent, giving away a score after a turnover in his team’s end zone – but he also threw three scores and, with already five final period rallies this season, he understands how to get the job done.

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

Chicago are strangely the most reliable with eight wins in 9, but as they visit the championship champs on Thanksgiving we'll discover just how good they truly are.

Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect

It appears among the most exciting holiday schedules for a long time, with every game packed with playoff implications.

Detroit welcome the Packers in the classic opener in Michigan, prior to a unusual trip back to Texas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Dallas Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.

The weekend’s rally kings are both clinging to postseason aspirations but have minimal room for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.

And how about the Ravens? An unattractive win over the New York actually has them top of the division after beginning one and five and looking dead and buried.

Holiday and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

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

Can Sanders Retain His Job?

Browns coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Shedeur Sanders had performed sufficiently in his first NFL start to keep the first-team job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

But the question will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to win his debut league start since Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen other first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so since.

It was just the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly feral Browns defense getting 10 sacks, but Cleveland's offence requires a leader, a presence to inspire belief.

And confidence is one thing not missing in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {