🔗 Share this article

The twelfth week delivered an incredible Cowboys rally, or was it an epic Eagles implosion?

Playoff Mahomes showed up to salvage the Chiefs' campaign while the Bears continue to surprise as they continue their victorious run.

And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his debut NFL outing to secure the starting job in Ohio?

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

The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind versus the reigning championship winners, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest comeback in history?

The emotions of a first home fixture since Marshawn Kneeland untimely death may have been a factor, however it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Philadelphia.

Prescott surpassed Romo’s records for passing yards (now 34,378) and game-winning drives (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his diving touchdown personifying his all-action display.

Philadelphia wasted a advantage of twenty-one points or more for the initial time since nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with several giveaways this season – the other being another disappointing NFC East loss at the Giants.

In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an fast start was huge. He'd only thrown for 200-plus yards in four games prior to Sunday, he had over 150 in the first half alone in Dallas.

Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence fell apart dramatically – with four straight kicks, a failed field goal and then a fumble handing opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not surpassed 21 points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a major worry, as the components are all there but it's simply not clicking.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key situations, the defence keeps them in it and what offence there is manages barely sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and possession security is breaking down, there may be problems ahead.

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

It wasn't as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point comeback in the final period against a powerful Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and may have just saved their season.

How significant was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent chance of reaching the playoffs, when a defeat on Sunday would have reduced that number to 28%.

It’s no surprise the playoff version of Mahomes arrived, passing for 235 yards in the latter half alone and leading three scoring drives in their final 4 series to win it in extra time.

Some big throws and daring runs are commonplace for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Chiefs are in post-season form – at six and five and just tenth in the conference standings.

That was more like the former Chiefs though, with a first close win of the season after losing 5 previously – they secured 11 of them the previous season so, if that belief returns, this Kansas City faithful might not be done so soon.

Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Kings of the Division?

You just can't ignore the Bears any longer. A win over the Steelers, minus Aaron Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the same standing as the Philadelphia.

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

He may still be inconsistent, surrendering a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he also threw 3 scores and, with already five fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he knows how to finish the game.

The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the NFC North after overpowering the Minnesota and Detroit are right there after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.

The Bears are interestingly the most consistent with 8 victories in nine, but as they travel to the Super Bowl champs on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how good they truly are.

Look Ahead – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect

This looks one of the most exciting holiday schedules for years, with every game loaded with playoff consequences.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional opener in Detroit, prior to a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began existence as the Texans long ago in the sixties before moving to Missouri.

Sunday's rally teams are both holding on to playoff hopes but have very little 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 leading of the AFC North after starting one and five and appearing finished.

Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Cleveland Browns head coach Stefanski batted away questions on whether Shedeur Sanders had done sufficiently in his debut NFL start to maintain the first-team job when Gabriel comes back.

But the question will continue to be asked as Shedeur became the first Browns quarterback to win his debut league start since Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so since.

It came just the Las Vegas, and with the help of an nearly feral Browns defense getting ten tackles, but the Browns’ offense requires a leader, a figurehead to build confidence.

And self-belief is something not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a CBS {