Philly Stumble in Dallas & Mahomes Saves Kansas City – Best Highlights from National Football League the Twelfth Week

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

Playoff Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' campaign while the Bears keep to impress while they extend their victorious run.

And did Sanders perform enough on his debut NFL start to secure the starting job in Cleveland?

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

Analysis – Dallas Rally or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas were trailing badly at 21-0 down against the defending championship winners, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best recovery ever?

The emotions of a initial home game since a teammate’s tragic death could have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott determination and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Philadelphia.

Prescott eclipsed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now 34,378) and clutch drives (25) with an dynamic display – his plunging score embodying his all-action display.

Philly wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time since nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with several giveaways this season – the other being a bad NFC East loss at the Giants.

In addition to 14 infractions for ninety-six yards, the offensive struggles that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was huge. He'd only passed for over two hundred yards in 4 games before the weekend, he had more than one hundred fifty in the opening two quarters alone in Texas.

Yet from the time the Eagles went twenty-one to zero up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed three-point attempt and then a turnover handing chance after chance to the Cowboys.

The Eagles defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a major concern, as the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Sirianni’s approach is all about securing the key situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is manages barely enough – if it can't even do that and now the composure and ball protection is breaking down, there may be problems in the future.

In Focus – Postseason Mahomes Appears Early to Save Kansas City

It wasn’t as extreme, but the Chiefs’ 11-point recovery in the fourth quarter versus a strong Colts team was hugely notable – and could have only saved their campaign.

How significant was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a fifty-eight percent probability of making the playoffs, whereas a loss on the weekend would have dropped that figure to 28%.

No wonder the postseason version of Mahomes turned up, passing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half by itself and guiding 3 scoring drives in their final 4 possessions to seal it in extra time.

A few big passes and swashbuckling runs are typical for Patrick in the playoffs, but currently the Kansas City are in post-season mode – at six and five and just tenth in the conference rankings.

That was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a first one-score victory of the year after losing five already – they won 11 of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful might not be finished just yet.

Talking Point – Can Bears Become Kings of the Division?

You just can't overlook the Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, without Rodgers, maintained them top of the division and at eight and three – sharing the identical record as the Eagles.

They look threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that leads the NFL in picks and overall takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now accustomed to winning tight games.

He can still be shaky, giving away a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s goal area – but he also threw 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter rallies this season, he understands how to get the job done.

The Green Bay Packers are in hot chase in the division after overpowering the Vikings and the Lions are in contention after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.

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

Preview – Thrilling Holiday in Prospect

It appears one of the most exciting Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with each game loaded with postseason implications.

The Lions host the Packers in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, prior to a rare visit return to Texas for the Chiefs, who started out life as the Dallas Texans way back in the 1960s before relocating to Kansas City.

The weekend’s comeback teams are both clinging to postseason hopes but have very little room for error – so this will have a playoff feel.

And how about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them leading of the AFC North after beginning one and five and appearing finished.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys (9:30 PM)
• Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Starting Role?

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed questions on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first NFL start to keep the starting position when Gabriel returns.

But the question will keep being raised as Shedeur became the first Browns signal-caller to win his debut league game since Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional first-year signal callers unsuccessful to do so afterward.

It came just the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly feral Browns defense recording 10 tackles, but the Browns’ offence requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.

Moreover confidence is one thing not missing in Sanders, who informed a CBS {