Philly Stumble in Texas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Best Highlights from NFL Week 12

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

Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to salvage the Chiefs' season while the Bears continue to impress as they extend their victorious streak.

And did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first NFL start to secure the full-time role in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Philly Fail?

Dallas were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero behind against the reigning championship champions, how exactly did they engineer their equal-largest recovery in history?

The emotions of a first home game since a teammate’s untimely passing may have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Eagles.

Dak surpassed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now 34,378) and game-winning possessions (twenty-five) with an all-action display – his plunging score personifying his energetic showing.

Philadelphia squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after 1999, with only their second game with several giveaways this year – the previous 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 significant. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in four games before Sunday, 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 fell apart spectacularly – with four straight kicks, a failed field goal and then a fumble giving opportunity after opportunity to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it truly is, but an offence that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, because the components are all there but it's simply not working.

Sirianni’s game is all about winning the big situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offence there is does just about enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and possession security is failing, there may be problems ahead.

Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Appears Prematurely to Save Chiefs

It wasn't quite as dramatic, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point comeback in the final period against a strong Indianapolis squad was hugely impressive – and could have only saved their campaign.

How big was it? Indeed, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Kansas City a 58% probability of making the playoffs, when a loss on Sunday would have reduced that number to 28%.

No wonder the playoff form of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and guiding 3 point-scoring drives in their final four possessions to win it in overtime.

A few big passes and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff form – at 6-5 and just 10th in the AFC standings.

That was closer to the former Chiefs however, with a initial one-score victory of the season after losing 5 previously – they won 11 of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be finished just yet.

Discussion – Can Bears Become Rulers of the Division?

You can no longer overlook the Bears any longer. A victory over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the identical record as the Eagles.

They appear dangerous on each side of the field, with a defense that leads the league in picks and total turnovers and, in Williams, a young player now accustomed to securing tight games.

He may still be inconsistent, giving away a touchdown after a turnover in his own goal area – but he additionally passed for 3 scores and, with already five final period rallies this season, he understands how to get the job done.

Green Bay are in hot chase in the NFC North after dominating the Minnesota and Detroit are in contention after overcoming the New York in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.

Chicago are strangely the most reliable with eight wins in nine, but as they visit the championship winners on Thanksgiving we'll see just how strong they truly are.

Look Ahead – Exciting Holiday in Store

It appears among the most exciting Thanksgiving line-ups for a long time, with every game loaded with postseason implications.

Detroit host the Packers in the traditional curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual trip back to Dallas for the Kansas City, who started out life as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before relocating to Kansas City.

The weekend’s rally teams are each holding on to playoff aspirations but have minimal margin for error – so this will have a post-season feel.

And how about the Ravens? An ugly victory over the Jets in fact has them leading of the AFC North after starting 1-5 and appearing finished.

Holiday and Shopping Day Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Green Bay Packers @ Lions (6:00 PM)
• Thursday, 27 November: Kansas City Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Will Shedeur Sanders Keep His Job?

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had done enough in his first professional outing to keep the first-team position when Gabriel comes back.

But the question will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Browns signal-caller to secure his first league game after Eric Zeier in 1999 – with 17 additional rookie signal callers failing to do so afterward.

It came only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an almost feral Browns defense recording ten sacks, but the Browns’ offense requires a leader, a presence to inspire belief.

And self-belief is something not lacking in Sanders, who told a network {