Philadelphia Falter in Texas & Patrick Saves Kansas City – Top Highlights from National Football League Week 12

Week 12 provided an epic Dallas Cowboys comeback, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles implosion?

Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to salvage the Kansas City's season as the Chicago Bears keep to surprise while they extend their victorious run.

And did Shedeur Sanders perform sufficiently on his debut NFL outing to earn the starting role in Ohio?

Let's take a look at the pick of the week in the NFL.

The Breakdown – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

Dallas were down and out at 21-0 behind versus the defending Super Bowl winners, so how on earth did they engineer their equal-largest comeback in history?

Sentiment of a first home fixture after Marshawn Kneeland untimely passing could have been a factor, but technically it was a mixture of Prescott’s determination and a defence that cashed in on uncommon errors by the Eagles.

Dak eclipsed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and clutch possessions (twenty-five) with an all-action performance – his plunging score personifying his energetic showing.

Philly squandered a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with just their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the other being a disappointing NFC East defeat at the Giants.

In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the offensive malaise that affected Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive beginning was huge. He had only passed for over two hundred yards in four games before the weekend, he had more than 150 in the opening two quarters by himself in Dallas.

However from the time Philadelphia went twenty-one to zero up their offense fell apart dramatically – with four consecutive kicks, a failed field goal and then a fumble giving opportunity after opportunity to the Cowboys.

Philadelphia’s defence is excellent, it truly is, but an offense that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in 5 of seven games (three losses) is now a huge worry, because the pieces are all there but it's simply not clicking.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key moments, the defense maintains them in it and what offense there is does barely sufficient – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is failing, there could be trouble in the future.

In Focus – Playoff Patrick Appears Early to Save Chiefs

It wasn’t quite as extreme, but the Chiefs’ eleven-point recovery in the fourth quarter against a strong Indianapolis squad was very notable – and could have only rescued their campaign.

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

It’s no surprise the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes turned up, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the latter half alone and guiding 3 point-scoring possessions in their last 4 series to seal it in extra time.

Some big passes and daring scrambles are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and only tenth in the conference rankings.

This was closer to the old Kansas City though, with a first close win of the season after dropping 5 already – they secured 11 of them the previous season so, if that confidence returns, this Chiefs Kingdom might not be done just yet.

Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Rulers of the North?

You just can't overlook the Chicago Bears any longer. A victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, without Rodgers, kept them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – holding the identical standing as the Philadelphia.

They appear threatening on each side of the ball, with a defence that tops the NFL in interceptions and total turnovers and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging quarterback now accustomed to securing close games.

He may still be shaky, giving away a score after a fumble in his own goal area – but he also threw 3 scores and, with already 5 final period rallies this season, he knows how to finish the game.

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

Chicago are interestingly the most reliable with eight wins in 9, but as they travel to the Super Bowl winners on Thanksgiving we'll see exactly how good they truly are.

Preview – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Prospect

It appears among the best Thanksgiving schedules for a long time, with each game packed with postseason implications.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a rare visit back to Texas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before moving to Kansas City.

Sunday's rally teams are each clinging to postseason aspirations but have minimal room for error – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.

What about the Ravens? An unattractive victory over the Jets actually has them top of the division after beginning 1-5 and appearing dead and buried.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bengals @ Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Retain His Job?

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski batted away questions on whether Sanders had done enough in his debut professional start to maintain the starting job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

But the question will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Browns quarterback to secure his debut NFL start since Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with seventeen additional rookie quarterbacks failing to do so afterward.

It was only the Raiders, and with the help of an nearly aggressive Browns defense recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offence needs a leader, a figurehead to inspire confidence.

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