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

Playoff Mahomes arrived to salvage the Chiefs' season while the Bears continue to surprise as they continue their victorious run.

And did Shedeur Sanders perform enough on his first professional start to earn the full-time job in Ohio?

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

Analysis – Cowboys Comeback or Eagles Collapse?

The Cowboys were trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning championship champions, so how on earth did they produce their joint-best comeback ever?

The emotions of a first home fixture after a teammate’s untimely death could have played a part, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defence that pounced on uncommon mistakes by the Eagles.

Prescott eclipsed Romo’s marks for yards thrown (now thirty-four thousand three hundred seventy-eight) and game-winning possessions (25) with an all-action performance – his plunging score embodying his all-action display.

Philadelphia wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the initial time after 1999, with only their second game with multiple turnovers this season – the previous being a bad division loss at the Giants.

In addition to fourteen penalties for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that affected Jalen Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He had only thrown 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 Philadelphia went 21-0 up their offence fell apart dramatically – with four straight kicks, a missed field goal and then a fumble giving opportunity after chance to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defense is excellent, it really is, but an offense that's not eclipsed 21 points in five of seven games (three losses) is now a major concern, because the pieces are all there but it's just not working.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the key situations, the defence maintains them in it and what offense there is does barely enough – if it cannot even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems ahead.

Spotlight – Playoff Patrick Shows Up Prematurely to Rescue Chiefs

It wasn’t quite as extreme, but Kansas City's eleven-point recovery in the final period against a powerful Colts squad was hugely impressive – and could have just rescued their campaign.

How significant was it? Well, the NFL's advanced analytics now assign the Kansas City a 58% chance of making the playoffs, when a loss on the weekend would have reduced that figure to twenty-eight percent.

It’s no surprise the postseason version of Patrick Mahomes arrived, throwing for two hundred thirty-five yards in the second half by itself and leading 3 point-scoring drives in their final 4 series to win it in extra time.

A few huge throws and swashbuckling scrambles are commonplace for Mahomes in the postseason, but right now the Chiefs are in playoff form – at six and five and just tenth in the AFC rankings.

This was closer to the former Kansas City though, with a first close victory of the season after dropping five previously – they won 11 of them last year so, if that confidence returns, this Kansas City faithful may not be done so soon.

Talking Point – Can Bears Become Rulers of the North?

You can no longer ignore the Bears now. A victory over the Steelers, minus Rodgers, kept them top of the NFC North and at 8-3 – sharing the identical record as the Philadelphia.

They appear dangerous on each side of the field, with a defence that leads the NFL in interceptions and total takeaways and, in Caleb Williams, a emerging player now accustomed to securing tight games.

He may at times be shaky, surrendering a touchdown after a fumble in his team’s goal area – but he also threw three touchdowns and, with already five fourth-quarter rallies this season, he understands how to get the job done.

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

The Bears are strangely the most reliable with 8 wins in nine, but as they visit the Super Bowl winners on Thanksgiving we'll see just how strong they really are.

Look Ahead – Thrilling Thanksgiving in Store

This looks one of the most exciting holiday line-ups for a long time, with every game packed with postseason implications.

Detroit host the Green Bay in the traditional curtain-raiser in Michigan, prior to a rare trip return to Dallas for the Chiefs, who began existence as the Dallas Texans way back in the sixties before relocating to Missouri.

Sunday's comeback teams are each clinging to postseason hopes but have minimal room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season feel.

And how about the Baltimore Ravens? An ugly win over the New York in fact has them top of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and appearing finished.

Holiday and Black Friday Fixtures (all times GMT)

• Thursday, 27 November: Packers @ Lions (18:00)
• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, 28 November: Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (1:20 AM)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Philadelphia Eagles (8:00 PM)

Will Shedeur Sanders Retain His Job?

Browns head coach Stefanski dismissed inquiries on whether Sanders had done sufficiently in his first professional start to maintain the first-team job when Dillon Gabriel comes back.

Yet the issue will continue to be raised as Shedeur became the first Cleveland signal-caller to secure his first league game after Eric Zeier in nineteen ninety-nine – with 17 other rookie quarterbacks unsuccessful to do so afterward.

It was only the Las Vegas, and with the assistance of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defense getting ten tackles, but Cleveland's offence needs a director, a figurehead to inspire confidence.

And confidence is something not missing in Shedeur, who told a network {