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Week 12 delivered an epic Dallas Cowboys rally, or was it an massive Philadelphia Eagles collapse?

Playoff Patrick Mahomes showed up to rescue the Kansas City's season while the Chicago Bears continue to surprise while they extend their victorious streak.

And did Sanders perform sufficiently on his first professional outing to earn the starting role in Cleveland?

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

The Breakdown – Dallas Rally or Philly Fail?

The Cowboys found themselves trailing badly at twenty-one to zero down versus the reigning Super Bowl champions, how exactly did they produce their equal-largest recovery ever?

Sentiment of a initial home fixture since a teammate’s untimely death may have been a factor, but technically it was a combination of Dak Prescott resolve and a defensive unit that cashed in on rare mistakes by the Philadelphia.

Dak surpassed Tony Romo records for yards thrown (now 34,378) and clutch possessions (25) with an all-action display – his plunging touchdown personifying his energetic showing.

Philadelphia wasted a lead of twenty-one points or more for the first time after nineteen ninety-nine, with only their second game with several turnovers this season – the previous being a bad NFC East defeat at the New York.

In addition to fourteen infractions for ninety-six yards, the attacking malaise that hit Hurts after what – for him – was an explosive start was significant. He'd only passed for 200-plus yards in four games prior to the weekend, he had over 150 in the first half alone in Texas.

Yet from the time the Eagles went 21-0 up their offence derailed dramatically – with four straight punts, a failed field goal and then a turnover giving opportunity after chance to the Dallas.

Philadelphia’s defence is brilliant, it really is, but an offence that's not eclipsed twenty-one points in five of 7 games (3 losses) is now a huge concern, as the pieces are all there but it's just not working.

Sirianni’s game is all about securing the big situations, the defense keeps them in it and what offense there is does barely sufficient – if it can't even do that and now the discipline and ball protection is breaking down, there could be problems in the future.

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

It wasn’t as dramatic, but Kansas City's eleven-point comeback in the final period against a powerful Indianapolis squad was very notable – and could have only rescued their season.

How significant was it? Well, the league’s advanced analytics now give the Chiefs a 58% chance of reaching the playoffs, whereas a defeat on the weekend would have reduced that number to 28%.

No wonder the playoff version of Mahomes turned up, throwing for 235 yards in the latter half by itself and leading three scoring drives in their last four series to seal it in extra time.

A few huge throws and swashbuckling scrambles are typical for Patrick in the postseason, but right now the Kansas City are in playoff mode – at six and five and just 10th in the conference standings.

This was more like the old Chiefs though, with a initial one-score win of the year after losing five previously – they secured eleven of them last year so, if that confidence comes back, this Kansas City faithful may not be done just yet.

Talking Point – Are Chicago Be Kings of the North?

You can no longer ignore the Chicago Bears now. A win over the Steelers, without Aaron Rodgers, maintained them first of the NFC North and at eight and three – sharing the same record as the Eagles.

They appear threatening on both sides of the ball, with a defence that leads the league in picks and total turnovers and, in Williams, a emerging player now used to winning tight games.

He can at times be shaky, giving away a score after a turnover in his own goal area – but he additionally passed for 3 scores and, with already 5 fourth-quarter comebacks this season, he understands how to get the job done.

Green Bay are in close chase in the division after overpowering the Minnesota and the Lions are right there after overcoming the Giants in overtime with a huge game from Gibbs.

Chicago are strangely the most consistent with eight wins in 9, but as they visit the Super Bowl winners on the holiday we'll discover just how strong they really are.

Preview – Exciting Thanksgiving in Store

This looks one of the best Thanksgiving line-ups for years, with each game packed with playoff consequences.

Detroit welcome the Green Bay in the classic curtain-raiser in Detroit, before a unusual visit return to Dallas for the Kansas City, who began life as the Texans long ago in the 1960s before moving to Missouri.

The weekend’s rally teams are both holding on to postseason hopes but have very little room for mistakes – so this will have a post-season atmosphere.

What about the Baltimore Ravens? An unattractive victory over the New York in fact has them leading of the AFC North after beginning 1-5 and appearing finished.

Thanksgiving and Shopping Day Games (all times GMT)

• Thursday, twenty-seven November: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions (18:00)
• Thursday, 27 November: Chiefs @ Cowboys (21:30)
• Friday, 28 November: Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens (01:20)
• Friday, twenty-eight November: Chicago Bears @ Eagles (8:00 PM)

Can Sanders Keep His Starting Role?

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

Yet the issue will continue to be asked as Sanders became the first Cleveland quarterback to secure his debut league game after Zeier in 1999 – with seventeen other first-year quarterbacks failing to do so since.

It came only the Raiders, and with the assistance of an nearly aggressive Cleveland defence recording 10 sacks, but the Browns’ offense requires a leader, a figurehead to inspire belief.

Moreover self-belief is something not lacking in Shedeur, who informed a network {