The Kansas City Chiefs lost their sixth one-score game of the season on Thanksgiving day, 31-28 to the Dallas Cowboys.
First Half
The Chiefs got things off to a great start, intercepting Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott just three plays into the game to set the offense up with good field positioning. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes took advantage of the pick by leading the team into the endzone in just two plays to take a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
However, a long 12-play drive response by Dallas tied things up before the Chiefs would go on a 12-play drive of their own that was capped off by a two-yard touchdown reception by tight end Travis Kelce on fourth down to make it 14-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Unfortunately for Kansas City, the second quarter didn’t go quite as well for the Chiefs, as the Cowboys would kick a field goal and score a touchdown while their defense forced a couple of punts thanks to a few untimely penalties. This resulted in a 17-14 halftime lead for Dallas.
Second Half
The third quarter was a whole lot different than the first half, as only three total points were scored with the teams combining for three straight punts before the Cowboys kicked a field goal to end the quarter off.
The Chiefs finally got back on the board after four straight punts, scoring on the first play of the fourth quarter with a touchdown to take a 21-20 lead. However, it just wasn’t the defense’s day as they allowed another touchdown and a two-point conversion, allowing more points than they had all season, that being 28.
The offense would then have their second three-and-out of the day, giving Dallas the ball back who would go down and kick a field goal after nearly turning the ball over on two straight plays. Regardless, the Cowboys took a two possession lead with just over five minutes remaining.
The offense would make a valiant effort, scoring a touchdown in just under two minutes, kicking the ball back to Dallas with around three and a half minutes remaining. Unfortunately for them, the defense could not get a stop yet again, as the Cowboys would run out the clock after a few first downs to win it 31-28.
Key Statistics
Statistically, both offenses looked on fire, and they were. Mahomes and Prescott combined for six touchdowns as Mahomes ended his day going 23/34 for 261 passing yards and four touchdowns. The rushing offense also looked good, as all runners combined for 119 yards on 23 carries. Running back Isiah Pacheco returned from his knee injury for very limited carries, taking three attempts for 16 yards.
In the receiving game, wide receiver Rahsee Rice yet again had a great showing, catching eight balls for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Wide receiver Xavier Worthy and Travis Kelce also contributed, as Worthy caught four for 61 yards and Kelce took five receptions for 45 yards.
Defensively, the Chiefs really struggled, as they allowed a season-high 31 points and 11 in the fourth quarter which ultimately lost Kansas City the game. The Chiefs totaled zero sacks despite registering six quarterback hits and two pass deflections which was a big difference in the game as Prescott was able to get his throws off in time and beat the secondary over the top with the Cowboy’s two premiere wideouts in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
The Outlook
The Chiefs now sit at 6-6 with just five more regular season games to go and well behind a number of wildcard teams. A spot in the playoff could come down to the result of the AFC South, as the Chiefs lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier on in the season but beat the Indianapolis Colts and could beat the Houston Texans next week.
The Chiefs don’t have the head-to-head advantage over any current wild card team, but if the Jaguars were able to get the division over the Colts and possibly the Texans, that could really play into Kansas City’s hands.
Still, things are looking really dire for the Chiefs as of right now, as they will at least basically need to win out to have any real chance of even making the postseason now.