The Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys went at it on Thanksgiving Day in Texas, and there was a time when this game would have been an easy win for the Chiefs, but now is not that time. The Chiefs fell to the Cowboys in a 31-28 final score.
Now, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to have to basically win out the season to get to the playoffs, and it’s difficult to sugarcoat the situation. The team’s record in 6-6, which is an unlikely spot for the Chiefs to be in the Mahomes era, and it feels like the sky is falling, at least a bit.
After the game, a deflated Mahomes, Andy Reid and Chiefs talked to the press. It’s not how they wanted their Thanksgiving game to go down, but the reality is that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and company were on their best today, and the Chiefs were not.
Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes Talks Chiefs Loss to Cowboys
Mahomes had a blunt and real answer when asked about the Thanksgiving loss. He knows that there’s only one thing the team must do going forward, and that’s win.
“I mean, at the end of the day, you’ve got to win every game now and hope that’s enough,” Mahomes said, according to Vahe Gregorian of the Kansas City Star.
Reid had some comments, too. “It is Thanksgiving, so that’s bigger than probably any of this,” he said.
As for playoff chances, “Thursday’s victory runs Dallas’ playoff chances up to 21% after starting Week 13 with an 11.4% chance, according to the SportsLine model,” according to CBS Sports. “The Thanksgiving defeat for Kansas City drops their playoff chances from 63.8% to 46%, according to the SportsLine model.”
Looking at the numbers, according to NFL research, Prescott finished with 320 yards passing, two passing touchdowns and an interception on 27 of 39 passing, and Mahomes completed 23 of his 34 throws for 261 yards and four touchdowns.
The Difference-Makers in the Chiefs and Cowboys Game
So, what made the difference in this game? Kevin Patra of the NFL says the Cowboys’ defense was simply stellar against the Chiefs.
“The trade-deadline moves continue to pay off for Jerry Jones’ club. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams generated a team-high six QB pressures and tied for the lead with two run stuffs,” he noted in a postgame piece. “Williams’ presence completely changes how Dallas can play defense — he took on 10 double teams on 29 pass rush snaps, most among Cowboys players.” Plus, “The back end getting healthier has also been massive for Brian Schottenheimer’s club, not as easily giving up free releases as they did early in the season.”
He added that, “Things got a little wobbly early, with the Chiefs gashing Dallas on the opening drives, but the Cowboys defense settled in and made the stops that mattered. They held Patrick Mahomes & Co. to 5-of-13 on third downs for the game. The biggest stop was a quick three-and-out in the fourth quarter after Dallas retook the lead — a spot where Mahomes usually answers.”
Mahomes wasn’t able to answer enough, despite his strong performance. Now, the Chiefs are looking ahead and trying to win out the remainder of the season.
