Week 13 game preview: Chiefs aim to build on momentum in Thanksgiving clash vs. Cowboys
Fresh off an overtime thriller, Kansas City heads to Dallas eyeing a win in its first Thanksgiving game since 2006 as Mahomes and a surging defense take on Prescott and his high-powered NFC offense.
The Chiefs’ Week 12 overtime thriller has an opportunity to be the turning point in what has been an up-and-down season for the back-to-back-to-back AFC Champions.
To make good on it, they will have to take care of the Cowboys in the iconic 3:30 Thanksgiving Day kickoff in Arlington, Texas. It is the first turkey day appearance for Kansas City since 2006. It is the Chiefs’ 11th time playing on the holiday, but a remarkable 58th for Dallas.
“I mean, it’s an honor to be asked to play on those days,” head coach Andy Reid said. “It means you’re doing or have done halfway decent, right? Not a lot of games being played either one of those two days.”
Time will tell whether it is Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce or Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb eating the turkey leg after the game, but the Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) boast a favorable matchup (-3.5) over the Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1).
Both squads are on the heels of double-digit comeback wins over first-place teams that were 8-2 heading into Week 12: the Indianapolis Colts and the Philadelphia Eagles.
The game will feature two of the NFL’s top-five offenses. The Chiefs’ defense may have something to say about it, but fireworks could be in line for what could be the most-watched regular-season matchup in NFL history.
While the Chiefs are still figuring out their identity, they may have found something last week in how wide receivers Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy were used in the fourth quarter and overtime of the Colts game.
Head coach Andy Reid also committed to the running game after handing the ball off to Kareem Hunt 30 times on their route to having a 100-yard rusher for the first time this season.
“I’m proud of him (Hunt). He’s upright, which is a positive thing. He’s doing good,” Reid said. “It just shows you what he’s put into it. At that age, at the position those guys don’t normally hang around very long and be productive like he was this past week, and he wanted more. I guess that’s a good thing.”
Reid confirmed Hunt would have his running mate this week as well, after announcing Isiah Pacheco is set to take the field for the first time since Week 8.
“He’ll play,” Reid said. “How much? I can’t tell you that right now. We’ll see how it goes.”
Mahomes and company are traditionally successful against zone-heavy teams, and the Cowboys run a lot of it. Dallas has recently added Pro-Bowl defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the fold, but the last time Kansas City faced a Matt Eberflus defense, their offense put up 456 yards and 41 points.
When the Cowboys have the ball, their identity is clear. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit will have its hands full with running back Javonte Williams and two downright productive wide receivers with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Chiefs fans are familiar with Williams, who spent the past four seasons with AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos. He had some productive seasons for their divisional foe, especially his rookie season, but this year, he has been quite the offseason bargain for the Cowboys.
The powerful runner is already seven yards away from setting a career-high in rushing yards. He is fifth in the NFL in rushing, with 896 yards, and also sixth in the league with eight rushing touchdowns.
Another offseason addition for Dallas is also just under 100 yards away from setting a career high. Pickens was more productive for the Pittsburgh Steelers than he gets credit for, but he has been a revelation for Prescott. The former second-round pick out of Georgia has the NFL’s second-most receiving yards with 1,054.
The scary part for the Chiefs’ defensive backs is that Pickens is not even their most dangerous weapon. That would be Lamb, who has nearly 7,000 yards to his name since entering the league in 2020.
“Two big dudes, right? They’ve been doing really good for a long time,” defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “But we’ll see, we’re going to have to mix it up a little bit. I think the reason they’re both so good now is because you can’t take both of them away – you can’t double both of them. So, we’ll find ways to mix it up.”
Lamb has just north of 600 yards this season, but he did miss nearly a month of football earlier this season. A combination of cornerbacks Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Kristan Fulton and Nohl Williams will have their hands full with these big-bodied receivers. I would imagine the Chiefs will be bracketing safeties Bryan Cook, Chamari Conner and Jayden Hicks over the top.
Lamb lines up in the slot some, but Pickens is nearly exclusively an outside receiver. Dallas possesses a combination of slot receivers, but tight end Jake Ferguson lines up there almost as much as he does in-line. While he only has 460 yards on the season, he is 10th in the NFL with 65 receptions on the season, offering Prescott a go-to outlet against the Chiefs’ linebackers.
Where the Chiefs have an upper hand in this matchup is their defense. After 11 games, the defensive line has proven they are not a game-wrecker, but they play sound football, and Kansas City is solid at the second and third levels.
Their 22 sacks this season (tied for 22nd in the NFL) would not suggest Kansas City is a dominant defense, but the fact is they allow the fourth-fewest points per game (18.3) and the sixth-fewest yards (293).
The Cowboys, on the other hand, rank 31st (28.5) and 29th (377.5) in those two categories. With Mahomes wanting to see more consistency out of the offense, such as what they did in the final 20 minutes of the Colts game, this may be the matchup that can propel them into the season’s final stretch.
“I think it was huge that we beat man coverage,” said of the fourth quarter and overtime against the Colts. “I think throughout the last few weeks here, teams are really trying to challenge us in man. I got to be able to make those throws in those big moments, and I was able to make throws. Guys were able to get themselves open.”
“Coaches called the plays really well and we executed. Whenever we’re able to do that, it forces the defense to have to adjust and play zone where I feel like we can play at a high-level as well. Being able to prove that we can do both, I think it’s something that we can continue to do throughout the rest of the season.”
The win over the Colts did not come without a cost. Injuries will play a role in this matchup, as they always do on four days’ rest. Everyone on the 53 has practiced this week, aside from right guard Trey Smith (ankle) and tight end Noah Gray (concussion), who are to be listed as out.
Dallas’ injury report goes 14 players deep, but left tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) is the only one who has not practiced in any form or fashion.
The Chiefs have put themselves in a position of no margin for error. We do not know how the rest of the season will shake out for the other AFC contenders, but every Chiefs game from here on out could end up being a ‘must-win.’
Kansas City solved some riddles in Week 12 with its first win over a current playoff team and its first victory in a one-score game, but it still has another box to check this week. As things stand, they are 1-4 when playing away from Arrowhead this season.
“As in to proving something, we just want to win,” Jones said when asked if the team has something to prove this week on the road. “It’s always easier to play at home when you have the home field advantage that goes in effect. We have to start pulling some road games off. I think this is the best time to do that against a really really great Dallas team.”
Weeks 14 and 15 bring two such teams, the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers, to Arrowhead that they need to jump to punch their ticket to the dance. A win over Dallas would then give them 10 days to prepare to take those leaps they have failed to take thus far into the 2025 season.
Key injuries
Chiefs: Right guard Trey Smith (ankle) has not practiced this week, nor has tight end Noah Gray (concussion). Safety Chris Roland-Wallace (back) was limited in Kansas City’s lone on-field practice. All three are listed as out.
Cowboys: Left tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) has not practiced this week, while defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (elbow), defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. (shoulder) and Pickens (knee/calf) have been limited.
Key game details
Location: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
Date: Thursday, Nov. 27
Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. CT
TV/Streaming: CBS
Broadcasters: Jim Nantz and Tony Romo
Radio: 96.5 The Fan
Head Referee: John Hussey
Betting Line: Chiefs -3.5 | Moneyline: -190 | Over/Under: 52.5
Weather Forecast: The game will be played indoors