ARLINGTON, Texas – The Kansas City Chiefs faced another tough loss, falling 31-28 to the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed the team’s urgent need to win every game moving forward.
Mahomes said, “You’ve got to win every game now—and hope that’s enough.” With their record sitting at 6-6, the Chiefs find themselves outside the playoff picture, and according to ESPN Analytics, their chances of reaching the postseason dropped from 63% to 47% after this game. They have only five more games, all against AFC teams, starting Dec. 7 against the Houston Texans.
Just a few days earlier, the Chiefs felt hopeful after a dramatic win over the Indianapolis Colts, where they came back from an 11-point deficit. The game against Dallas started strong; Mahomes connected with Rashee Rice for a 27-yard touchdown. This was an impressive performance for Mahomes, who had a total of four touchdown passes.
However, this game marked a troubling milestone—it’s the first time the Chiefs lost when Mahomes threw at least four touchdowns without throwing an interception. Surprisingly, they were 12-0 in those scenarios before this game.
Mahomes pointed out the inconsistency affecting the team. “We can beat anybody, but we’ve shown that we can lose to anybody,” he stated. The Chiefs need to maintain consistency throughout the game to compete against high-level teams.
In the second half of the game, Mahomes played without both starting tackles, Jawaan Taylor and rookie Josh Simmons, who left with injuries. Simmons faces a longer recovery due to a dislocated and fractured wrist, which complicates matters for the team.
Mahomes wishes for some key players to return before the Texans game, especially since the Chiefs have a 10-day break to recover. The short week might provide the team a chance to regroup.
On defense, the Chiefs struggled against the Cowboys’ passing game. Dak Prescott went unscathed, throwing for 320 yards and two touchdowns. He managed to complete 11 of 14 passes under pressure, demonstrating his effectiveness even when the Chiefs applied defensive pressure.
Despite attempts from both Mahomes and the defense to step up, the Chiefs couldn’t get off the field on key third downs, allowing nine conversions—tying for the second-most under defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
A continuous theme in these close losses has been penalties. Kansas City committed 10 penalties for 119 yards, the most they’ve had in a single game since 2019. Coach Andy Reid acknowledged the need for improvement, stating, “The bottom line is we’re having too many penalties, and we’ve got to make sure we take care of that.”
With the playoffs on the line, the pressure is high. Consistency, discipline, and full team performance are essential for the Chiefs as they move into the critical final stretch of the season.
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