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Chiefs vs. Cowboys: Two must-know storylines for Thanksgiving Day showdown

WHERE: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)

WHEN:4:30 p.m. ET

HOW TO WATCH: CBS, Paramount+, NFL+

The Thanksgiving Day spread looks pretty tasty, but you had better leave room for three helpings.

All three Thursday games have significant playoff implications and compelling storylines. Prepare your holiday plans carefully.

The opener, Packers-Lions, isn't just the most common Thanksgiving matchup of all time, with Thursday being the 23rd holiday meeting between the two teams. It's also currently a battle for second place in the NFC North, with both teams chasing the first-place Bears.

The second game, Chiefs at Cowboys, pits only the second meeting of Dak Prescott and Patrick Mahomes. But following the Chiefs' season-saving comeback against the Colts and the Cowboys' 21-point rally against the Eagles, both teams' postseason chances are on the rise.

And in the nightcap, better save room for the suddenly hot Ravens against the Bengals in Joe Burrow's return.

If that won't leave you stuffed and satisfied, nothing will.

Two must-know storylines

1) Chiefs look to increase scoring against improved Dallas defense

The Chiefs are still limited at times on the scoreboard, averaging 21 points per game in their past three games, although there were at least signs of life from the offense in last week's OT win over the Colts. Down 20-9, the Chiefs scored 14 of their 23 points in the final nine minutes of regulation and in overtime. Patrick Mahomes led them to a 494-yard outing, and they would have scored more had they not gone 1 for 6 in the red zone. Only the Colts (48) have more red-zone possessions than the Chiefs (47), but Kansas City has converted only 28 of them into touchdowns, for a middle-of-the-pack conversion rate of 59.6 percent. Dallas' defense has struggled in the red zone this season, allowing a 69.0 percent TD rate on 42 possessions, including 3 for 3 against the Eagles on Sunday. But the Cowboys clamped down after allowing three touchdowns in their first three series, holding the Eagles scoreless for the final 41:32 in a stirring comeback. Quinnen Williams has been dominant in two games and has elevated the entire unit, which could be bad news with Chiefs guard Trey Smith missing this game.

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2) Cowboys look to stay hot offensively

This game pits a classic strength-vs.-strength battle when the Cowboys offense squares off against the Chiefs defense. Dak Prescott is leading the NFL's top offense by total yards (387.3 per game) and the fourth-ranked scoring group at 29.1 PPG. Meanwhile, Kansas City's defense ranks fourth in scoring (18.3 PPG allowed) and sixth in yards per game allowed (293.0). The Cowboys are a big-play passing game with wide receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb and tight end Jake Ferguson, but they also are a patient, run-dependent unit under Brian Schottenheimer. Javonte Williams has been an underrated element to Dallas' offensive success, and standing in his way is the Chiefs' top-10 rush defense. Chris Jones remains Kansas City's most impactful defender up front, and he was key to the comeback vs. the Colts. The Chiefs haven't had success pressuring with four pass rushers, and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves to blitz, but that also means trusting Kansas City's corners against the Cowboys' explosive threats. Play action also has been a big weapon for Prescott, especially in recent games. This matchup could make the middle game a fantastic battle.

Chiefs' Week 13 injury report

Cowboys' Week 13 injury report

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