The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 31-28 on Thanksgiving Day at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
The Thursday loss dropped the Chiefs back to .500 at 6-6.
Here are some immediate observations from the Chiefs’ Week 13 loss:
Turning point: Pickens brings the Cowboys back
After taking a 21-20 lead early in the fourth quarter, the Chiefs forced the Cowboys into a third-and-8 at the Kansas City 48-yard line. Get a stop here, and KC could have taken back momentum — and possibly the game.
Lined up in the shotgun, Dak Prescott looked to his right, recognizing receiver George Pickens was matched up one on one against cornerback Jaylen Watson. Prescott signaled a check at the line, which Pickens acknowledged.
Pickens cut inside on a slant. Prescott fired. Pickens caught the ball and turned around as Waston lost his footing. Then he was off to the races down the right sideline.
Pickens outran safety Mike Edwards, with only Trent McDuffie left to beat. Pickens hurdled up, and McDuffie clipped him for the stop, but the damage was done.
The play went for 39 yards, setting up first-and-goal at the Chiefs’ 6.
Even after a Cowboys offensive pass interference moved them back, Prescott immediately went back to Pickens for 11 more yards. A play later, Javonte Williams punched in the touchdown, and Dallas never gave the lead back.
Rapid reaction: A dynasty on the ropes
There were plenty of reasons as to why the Chiefs lost to the Cowboys on Thursday, whether it be costly penalties, injuries to starters, Mahomes sailing throws, a questionable choice to punt on fourth-and-4, the defensive front getting pressure but not finishing ...
Or the fact that CeeDee Lamb — albeit, a top-five receiver — simply outmatched KC cornerback Trent McDuffie throughout the afternoon.
Take your pick. Any of those factors would be reasonable. But bigger than sixth one-score loss on the national stage where so many things went wrong is the harsh reality and truth of where the Chiefs now stand.
In their loss, any margin for error down the stretch is gone.
After their three-day mini-bye, what lies ahead is a schedule that begins with Houston and continues with Los Angeles, Tennessee, Denver and Las Vegas.
Sure, we can point to Tennessee and Las Vegas as likely victories even despite the executional failures we saw on Thursday. But against the Texans, Chargers and Broncos, the Chiefs will see opponents just as desperate and motivated as they are.
The Texans are on the bubble of the playoff picture, the Chargers are clicking to their Wild Card standing and Denver — once a divisional afterthought — is making its push for the AFC’s top seed and bye.
In a jammed-up AFC, without tiebreakers against Buffalo and Jacksonville, the Chiefs can no longer lose a game. Every game is an elimination game.
In 2025, Kansas City has been right there in so many games, but it just doesn’t matter anymore.
A dynasty on the ropes.
Critical stat: CeeDee Lamb enjoys his holiday
Steve Spagnuolo and the Chiefs’ defense had no answer for Dallas’ No. 1 wide receiver. Lamb finished the game with seven receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown.