Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to a much-needed 31-28 NFL victory over Kansas City on Thursday that further dented the Chiefs' fading playoff hopes.
The Cowboys, who have now won three straight to revive their own post-season bid, withstood two fourth-down touchdown passes from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Mahomes threw for four TDs without an interception but couldn't get Kansas City into the win column.
CeeDee Lamb caught seven passes for 112 yards and the Cowboys' first touchdown of the night.
Javonte Williams ran for 59 yards and caught a TD pass and Malik Davis ran for a 43-yard touchdown for Dallas, who have beaten Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles and last year's Super Bowl runners-up Kansas City in less than a week.
The Cowboys improved to 6-5-1, second in the NFC East behind the 8-3 Eagles. The Chiefs fell to 6-6 – third in the AFC West and currently outside the playoff picture.
Elsewhere, Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow returned from a nine-game injury absence to lead the Bengals to a 32-14 victory in Baltimore that snapped the Ravens' five-game winning streak.
Burrow, who had been sidelined by a toe injury, threw for two second-half touchdowns and the Bengals capitalised on five Ravens turnovers.
That included an interception and two fumbles by quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has now gone three games without a touchdown pass.
The Bengals, who had lost eight of nine games without Burrows, remained in third place in the AFC North at 4-8 while the Ravens fell to 6-6, dropping a shade behind the 6-5 Pittsburgh Steelers for the division lead.
In the early game on Thursday, Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love threw four touchdown passes, including two on fourth down, to lead the Packers to a 31-24 victory over the Detroit Lions. (AFP)