FRISCO, Texas – Two offensive juggernauts and two of the NFL’s premier quarterbacks will meet in Week 11 at Arrowhead Stadium. The 7-2 Dallas Cowboys will take on the 6-4 Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams are coming off onslaught victories and will strive for contention status this week. Dallas leads the NFC East by a landslide and Kansas City took over the competitive AFC West following their win over the Raiders. Sunday could be a blood bath. Here are several storylines to monitor heading into Sunday’s matchup in the Midwest.
- For the Cowboys, left tackle Tyron Smith is primed to play on Sunday. He looked “good” in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and barring any setbacks, he will be in uniform against the Chiefs. Smith practiced in a limited fashion this week and went through individual work on Wednesday and Thursday. How he practices on Saturday will likely be the determining factor on his game status. He has missed the previous two games with bone spurs in his ankle but was not placed on the Reserve/Injured list, in the hope he would be back to the gridiron before the three-week window. In his absence, Terence Steele has stepped up at left tackle and La’el Collins has regained his position at right tackle. If Smith plays on Sunday, the consensus is that Collins would remain on the right side with Steele occupying a swing tackle role. Collins confirmed to media on Thursday that he is, indeed, starting. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones disclosed on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas that Connor McGovern will start at left guard against Kansas City. Head coach Mike McCarthy declined to give specifics during his media session on Friday but acknowledged Connor Williams has “too many” penalties (league high-13).
- Kansas City is coming off a statement, 41-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The victory lands the Chiefs back on top of the AFC West in impressive fashion. Patrick Mahomes finished with 406 yards and five touchdowns. Tight end Travis Kelce and running back Darrel Williams eclipsed the 100-yard receiving marker and speedster, Tyreek Hill, added two touchdowns to the mix. The Raiders used predominately Cover 3 on the back end and got gashed on underneath routes and screens by Kansas City’s explosive weapons. The Chiefs lead the league in yards after the catch (1,618) in 2021 and limiting free releases of both Hill and Kelce will be a priority for the silver and blue.
- Tyreek Hill possesses rare vertical speed and can score from anywhere on the field. He is a big-play threat in the Chiefs’ passing game with his ability to effortlessly bypass defenders on vertical routes. Dallas must be aware of where Hill is lined up in the formation and jamming him, along with Travis Kelce at the line of scrimmage, will be the recipe for success to mitigate catch-and-run plays. Kelce is a match-up nightmare with a rare combination of size and ball skills. He is as effective as it gets when it comes to chip-and-release routes. Kelce is able to navigate traffic on underneath routes to box out defenders and move the chains. He currently ranks in the Top 5 in the league in receptions with 62. Micah Parsons told D210SPORTS, “Big body. He’s [Travis Kelce] a Hall of Famer guy himself. His ability to create space, he knows the game in-and-out. He knows how to be deceptive on routes. Got to stay on top of him.” Throwing multiple guys at both Kelce and Hill throughout the ballgame to keep them in check, will be the route to take. A lengthy, rangy, and competitive safety like Jayron Kearse would be a solid candidate to travel with Kelce.
- Then there is Patrick Mahomes. The Tyler, Texas native and former MVP is lethal despite his bout with turnovers. In facing pressure, careless mistakes have led to an increase in interceptions for the fifth-year quarterback. However, his ability to throw from any arm angle and dictate coverage makes him a nightmare to defend. Mahomes’ sensational arm-talent and effectiveness to set the rush high make him a unique threat. Dallas has emphasized scrambling drills this week to combat Mahomes’ improvisation skills. Rushing through the A and B gaps (Chiefs’ defense more susceptible in interior) and employing a speed demon as a spy on Mahomes will be tactics to utilize. With his rare closing speed and downhill range, Parsons makes a prototypical fit as a spy on Sunday. A task he held against both the Eagles and Giants early in the season.
- Although suspect at the beginning of the season, the Chiefs’ defense has improved as of late. In the first five games of the season (2-3 stretch), the defense allowed 32.6 points per game. In the last five games (4-1 stretch), the defense has surrendered just 15.6 points per game, including 12.7 allowed per game during the club’s three-game win streak. The turnaround is largely due to the cultivation of talent. Safety Dan Sorensen and linebacker Anthony Hitchens have seen a decline in snaps, with Juan Thornhill having a larger role on the back end in one of the safety spots and rookie linebacker Nick Bolton and Ben Niemann replacing Hitchens at the second level. The change has brought in a speed element and Tyrann Mathieu is an instinctual ball hawk for the Chiefs – leading the unit. Frank Clark and Chris Jones provide beef off the edge and Dallas’ offensive line needs another productive week in the trenches. Cutback runs off wide zone blocking schemes or counter pulls could be a way to exploit the Chiefs’ defensive front this week, along with screens to Tony Pollard. CeeDee Lamb had a prolific game last week lining up mainly in the slot, with the Cowboys’ pass-catchers gashing Atlanta’s secondary. In Week 11 for Kansas City, it’s pick your poison. The Chiefs are a heavy-blitz team, but Dak Prescott just so happens to have the most touchdowns in the league in the face of pressure (15). Grab the popcorn!
