KANSAS CITY – The Dallas Cowboys fell to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead, 19-9. The final play of the meeting was fitting – a microcosm of the team’s struggles. Dak Prescott’s pass was tipped by Chris Jones and intercepted by L’Jarius Sneed as time expired.
Coming into the matchup as the No. 1 ranked scoring offense in the league, the matchup was projected to be an offensive shootout: the Cowboys’ offensive juggernaut vs. the Chiefs’ onslaught. However, the football gods have a sense of humor. The ensuing result for Dallas? An abysmal offense. From missed throws, four drops by receivers, to the offensive line getting beat at the point of attack, Kellen Moore’s unit was unable to reach the end zone in a demoralizing output.
In the first half alone, the Cowboys turned the ball over twice (three total in the game) and Dak Prescott was sacked. Chiefs’ defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end Frank Clark continued to harass Prescott in the pocket. The offensive line consistently lost their one-on-one battles in the trenches and Kansas City took full advantage. In a game without Amari Cooper – the club’s No.1 receiver – the receiving corps. did not provide much assistance with several costly drops. Miscommunication paralyzed the unit. Prescott completed 65.1 percent of his passes for 216 yards and a 57.9 passer rating. He did not throw a single touchdown pass in Week 11.
The Cowboys first three failed possessions set the tone. An overthrown pass to Michael Gallup down the sideline and a drop by Noah Brown on third down forced an early three-and-out for Dallas, which was followed by a Prescott strip sack on the next offensive drive. Frank Clark sacked Prescott and forced the fumble. Chris Jones recovered the ball and the Chiefs’ offense took over. Then, despite a 31-yard gain by Tony Pollard on the next possession, a penalty by La’el Collins and an incompletion to Gallup on third down, forced the field goal. Greg Zuerlein drilled a 33-yarder to put points on the board. Those drives were followed by three-consecutive stalled drives culminating in punts and then a Prescott interception before the half.
The trend continued in the second half. Zuerlein made a 30-yard field goal on the opening drive out of halftime, to make it a 16-6 ballgame. The Cowboys were held to another three-and-out on the following drive and then had to once again settle for three. Prescott was sacked on third down by Jones for a loss of six and Zuerlein made a 48-yarder. Not a winning formula. A punt and interception followed to bring the disastrous offensive performance to a close.
On the defensive side of the ball, despite giving up chunk plays early on, Dan Quinn’s unit rallied to the football and generated consistent pressure on Patrick Mahomes, spearheaded by Micah Parsons. He recorded two sacks and three quarterback hits. The Chiefs had been leading the NFL with a 53 percent conversion rate on third down and Dallas held Kansas City to 33 percent – a noteworthy feat despite the outcome.
The Chiefs marched down the field on their opening drive, resulting in a Travis Kelce four-yard touchdown rush from a Wildcat formation. A 33-yard gain by speedster Tyreek Hill and an encroachment penalty by Justin Hamilton on third down, set up the score.
Kansas City kicked a field goal on the next possession, that was followed by another score. A 37-yard gain by Byron Pringle led to a Clyde Edwards-Helaire one-yard touchdown rush. On the chunk play by Pringle, defenders keyed in on Hill motioning to the flat, opening things up for Pringle against soft coverage. Kansas City took a 16-3 lead in the second quarter. From that point on, the Cowboys’ defense held Patrick Mahomes in check. A 53-yard field goal by Harrison Butker late in the third were the only additional points the team was able to muster.
Late In the first half, Micah Parsons sacked Mahomes and knocked the ball out. He chased him down from behind, showcasing his rare downhill range. Tarell Basham recovered the ball, although the Cowboys could not capitalize. Prescott threw an interception on the following drive.
Another splash play came at the hands of Jayron Kearse in the third quarter. He intercepted a pass intended for Travis Kelce to put Prescott and co. back on the field. The takeaway resulted in one of the team’s field goals. Quinn’s unit played hard, but the offense could not complement the defense’s production. Ezekiel Elliott provided an accurate summarization following the defeat.
“We just need to go out there and make more plays…we have to make more plays. We have to protect the quarterback better. We have to be better for our defense.”
