Preview for Kansas Metropolis Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys
Two groups that saved their seasons final week meet on Thanksgiving because the Dallas Cowboys’ conventional vacation sport sees them welcome the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs to Arlington.
Kansas Metropolis wanted extra time final week to keep away from falling to 5-6, knocking off the season’s shock bundle, the Indianapolis Colts, 23-20. The Chiefs overturned a 20-9 deficit at home. Had they failed to take action, they might have confronted the seemingly prospect of needing to win all of their remaining video games to make the playoffs.
Given the Chiefs have reached a minimum of the AFC Championship Sport in every of the final seven seasons, the prospect of Patrick Mahomes and Co. failing to qualify for the postseason is a troublesome one to reconcile.
But the truth is their margin for error down the stretch remains to be slim regardless of their spectacular fightback in opposition to Indianapolis.
Certainly, the Chiefs are nonetheless a sport exterior the Wild Card locations and face a stretch run that features matchups with the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos. Each the Chargers and Broncos have already defeated the Chiefs this season as they every purpose to dethrone them within the AFC West.
For head coach Andy Reid, one of many greatest obstacles within the Chiefs’ method as they appear to construct momentum in the direction of a playoff push considerations the Dallas line of defense.
“It begins up entrance with them,” mentioned Reid. “That entrance brings it. You noticed that the opposite night time; that’s actual. The Eagles have a very good offensive line, [so] it’s an important problem for our offensive line. They’re legit there.”
That line of defense pressured quarterback Jalen Hurts 23 occasions, per superior analytics web site Professional Soccer Focus, because the Cowboys fought again from a 21-point deficit to defeat defending Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 to maintain their season alive in Week 12.
At 5-5-1, the Cowboys’ path to the postseason is a slim one. With two of the three groups occupying the NFC Wild Card spots already having already racked up eight wins, the Cowboys might effectively must win the rest of their video games to get into the playoffs.
Whereas the Cowboys had little time to bask within the win over their NFC East rivals, quarterback Dak Prescott believes their show might have a constructive affect on their capability to carry out in opposition to the Chiefs following a brief turnaround.
“It’s very important, you’ve obtained to reset,” Prescott mentioned. “Yeah, that was an important win, nice, powerful win, emotional getting back from down 21, but it surely was solely to be celebrated that night time to be sincere with you.
“Particularly on the quick week, you’ve obtained to maneuver ahead, you’ve obtained to get in your movie, you’ve obtained to discover a solution to crunch 5 days into two, two and a half, three days.
“We all know how gifted and good this crew is coming in. We all know how essential it’s to start out quick, and that’s our focus. Nevertheless, if that doesn’t occur, you’ve obtained to be resilient, you’ve obtained to indicate aggressive stamina. On the finish of the day, it’s a four-quarter sport and that’s what the goodness of final week does.”
