Kansas City Chiefs @ Dallas Cowboys
Final Score: Cowboys 31, Chiefs 28
Senior Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1.bsky.social on Bluesky)
A monumental matchup between two of the NFL’s big-ticket teams did not disappoint with Patrick Mahomes and Dak Prescott serving up a Thanksgiving Day treat for the neutrals. Prescott threw an early interception that Rashee Rice punished with an electric catch-and-run for a 24-yard touchdown before Prescott answered back by finding CeeDee Lamb in the end zone for a score. Mahomes then marched his team down the field with the assistance of a determined run game to find old spice Travis Kelce on fourth down to put the Chiefs 14-7 up at the end of a wild first quarter. The Cowboys answered back thanks to their defense stopping Mahomes on third downs twice and handing the ball back to their offense, which answered with a field goal and a long touchdown run of 43 yards from backup Malik Davis. The Chiefs were hampered by penalties on their offensive line and the Cowboys won out in the trenches.
The second half started with a lot of messy football as both defenses enjoyed dominating upfront. The Chiefs then committed two bad penalties despite the Cowboys starting backed up against their end zone. A defensive hold followed by a 32-yard defensive pass interference penalty set the Cowboys up in the Chiefs red zone. Dak threw a dart to Jake Ferguson in the back of the end zone, but the tight end couldn’t get his feet in bounds and Dallas settled for a field goal once again. That seemed to fire up Mahomes, who completed passes under pressure to Rice for 28 yards and Kareem Hunt for 22 yards before going back to Rice on fourth-and-4 at the goal line for his second score of the game to put the Chiefs back into a 21-20 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. Dak answered with aplomb, finding George Pickens for a huge gain before flipping the ball at the goal line to Javonte Williams for a go-ahead touchdown. You guessed it, back to Mahomes for a phenomenal performance on a seven-play, 67-yard touchdown drive in which Hollywood Brown went up and made a sensational catch with toe tap at the back of the end zone to make it 31-28 to Dallas with just over 3 minutes left. Dallas controlled the ball with the help of a couple of key penalties to see out the game and come away with a huge win in terms of the playoff picture.
Penalties played a huge role in the game, with multiple DPI calls going against the Chiefs, at least three being very questionable it has to be said. The Chiefs committed 10 penalties for 119 yards.
Three Up
- Rashee Rice — The enigmatic Chiefs receiver was the most impactful player on the field in this game, showing off his route running, speed and big-play ability. Rice came away with more than 100 scrimmage yards and two scores on a bumper fantasy night.
- Patrick Mahomes — The Chiefs’ quarterback dropped out of fantasy first-round contention this year after a down year in 2024. He’s reversed those fortunes over the course of 2025 and sits comfortably in the top 10.
- CeeDee Lamb — A reassuring performance from the wideout after some bad drops last week. A 51-yard deep ball in the fourth quarter helped his fantasy night immensely.
Two Down
- Jake Ferguson — Had a TD wiped off the board as he couldn’t get a second foot down and now has only one score in his past five contests.
- Isiah Pacheco — Almost anonymous in his return from injury with just five touches.
Kansas City Chiefs
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes: 23/34, 261 Yards, 4 TD, 3 Sacks | 3 Carries, 30 Yards
The Kansas City quarterback was outstanding under heavy pressure for much of this game and his scrambling and maneuvering behind his offensive line paid dividends a number of times, especially in the fourth quarter. A remarkable escape from pressure was followed by an unbelievable cross-body dart to Xavier Worthy deep for 42 yards with the game on the line. He had been let down by a bad drop from Rashee Rice at midfield on a key drive after the Cowboys had taken the lead and faced a two-score deficit with less than 5 minutes remaining in the game. He found a way to make it a three-point game late in the fourth quarter with his fourth touchdown pass of the day, but it wasn’t enough as the Chiefs’ defense failed to make a late stop. His 29.44 fantasy points (Yahoo!) accounted for his second-best score of the season, however.
Notes
- Despite the Chiefs stuttering to a 6-5 record so far this season in a competitive division, Mahomes has been instrumental in making up for the offensive frailties of this team. He showed his ability to extend drives with a clever 16-yard scramble on a third-and-14 deep in Cowboys territory before finding Travis Kelce a few plays later on fourth down to put his team in the lead.
- The superstar quarterback was guilty of holding onto the ball a little too much behind the line of scrimmage, and a 7-yard sack on a second-and-long after a holding penalty effectively ended a drive midway through the second quarter that could have given the Chiefs a two-score lead. It proved costly as the Cowboys marched down the field on the next drive to take the lead.
Running Back
Kareem Hunt: 14 Carries, 58 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 22 Yards
With Isiah Pacheco returning, Kareem Hunt made a statement on his first carry by ripping off a 14-yard run to kickstart the second Chiefs touchdown drive of the game. The veteran back has enjoyed plenty of volume after seeing a career-high 30 carries last week and led the team admirably in this game. His short-yardage work was once again impeccable, although he was stuffed on third-and-goal at the Dallas 2 late in the first quarter to the dismay of fantasy managers. He ran hard throughout the contest, but didn’t get another shot at the goal line as the Chiefs opted to throw the ball more trailing in the fourth quarter.
Isiah Pacheco: 3 Carries, 16 Yards | 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 17 Yards
Returning from a knee injury, Isiah Pacheco worked behind Hunt and took his first carry for 9 yards on a burst down the right sideline. However, he only saw another four touches in the game as opportunities on the ground dried up and Mahomes pushed the ball further downfield in the second half.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Rashee Rice: 12 Targets, 8 Receptions, 92 Yards, 2 TD | 1 Carry, 2 Yards
Since returning from his suspension, Rashee Rice has provided a much-needed spark to the Chiefs’ offense, adding an extra element of speed and elusiveness. Rice was involved in multiple ways in this game, including screens and direct snaps — an electric catch-and-run after the Cowboys turned the ball over was just the start fantasy managers wanted for a player who has returned five scores in as many games. However, Rice dropped a ball midway through the fourth quarter with his team trailing 28-21 that he really should have caught. Much like he did in the loss to Denver, he made a mistake at a key point in the game. Still, fantasy managers will be feasting on this return.
Xavier Worthy: 6 Targets, 4 Receptions, 61 Yards | 2 Carries, 13 Yards
It felt like Xavier Worthy was less involved than what his final stat line tells us. Chunk plays for 17 yards (on a rush) and 42 yards (on a broken pass play) in the fourth quarter padded out what was otherwise a disappointing night for the young speedster. His role in this team hasn’t matured as fantasy managers would have hope but his production is still fantasy-relevant in the flex spot.
Travis Kelce: 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 41 Yards, TD
Travis Kelce answered the call with three grabs in the first half that all had an impact, the most telling being a fourth-down catch in the back of the end zone under heavy coverage to put the Chiefs ahead at the end of the first quarter. It was the kind of catch we have come to expect from the veteran tight end and the reason why he is still the best red-zone target for his quarterback. He wasn’t really utilized effectively after halftime and a lone fourth-quarter grab over the middle was the only play that stood out in watching. Still, a nice night fantasy-wise.
Hollywood Brown: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 20 Yards, TD
The catch of the night belonged to the former Baltimore wideout, who went up and hauled in a ball for his quarterback while fighting off a shove from the defensive back to come down with his toes inbounds late in the fourth quarter. At the time it felt like it could have swung the momentum back in the Chiefs favor. It was only his second grab of the night but it was a crucial one.
Jared Wiley: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
JuJu Smith-Schuster: 1 Target
Dallas Cowboys
Quarterback
Dak Prescott: 27/39, 320 Yards, 2 TD, INT | 3 Carries, -2 Yards
Dak Prescott will get a lot of plaudits for his performance after the early indiscretion, and deservedly so. He wasn’t on the same level as Mahomes, but it was a great performance. He benefited from some excellent catches whereas Mahomes was let down by drops. That was the margin. Prescott was particularly impressive when it mattered after twice falling behind in the game and his command of the offense complemented coach Brian Schottenheimer‘s excellent play-calling on the night. Dak delivered points on six of seven drives outside of their final possessions of each half and that went a long way to deciding the game. A renewed connection with CeeDee Lamb also catapulted the offense when needed. An outrageous throw out of his own end zone for 51 yards effectively gave the Cowboys the breathing room they needed in the second half.
Notes
- Prescott threw an inexplicably bad pass to the inside of George Pickens down the sideline on third down early in the game that was easily picked off. The Chiefs took advantage of the turnover with an immediate score. Prescott was under heavy pressure on that throw and from that point on he got the ball out much more quickly smattering his receivers with short throws.
- After the Chiefs took the lead in the fourth quarter, Prescott was superb in masterminding a 68-yard touchdown drive that was underpinned by and excellent throw to the sideline for Pickens.
Running Back
Javonte Williams: 17 Carries, 59 Yards | 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 21 Yards, TD
Despite his impressive season so far, Javonte Williams found nowhere to run against a stout Chiefs run defense in the first half. Williams averaged only 1.7 yards per carry and that gave Malik Davis a little more opportunity, which his running mate took full advantage of. Williams was bottled up in the third quarter but a clever flick play at the goal line from Prescott handed him a walk-in touchdown to give the Cowboys back the lead. He then saw plenty of touches with the Cowboys trying to bleed the clock with a two-score lead. He turned in a decent fantasy performance given the situation at the half.
Malik Davis: 3 Carries, 47 Yards, TD
After yo-yoing off the practice squad this season, Malik Davis made a splash on his third carry of the night by zipping through a hole up the middle and streaking away from linebackers for a 43-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys the lead late in the second quarter. He failed to see another touch for the rest of the contest.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
CeeDee Lamb: 9 Targets, 7 Receptions, 112 Yards, TD
After playing second fiddle to Pickens over the past month, CeeDee Lamb hauled in just his third touchdown of the season with a 15-yard catch-and-run into the end zone to bring his team level. Lamb mainly worked over the middle on short throws in the first half, but his explosiveness out of the slot served him well in terms of yards after the catch with the touchdown and another 17-yard play highlighting his abilities as a runner. A huge 51-yard gain in the fourth quarter accounted for the majority of his production in the second half. This was Lamb’s first 100-yard performance since he started the season with three straight such games. A trend in the right direction for fantasy managers.
George Pickens: 13 Targets, 8 Receptions, 88 Yards
After back-to-back outstanding performances, George Pickens wasn’t on the same page as his quarterback in the first half, nabbing just two catches for 22 yards on five targets. Pickens was the intended receiver on a poorly thrown ball to the inside that was picked off by Jaylen Watson on the Cowboys’ opening drive. Dak then threw wide of his new star wideout on the next drive when a completion looked inevitable. He was still sitting on two catches going into the fourth quarter, but a determined 39-yard catch-and-run in which he finished the play acrobatically leaping over Trent McDuffie and running it down to the Chiefs 6. It was an electric play that swung the momentum back in the favor of Dallas. Pickens then hauled in a contested catch for a 2-point conversion that proved to be crucial in the final scoreline. It wasn’t the return fantasy managers were hoping for, but the former Steelers wideout has been a revelation in his first season in Dallas.
KaVontae Turpin: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 28 Yards | 3 Carries, 33 Yards
The do-it-all utility man contributed chunk plays on both Cowboys touchdown drives in the first half. The first was a smart 9-yard catch to move the chains on the first drive, and the second was a rush out of the backfield. He also broke off a big 25-yard catch-and-run into Chiefs territory in the third quarter that caught the eye. He continues to float fantasy relevance without clear consistency.
Jake Ferguson: 6 Targets, 5 Receptions, 36 Yards
Coming into the game with just one score in his last four games despite a prolific first half of the season, Jake Ferguson was efficient if not unspectacular on short throws to move the sticks. He made a brilliant grab in double coverage in the end zone but as he tried to pull down his back leg it bounced off the Chiefs’ defensive back and negated a touchdown. It was unlucky. Ferguson is an integral part of the offense but he’s going through a barren fantasy spell due to a lack of red-zone success.
Ryan Flournoy: 3 Targets, 3 Receptions, 34 Yards
Luke Schoonmaker: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 1 Yard