4 Critical Moments In Which Chiefs Failed to Stop Cowboys

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Some drives matter more than others, and the Chiefs’ defense laid an ostrich egg on each of the most important Cowboys possessions in a Thanksgiving loss at Dallas.

Kansas City’s defense cares most about drives immediately after Patrick Mahomes and the offense score points. The Chiefs took the field on four such occasions in Thursday’s 31-28 loss. They gave up points on three of them and, on the fourth, allowed Dak Prescott and the Cowboys to get the yardage needed to run out the fourth-quarter clock.

dak prescot — Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws a pass against Kansas City Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner (27) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Both Steve Spagnulo and Nick Bolton have talked multiple times this season about the importance of those drives, and for good reason.

The differences are stark, and those drives are a huge reason why the Chiefs are 1-6 in one-score games.

In the six Kansas City wins this year:

The defense has answered a Chiefs scoring drive by holding the opponent scoreless on 23 of 29 possessions (79.3 percent).

The week prior in the overtime win over Indianapolis, for example, the Kansas City defense authored three stops in four opportunities – critical in a 23-20 victory.

trent mcduffi — Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) makes a catch for a first down against Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The defense was 4 of 5 in those situations in a Week 6 win over the Lions. Earlier, Kansas City did it in all four opportunities against the Giants in Week 3 and in six of seven opportunities against the Ravens in Week 4.

In the six Kansas City losses this year:

The defense has struggled in those situations, answering Chiefs scoring drives by holding the opponent scoreless in only eight of 23 opportunities (34.8 percent).

On Thursday in Dallas, Kansas City’s best defensive series was its first. Spagnuolo on consecutive snaps blitzed his safeties. Chamarri Conner nearly sacked Prescott on second down, then Jaden Hicks hurried him into a Jaylen Watson interception. And Mahomes needed only two plays to get the Chiefs in the end zone.

rashee rice — Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) runs with the ball past Dallas Cowboys safety Malik Hooker (28) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

But that was the exact moment the game began to unravel. Instead of getting a stop to answer that Chiefs scoring drive, Bolton couldn’t hold onto a sure interception – as CeeDee Lamb broke up the pass. Bryan Cook then sprained his ankle in a significant injury for the Chiefs, and Prescott found Lamb in the corner of the end zone for seven points. The 12-play drive allowed Dallas to tie the game, 7-7.

It was a familiar refrain, something the Chiefs have seen in most of their six losses. The Chargers scored on all three such drives in Week 1, the Eagles did it once in two opportunities in Week 2 (running out the fourth-quarter clock on the third) and the Jaguars scored three of four times on such drives in Week 5.

jaylen watso — Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton (32) and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson (35) celebrate after an interception against the Dallas Cowboys during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Overall, the Chiefs defense has gotten stops in 31 of 52 opportunities (59.6 percent) following Kansas City scoring drives.

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