The Starting 11: Storylines for Chiefs-Cowboys

ARLINGTON, Texas – Patrick Mahomes has had countless moments, but he’s never had one like his Thanksgiving start in Dallas.

When Mahomes leads the Chiefs (6-5) into Dallas (5-5-1) on Thursday (3:30 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan), he’ll make his first NFL start in the stadium closest to his hometown of Whitehouse, Texas.

“Just getting to play back at home,” Mahomes said Tuesday, “and obviously have a lot of people in attendance that may not get to come up to Kansas City all the time and watch the games. And so, it’ll be a really cool experience playing there, especially on Thanksgiving. And I'll have a lot of family and friends in the stands.”

His wife, Brittany, had the important job of managing logistics for those family and friends.

“I got a really big suite,” the quarterback said. “I don't really do like the numbers. That’s more for Brittany, a Brittany question, but I'm sure it's like 50, 50-plus. Yeah, I mean, there's no tickets left. That's all I know. So, I don't know how that worked out, but I usually let Brittany handle all that.”

patrick mahome — Oct 3, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Patrick Mahomes (5) sets the play against the Baylor Bears during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Here’s the Starting 11 for the Chiefs-Cowboys game in Week 13…

1-Chiefs have game planned for five of the top six NFL running backs

Steve Spagnuolo likes to take away what an opponent does best, then match up and scheme the rest of the offense. But Dallas might have too many offensive weapons to do that adequately. The Cowboys deploy two of the NFL’s best wide receivers in George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, but they also have a familiar and dangerous running back.

Javonte Williams enters the game ranked fifth in the NFL with 896 rushing yards. In fact, Spagnuolo and the Chiefs have had to game plan for five of the top six players on the NFL’s rushing list since Sept. 28: Buffalo’s James Cook (first), the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor (second), Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs (third), Williams (fifth) and Baltimore’s Derrick Henry (sixth).

They’ve also faced Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne (ninth). The only player in that gauntlet who’s had success was Cook on Nov. 2.

2-Number of the Week (1,674)

Kareem Hunt earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors despite a crucial fourth-quarter fumble. He earned the award for how he responded, spurring the Chiefs to a much-needed 23-20 overtime win. The fumble was so rare that it broke Hunt’s streak of 1,674 offensive touches without losing a fumble, including postseason (carries, receptions and eight fumble recoveries). Opponents have now recovered two of his seven career fumbles.

His last fumble lost? On his first NFL carry, in his first NFL game: Sept. 7, 2017, at New England.

3-Mahomes, Prescott share rare distinction

Expect a lot of passing yards Thursday. That’s because Patrick Mahomes (2,977) and Dak Prescott (2,941), respectively, entered the week ranked second and third in the NFL this season. They’re also the only two active quarterbacks who lead their respective franchises in all-time passing yards.

4-Spotlight – individual matchup

Leo Chenal against Jake Ferguson. Last week in the Cowboys’ big comeback win over Philadelphia, Ferguson gave Dallas its spark. He caught a 17-yard pass from Dak Prescott just before half to set up the first Cowboys’ touchdown.

Chenal has showed versatility and athleticism this year, rushing the passer from all over the field and, perhaps where he’s made his most impact, providing important coverage on opposing tight ends. He notched a one-handed interception while covering All-Pro Mark Andrews on Sept. 28 against the Ravens.

Chenal and Ferguson were teammates at the University of Wisconsin and both grew up playing high school ball in the state, about four hours apart.

jake ferguso — Nov 23, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) is tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis (90) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

5-Spotlight – team matchup

When the Chiefs have the ball, they have to end their recent rash of red-zone ineffectiveness.

Including a disappointing stall in Buffalo, when they had first-and-goal from the Bills’ 1-yard line but had to settle for a field goal just before half, the Chiefs have scored just three touchdowns on their last 12 trips inside the red zone.

Kansas City’s red-zone touchdown percentage (59.6 percent), a strength in October, has fallen all the way to 14th in the NFL. Dallas, meanwhile, has struggled defensively in that area (69.1 percent), 30th in the league.

6-Streak speak

Both these teams had remarkable comebacks last week, and they did it with streaks of unanswered points. Dallas erased a 21-0 deficit to beat Philadelphia, 24-21. Kansas City climbed out of a 20-9 hole to beat Indianapolis in overtime, 23-20.

Spagnuolo’s defense hasn’t allowed a first down since the last three minutes of the third quarter last week – a stretch covering 26 minutes of game time (18 in regulation, eight in overtime).

jonathan taylo — Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) runs against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Cowboys, meanwhile, haven’t allowed a point in 41½ minutes, since early in the second quarter last week.

7-Did you know?

Over his last five Thursday starts, Mahomes is 4-1 with 1,468 passing yards (293.6 per game), including nine touchdown passes. Last week, Mahomes reached 35,000 regular-season passing yards faster than any quarterback in NFL annals.

8-Under-the-radar storyline

After a dramatic comeback win last week, Mahomes has won 20 games, including playoffs, after trailing by 10-plus points. Since he entered the league in the first round of the 2017 draft, no other starting quarterback has as many.

9-Trend time

The Cowboys will play their 58th Thanksgiving Day game. They’re 34-22-1 all-time on the holiday, since 1966. Kansas City (5-5) gets its 11th franchise Thanksgiving game and first in 19 years (2006).

10-Rookie Road:

Josh Simmons makes his third start since returning from to the team during the bye week. Offensive coordinator Matt Nagy has been impressed with the rookie first-round pick.

“I love his athleticism,” Nagy said Tuesday. “He's physical, he's nasty. Really, he sets the tone on the offensive side of the ball for us. I mean, you put on that tape -- and we couldn't spend too much time on the tape -- I mean, you got to get right into the next game.

“So, but you see it, and you see what he's doing, and there's some nastiness. And I think anytime you can get nasty on the O-line level, man, that's a beautiful thing.”

11-And last but not least

Travis Kelce stands just 126 yards from joining Jerry Rice as one of only two NFL players with at least 800 receiving yards in 12 consecutive seasons. In each of his two career games against Dallas, Kelce has at least 70 yards, with a touchdown in each game.

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