Written by Michael Beller at SI.com
Three thoughts from the Cowboys’ 28–17 win over the Chiefs.
1. The Cowboys came up with their best defensive performance of the season.The Chiefs entered Week 9 third in the league in both total offense at 377.9 yards per game and scoring at 29.5 points per game. Coming into this game, Alex Smith had thrown for 2,181 yards, 8.42 yards per attempt and 16 touchdowns against zero interceptions. Kareem Hunt was first in the NFL with 763 rushing yards, and among backs with at least 100 carries, tops at 5.23 yards per carry.
The Cowboys forced that offense into one of its worst games of the season—and iced the game by picking off Smith, his first interception of the season. Hunt ran for just 37 yards on nine carries, and totaled just 61 yards from scrimmage. They had trouble with Travis Kelce, but they did their job by limiting Hunt and Tyreek Hill (for the most part). With Dak Prescott controlling the action on the other side of the ball, that was more than enough.
2. Cause for concern in Kansas City? Four weeks ago, the Chiefs were the toast of the NFL. They were 5–0—the only undefeated team in the NFL—and in total command of the AFC West. The latter hasn’t changed, but their primacy in the AFC has. The Chiefs have lost three of their last four games, falling to 6–3 with their bye ahead in Week 10. Their losses have come against two teams we know are good—the Steelers and Cowboys—and a third, the Raiders, that remains in the playoff hunt. Pending the outcome of the Sunday night game between the Raiders and Dolphins, the Chiefs will be up by either two games or 2.5 games in the AFC West, so they remain in control of the division. For the first time all season, though, they are looking up at two teams in the AFC, with the Patriots and Steelers half a game ahead of them in the standings. Home field advantage is crucial in the NFL, and the Chiefs enjoy one of the strongest such advantages in the NFL. They’ll have a much better chance to put the playoff disappointments of the Smith/Andy Reid era behind them if they’re playing at home in the Divisional Round. That possibility is in doubt for the first time all season. They’re upcoming schedule, however, is favorable. After the bye, they visit the Giants, host the bills, and then head back to New Jersey for a game with the Jets.
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