The Dallas Cowboys saved their season against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, erasing a 21-0 deficit in the first half to win 24-21. It tied the biggest comeback win in franchise history.
The vibes in Dallas are pretty sensational right now, but the team must quickly turn the page for its Thanksgiving showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs, who are playing with a similar level of desperation as they sit on the periphery of the AFC playoff picture with a 6-5 record.
As that record indicates, this version of the Chiefs is extremely getable compared to previous teams that coasted to a No. 1 seed and made five Super Bowls in the last six years. It's a big test, but not a daunting matchup by any stretch, and Kansas City could be without one of its best players.
Cowboys might face the Chiefs on Thanksgiving without star guard Trey Smith
Chiefs star guard Trey Smith is dealing with both low- and high-ankle sprains. He's expected to miss time, including the Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys. Smith suffered the injury in Kansas City's overtime win over the Colts on Sunday. He is one of the best guards in the NFL and arguably the Chiefs' most important offensive lineman.
Smith ranks seventh out of 80 guards this season with a 75.0 pass-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus. He was placed by Mike Caliendo, a former undrafted free agent out of Western Michigan. Caliendo owns a 47.6 pass-blocking grade on 128 reps, which ranks 68th at the guard position.
While the Chiefs have arguably the game's best center in Creed Humphrey, Smith's injury sets the stage for Quinnen Williams and the Cowboys' interior defensive line to feast on Thanksgiving.
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The Eagles, whose offensive line is arguably the best in the league, could not contain Williams, who tallied eight pressures and a ridiculous 26.7 percent pass-rush win rate. They didn't have any answer for Dallas' five-man fronts. The Cowboys' three DTs -- Williams, Osa Odighizuwa, and Kenny Clark -- logged more snaps than any edge defender or linebacker on Sunday. Fans should expect more of the same against the Chiefs.
Patrick Mahomes is as good as they come at extending plays and making throws off-script. He's first among quarterbacks this season with a 0.20 EPA per play when pressured, and second with a 43.65 percent success rate when pressured, per Sumer Sports.
However, Mahomes is 27th and 23rd, respectively, in both categories when blitzed. He can be rattled, and we just saw Williams and company completely overwhelm Philly's offensive line for three quarters. It stands to reason that they will find success again with Smith out of the lineup.