The Dallas Cowboys Just Played Their Best Game of the Season — And It Changes Everything

The Dallas Cowboys Just Played Their Best Game of the Season — And It Changes Everything

Well, how about them Cowboys? Uh Jerry Jones said it on his radio show on Friday that this might have been the best Thanksgiving Day win he’s had since he’s been the owner of the Dallas Cowboys. Now, Jerry is prone to hyperbole and a little exaggeration, but it’s not that much of a stretch to say that it might be one of I mean, we can all go back to the Thanksgiving Day game in 1994 when Jason Garrett was the third string quarterback and came had to play because of injuries to every other Dallas Cowboys quarterback and they somehow managed to get past the Green Bay Pack. Packers and Jason Garrett just kept throwing up to Alvin Harper and they came back to win that game massively. So, it might be and that was, you know, one they were in their stretch of trying to get to three straight Super Bowls. So, I’m not sure it’s the best Thanksgiving Day win Jerry Jones has ever been a part of, but it was a huge one. And I’m telling you, we talked about this before the game. The numbers when they come out probably are going to be the most watched regular season game in NFL history. The current record is 42.1 million on a Thanksgiving Day game between the Giants and the Cowboys. This one should beat that by several million viewers for a variety of reasons. Number one, it’s the Cowboys. Number two, it’s the Chiefs. And number three, it was the way this game turned out. Look, the biggest thing for me about the game itself was that for the second straight week, the Dallas Cowboys fell behind against a team that was in the Super Bowl last year. Now, it wasn’t 21 points. They were down 7 nothing. They were down 14 to7 and then they went out and absolutely just throttled the Chiefs. They went out and destroyed Kansas City on the line of scrimmage. If if you will go back and look at that game after the Chiefs scored that second touchdown pass to Travis Kelce, which by the way, I mean, it was completely PI on him the entire time by Murray, but that’s a separate issue entirely. Uh Dallas just dominated the line of scrimmage. Uh they forced the Chiefs on four punts in their last four drives or their last first four drives after their second touchdown. They punted four straight times. If they had found a way, Kansas City to take the lead uh right around the half and then go ahead and start the second half with a score, we might be looking at a completely different game. Uh but the Dallas Cowboys forced the issue. Look, I understand the Chiefs were banged up. They had ended up missing three of their five starting offensive linemen in that game. Um and that’s a problem for them, which we’ll address later. But Dallas did what they had to do and you know the the the play of Quinnon Williams and Logan Wilson was really strong in this game and this win over the Kansas City Chiefs. So now the Cowboys are at 65 and one. And what’s really interesting about this, even with the win, the Cowboys chances according to CBS Sports Line of getting into the postseason are actually lower than the Chiefs chances of getting in with the loss. Uh Dallas was about 21%. So this is far from a done deal. Okay. And they have a huge game coming up next uh against the Detroit Lions who stumbled in their home game against Green Bay and really put themselves in a position of really having to scrap to have a chance to be in the postseason and maybe hang on to that NFC North title because Green Bay has now swept them uh in the season series. So, the Cowboys are interesting though because the best version of this team is right now. You know, we always say, and Bill Bich used to say this all the time in the pre look at my girlfriend North Carolina days. You don’t win something in September or October. You win it in December, January, and February. You know, there was a Monday night game in late September, early October in 2014 where the Patriots went to Kansas City and they were destroyed 38 to 14 on at Arrowhead. Um, it was it was really the at that point the worst loss in Bill Bich’s NFL career. And I was doing NFL Live at that time and people said, “Hey, this is the end of the dynasty. This is it. It’s over.” Well, and we on NFL Live said, “Let’s just pump the brakes because you don’t win anything in September. You don’t lose anything in September.” That happens later on. And sure enough, that was the year that the Patriots went back to Super Bowl 49 and had the 28-24 win over the Seahawks when inexplicably Daryl Beaven Beville and Pete Carroll decided to not hand it off to Marshon Lynch and the gold line, Malcolm Butler, you know the story. So, the bottom line is you want to be playing your best football. Now, that’s a long way of saying what I’m trying to get to here. And that’s what the Dallas Cowboys are doing. Look, Dak Prescott has been great all season long. Outside of one interception Thursday against the Chiefs, he was great. Again, the best thing that came out of that game as I watched it, if you’re a Cowboys fan, number one, Dak’s ability to avoid the rush, recognize the rush, and dump the ball off. You know, after the first interception on their first drive where Steve Spagnola, the chief’s defensive coordinator, brought the house and that forced the interception uh to Jaylen Watson right there. Dak was phenomenal. So many times Spags brought exotic blitzes, corner blitz, safety blitz, overloaded on one side. And every time after that first interception, Dak found a way to maneuver in the pocket away from the rush and then find a way to complete drives and complete passes and keep things going. I mean, you look at the third down conversions for the Cowboys in that game. They were nine of 16 on third down. And on their first touchdown drive, I think they were three for three on third and seven or longer. They kept drives going. Like the Chiefs put them in enviable positions for the Kansas City defense to get them off the field, and Dak simply wouldn’t allow it. Dak was the real reason those things kept going. And what really made it interesting is that for a large portion of this game, George Pickkins was a non-factor. You know, well into the second half, Pickkins had two catches for 22 yards. And then eventually on a couple of key plays and key moments down the stretch, uh Dak just said, “Where are you? I’m finding you.” And it was pretty clear, too, that the offensive staff and Brian Shottenheimer of the Dallas Cowboys had a target on Jary Connor 27. Where is he in a big game situation? Where is he in a big moment? That’s where we’re targeting. And time and time again, uh, that’s how Dallas was able to keep drives alive. The other thing that you have to love if you’re the Dallas Cowboys is the way CD Lamb torched Trent McDuffy. CD Lamb had more receiving yards against Trent McDuffy in the first half than he had given up to any receiver all season long for an entire game. And it continued in the second half. That might have been the worst game Trent McDuffy has ever played. And let’s be clear, Trent McDuffy is an allpro corner. He is as good as it gets. He is a phenomenal corner. Now, were a couple of calls that even Jean Ster and part of the CBS broadcast was like, I think I’d like to see that one go. They’re both fighting, but it didn’t matter. Some of those times the calls went the way of the Cowboys. And some of the times, even with what the PI was, CD Lammer, George Pickkins were able to make the play anyway. That was as as good as a performance from the Cowboys quarterback and two wide receivers when it all mattered. That uh that really really was as good as you can see this entire season. So now we have the Dallas Cowboys offense clicking like it had been all season. Now we have the Dallas Cowboys defense looking like a completely different unit. And let’s be clear, right? You have Quinnon Williams that you got in the trade. Kenny Clark is now being active. You have Logan Wilson, you got in the trade. But let’s not act like Malik Hooker coming back as safety wasn’t also a big deal. De Marvian Overshon, one of the greatest names in the history of the NFL, is back and playing with a vengeance. So this same Cowboys offense that was so horrific defense rather that was so horrifically bad through the first seven, 8, nine, 10 games of the season is a completely different unit. So when you look at statistics now for the Dallas Cowboys defensively, throw them out. Okay, you need to throw them out. What you need to start doing is looking at the Dallas Cowboys defense over the last three games. That starts with the Raiders, then went to the Eagles, and then went to the Kansas City Chiefs. That’s a true measure of where this Cowboys defense is because they’re different guys. Guys that were playing in the first half of the season aren’t playing anymore, or if they are playing, they’re substitutions, third down specialists, that sort of thing. Nickelbacks. They are not they are not the starters. The starters for the Dallas Cowboys defense are now extremely different and extremely more talented than that team we saw. So, you have to look at data in its proper perspective, right? You can’t just throw everything into a vacuum and say, “Oh, well, I’ll take, you know, the Giants game from their first home game and let’s mash that in to the same unit we’ve seen the last three games and put those numbers together and suddenly those are the numbers that represent the Dallas Cowboys.” No. No. That is incorrect. The numbers that represent the Dallas Cowboys now defensively are the numbers since the Raiders game, since the Eagles game, and since the Chiefs game. That’s the real measure of who the Cowboys are right now. So the the the data has to be looked at through the right way. You cannot go back the entire season and say, “Well, this is who the Cowboys have been defensively.” They are not that unit anymore. They are completely different. And the other thing that you have to love if you’re a Cowboys fan is all those first round picks on the offensive line. They showed up in spades in that Thanksgiving Day win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Let’s just uh take a look here. Uh let’s see. Sacks yards lost for the Dallas Cowboys in that Thanksgiving game. Zero. Zero. With all the pressure that Steve Spagnola dialed up, with all the exotic blitzes, with all the third and longs that they had to complete in that game to keep drives alive, not one time, not one time did Dak go down. Not one time, you cannot say enough about that. You cannot say enough about how strong that front wall was for Dak Prescott against a team that is pretty good at bringing down the quarterback. They didn’t let Chris Jones sniff a sack. They didn’t let George Carl Loftess, Charles Amenu, none of those guys. They never they they hit him a couple of times and there were a couple of pressures, but so many times Dak was able to see that pressure coming, respond to it, and find the open receiver or the open back out of the backfield or when they had an overload blitz on the left side, what do you do? Throw to where they’re blitzing because if you have someone that’s going over there and they blitz from that side, you’re going to be wide open for a big game. Dak was so poised in this contest. It was really, look, he’s been great all year, but he was under duress. And again, after the first interception on their first drive, the Cowboys settle down. Like, it it could have been so easy for them to get that turnover. And then two plays later, the Chiefs are in the end zone. I mean, just like that, they’re in the end zone. They’re down seven nothing. Like, well, here we go. And then on their fir their next drive after that, they had a couple of third downs they had to convert, and they converted them, and they kept that drive alive. I mean to to me the biggest thing about this game for the Cowboys in terms of game management and moments they never let the Chiefs get away from them, right? 7 nothing. All right, we’ll go down and score. 14-7. Fine, we’ll go down and answer. Took the lead going into half. Had a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter and they had to survive some ridiculous moments from Patrick Mahomes and we’ll get to that when we talk about Kansas City in a minute. But this was about as composed and poised a win that this Dallas Cowboys team has had all season long. They certainly didn’t have one like this last year. Uh a couple years ago when they were the two seed, they had some really, really strong wins, but you have to love the way this thing is coming together. Now, as I said, the odds for the Cowboys are still only about 20% to make the playoffs. That’s not great. So, you have to look at what they got coming up here. Okay, their game at Detroit is essentially everything. You know, for as bad as this loss was for Kansas City, again, there’s still a higher percentage that they’re going to make the playoffs after a loss than the Cowboys will with a win. But you look at what the Cowboys have in front of them. They go to Detroit, and Detroit just lost. And by the way, Detroit also had to go to overtime at home the week before to beat the Giants. So, this is a team in Detroit that is not exactly the team we saw that won 15 games a year ago. So, they go to Detroit, then they’re home for Minnesota, and then they’re home for the Chargers. But after that, they finish with two road games. They’re at Washington, at the Giants. And let’s be honest, at Washington, at the Giants, if you have to finish with two road games, if you’re looking at the Cowboys schedule, you’re thinking those are the two guys I want right there. Those are the two teams if I have to play on the road, the way we’re playing. and the way their seasons have gone. Are they backing up the U-Haul already? Boop boop boop. How interested are they in really participating in those games? So, the next three games are everything for the Cowboys. If they can get through Detroit, get through Minnesota, and get through the Chargers again, the Chargers and the Vikings both at home, then it gets really interesting because those last two games are divisional opponents. um they’re probably not going to win the division and those are games that we don’t know what their participation or interest is really going to be for the Commanders and the Giants at the end of the schedule. So, as you look at the entire NFL right now and you take a look at the standings uh for the conference in where the Cowboys are, they’re like the Chiefs. They are outside of the playoffs right now, but if you look at how this thing stacks up for them, it it the next two games are critical. The Cowboys right now are the nine seed. Right in front of them is the eight seed Detroit. Why that game is so important. And then in front of them is the Green Bay Packers. And you have the Chicago Bears that are in charge right now in that division. But right below them are the Carolina Panthers and the Minnesota Vikings are there at 12. These next three games are everything. The Cowboys have to win those three games to have any chance of those last two games meaning something. They’re still a long way away from getting to the postseason. But if they can play the way they did on Thanksgiving Day, if they can control the line of scrimmage, I mean, the Chiefs were five of 13 on third down. I think they were three or three or four and four on fourth down, but they were five of 13 on third down. They forced four straight punts. Was there any moment in the first half of the season where any Cowboy fan would say, “Yeah, we’re going to absolutely force a team, especially the Chiefs, into four straight punts on four straight drives.” There’s not a chance in hell. This defense is completely different. This offense has been great all season long. George Pickkins has been the signing of this off season, not just for the Cowboys, for everybody. It has been the shining star. They’re going to have to lock him down and keep him there. And that’s going to be difficult. But right now, the Cowboys are playing as well as any team in football. And when you look at their defensive data, do not judge the entire season together. It starts with the Raiders game and it goes through the last three. Three-game winning streak. They’ve beaten both teams in the Super Bowl over a 4-day stretch. And now the next three games are everything for them. Starting on the road in Detroit. If they win in Detroit, then it becomes really interesting for the Cowboys. But if they lose to the Lions, everything they gained on that Thanksgiving Day win goes right out the window. The Cowboys basically are in a got to win every single game now. Every single game for them is a postseason win or a postseason game for them to even have a chance at making it to the playoffs. And who would have thought about that when you saw the way this Dallas Cowboys team started the season? And those are straight facts, homie.

The Dallas Cowboys just delivered one of the most important wins of their 2025 season, and Trey Wingo breaks down exactly why this team looks completely different — and why their dominant performance against the Kansas City Chiefs may mark a turning point for Dallas as they push toward the postseason. This wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. It was a reminder that momentum in the NFL is real, that the roster Jerry Jones built is finally starting to click, and that this Cowboys team is peaking at the exact moment contenders begin to separate themselves from everyone else.

Trey takes you inside the game from the opening kickoff to the final whistle, examining how Dallas responded to adversity early, how Dak Prescott neutralized Steve Spagnuolo’s pressure packages, and how the Cowboys controlled every meaningful phase after falling behind 7–0 and 14–7. He explains how, despite losing the early turnover battle, the Cowboys never panicked, never let the Chiefs pull away, and instead turned the final three quarters into one of the most lopsided stretches we’ve seen from Dallas all year. Trey digs into the film, the matchups, the personnel usage, the situational football, and the subtle in-game adjustments that allowed Dallas to flip the script on the defending AFC champions.

Dak Prescott’s performance gets the spotlight it deserves. Trey breaks down how Dak operated under duress, how he recognized blitzes pre-snap, how he consistently worked away from pressure, and how he turned long third downs — the exact situations Kansas City usually thrives in — into drive-sustaining completions. Trey details Dak’s pocket movement, his chemistry with George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, and why this level of quarterback play is the reason the Cowboys have climbed back into the NFC playoff race. Dak didn’t just manage this game. He dictated it. He solved Kansas City’s pressure looks in real time, hit hot routes, punished mismatches, and delivered in the exact moments that have buried Dallas in past seasons.

Trey also highlights George Pickens’ impact — not just the stat line, but the presence he brings, the defensive attention he commands, and the way he changes the geometry of the field. Trey walks through how the Cowboys used Pickens as a late-game closer, how CeeDee Lamb overwhelmed Trent McDuffie in one of the toughest individual matchups of the year, and how Dallas found ways to create separation despite Kansas City loading the box and disguising post-snap coverage. Trey even explains how Brian Schottenheimer targeted specific Chiefs defenders, most notably Jerrion Conner, to keep drives alive and ultimately put Kansas City’s defense on its heels.

The defensive evolution of the Cowboys has been the biggest storyline of their season — and Trey gives full context on why this unit suddenly looks nothing like the group we saw in September and October. Between the trade for Quinnen Williams, the addition of Logan Wilson, the return of Malik Hooker, and the resurgence of DeMarvion Overshown, Dallas now has a completely different defensive identity. Trey dissects how the Cowboys won at the line of scrimmage, how they compressed the pocket on Patrick Mahomes, how they forced the Chiefs into four straight punts, and how the new defensive personnel has made it possible to play aggressive, physical football again. He makes it clear: if you’re trying to evaluate the Cowboys defense using early-season stats, you’re doing it wrong. The last three games — Raiders, Eagles, Chiefs — are the only real sample that matters.

Trey also lays out the broader playoff implications. With Dallas now at 6-5-1, the postseason path is still razor-thin, but the Cowboys have put themselves back into the picture. Trey explains how Dallas must treat every remaining game like a playoff game, why the Lions matchup could define their season, how Minnesota and the Chargers fit into the larger NFC Wild Card puzzle, and why the final two road games against Washington and the Giants may end up being more of a gift than a challenge. He outlines exactly what the Cowboys need to do to survive the next month — and why the Cowboys’ brand of physical, late-season football is the right formula for a team trying to claw back into relevance.

Another massive episode of Straight Facts, Homie — all football, no noise.

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