The Kansas City Chiefs are backed up against the wall once again. For weeks now, this team has been expected to flip a switch and start running the table to make a playoff push and re-establish itself as a top contender this season. It supposedly happened when they got Xavier Worthy back in Week 4, downing the Baltimore Ravens 37-20 to get back to .500 and string together back-to-back wins.
Then, they were upset by the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5’s Monday Night Football feature. They turned things around after that, though, rattling off three wins in a row while getting Rashee Rice back from his six-game suspension. The Buffalo Bills uprooted the Chiefs’ momentum in Week 9, though.
It wasn’t time to panic yet, as KC had a bye week to absorb a tough loss against what was thought to be one of the best teams in the league. Except Kansas City also lost to the Denver Broncos after the break. They got a critical overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts, which rebuilt hope and momentum, only to have it all crash back down versus the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving.
There’s still hope for the Chiefs
Nov 27, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws a pass for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (92) during the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
1. 29 pressures allowed
At this point, the Kansas City Chiefs have practically no choice but to run the table in the remainder of the season. Doing so would put them at 11-6, which might be enough to get them into the AFC playoffs. If they’re to win out this year, they’ll need Patrick Mahomes fully back to MVP form. While he couldn’t get the victory against the Dallas Cowboys, he did look more like the past iterations of himself who established the Chiefs’ dynasty.
On Thanksgiving, he went for 261 yards and four touchdowns on 23-of-34 passing, while rushing three times for another 30 yards. One could chalk this up to the Chiefs just taking advantage of a porous Cowboys defense, but Dallas has been moving differently on that side of the ball since the trade deadline, when they added Quinnen Williams and Logan Wilson.
The ‘Boys generated 29 pressures on Mahomes and stifled him in the second and third quarters, but he was able to overcome that adversity to give his team a chance at the end of the contest. Mahomes and his pass-catchers should be great fantasy plays in the remainder of the year — at least until they’re mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.
Nov 23, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) warms up before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
2. 2.2 rushing yards before contact
This number is a bit inflated from Patrick Mahomes and Xavier Worthy’s rushes, who combined for 43 yards on five carries, however, the Chiefs were able to find a good bit of success on the ground against a vastly improved Cowboys run defense. Kareem Hunt tallied 58 yards on 14 attempts, while Isiah Pacheco got 16 yards on three rushes.
Hunt has been pretty solid for the Chiefs, consistently picking up short chunks on his touches. KC’s offensive line and schemes are creating opportunities for their running backs to get into the second level. If Pacheco or new signing Dameon Pierce can capitalize on their superior athleticism, the Chiefs’ ground game could look a lot better down the stretch, and possibly even provide a real RB option in fantasy.
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