ARLINGTON, Texas — Turkey and football weren’t the only things on the Thanksgiving menu at Jerry World.
Desperation was served as a full course.
You can argue over dessert as to whether the most desperate team won or lost.
Officially, though, the Dallas Cowboys toppled the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-28, in a thriller at AT&T Stadium.
How desperate were they?
The Cowboys (6-5-1) needed this one to keep hope alive for the potential of a mad dash to the playoffs. Okay, fellas. Now go win at Detroit. Then just run the table.
The Chiefs can tell you all about the playoffs. It’s just looking more and more likely that they won’t even be in the big dance this time around. With a third loss in four games, Kansas City is 6-6.
Even with the magnificent Patrick Mahomes.
Sure, it sounds crazy. Since he became the Chiefs starter in 2018, Mahomes has never not taken his team to at least an appearance in the AFC championship game.
Now that streak, on top of Kansas City’s run of nine consecutive AFC West titles, seemingly hinges on a miracle.
“You’ve got to win every game now. And hope that’s enough,” Mahomes said during his postgame press conference.
Now that’s desperate.
Mahomes knows. The Chiefs committed 10 penalties for 119 yards, converted on just five of 13 third downs and allowed 457 yards. Desperate or not, it was hardly a winning formula.
“We’ve got to be more consistent at the end of the day,” Mahomes said. “They’re in the same desperation as we are.”
Only the Cowboys’ desperation is now riding with a three-game winning streak. In the matter of four days, Dallas knocked off both participants in Super Bowl 59.
“I can tell you now, we’re not going to get on some high because of that,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. “We know we’ve got another one coming next week. All it does is just give us more confidence, knowing we can beat whoever.”
Mahomes, returning to his home state of Texas, sure had the look of a man with a bag full of miracles as he willed the Chiefs with one magical play after another — and threw for four touchdowns.
On a 3-yard touchdown pass to Rashee Rice early in the fourth quarter, he rolled left out of the pocket and under heavy duress zipped a throw across his body into the end zone. Rice leaped to snag it for a score that put the Chiefs ahead, 21-20, with the conversion.
Late in the fourth quarter, Mahomes — missing three of his offensive line starters — stepped out of a would-be shoestring sack by Quinnen Williams, then stumbled as he fled the pocket. He made Donovan Ezeirukaku whiff on a would-be sack, too. Then he heaved a deep pass to connect with Xavier Worthy for a 42-yard completion. It set up a 10-yard TD throw to Marquise “Hollywood” Brown that cut Dallas’ margin to a field goal. Mahomes finished with 261 yards to go with his four scores.
But it wasn’t enough.
By that time, the Cowboys had forced Kansas City to try rallying from a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter by putting together back-to-back scoring drives that sandwiched Kansas City’s three-and-out.
Two pivotal moments made the difference between winning desperate and losing.
After Prescott capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive with a 3-yard TD toss to Javonte Williams to put Dallas back in front, 26-21, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer played the percentage and went for two. Prescott hit George Pickens for the conversion in the tight, short corner of the left end zone to make it a 7-point advantage.
On Dallas’ next possession, Prescott found Pickens (6 catches, 88 yards) on a third-down throw to the left flat. After Pickens turned upfield to fight for more yards, Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie punched the football out.
Seemingly out of nowhere, dynamo receiver KaVontae Turpin desperately dove on the football at the Chiefs’ 8-yard line.
Four days earlier, Turpin fumbled to set up the touchdown that extended Philadelphia’s lead to 21-0 in the second quarter.
Now Turpin saved the day for Dallas as Brandon Aubrey’s 26-yard field goal on the next snap proved to be the margin for victory.
“One of the best plays of the game,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told USA TODAY Sports. “It was so instinctive. So brilliant.”
Prescott said of Turpin: “He’s a dog.”
After Kansas City’s final score, Prescott knew what had to happen: Don’t give the ball back to Mahomes. A desperate Mahomes.
The Cowboys finished the game with a eight-play drive that included three first downs, forcing Kansas City to use its timeouts and keeping Mahomes on the sideline.
“You know how great he is,” Prescott said. “It’s on his resume and we’ve seen it before. The Mahomes magic.”
Prescott overcame an early interception and finished 27-of-39 for 320 yards with 2 TDs. With Lamb hauling in seven receptions for 112 yards, Prescott’s star wideouts combined for 200 yards to juice an explosive offense. Another boost came from unheralded backup running back Malik Davis, who raced to a 43-yard touchdown.
Meanwhile, a much-maligned Cowboys defense played, well, desperate. It harassed Mahomes just enough, collecting three sacks and nine quarterback hits.
With no last-minute magic.
And that’s how desperation won and lost.