Ranking the toughest games left on the Kansas City Chiefs schedule
By Matt Conner
2. Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliot will not be playing, but the Chiefs have allowed opposing runners to average 4.9 yards/carry so far this year, and the run defense in general has been a sieve in recent weeks. Le’Veon Bell did exactly what he did to upset the Chiefs in a playoff loss at Arrowhead last January already this year, and runners like C.J. Anderson, Lamar Miller and Melvin Gordon have all enjoyed healthy averages because of the soft approach of the Chiefs against the run.
Even more important for the Chiefs will be the efficiency of Dak Prescott. The Chiefs have lost two of their last three games and that Denver win last week was served up on a platter surrounded by several inane throws by Trevor Siemian. Prescott wouldn’t have attempted even one of them.
The bottom line is that counting on Dallas to make a mistake on offense is maybe not the best approach given the way Prescott is able to minimize mistakes even as he moves the chains. Instead the Chiefs are going to have to disrupt Prescott and shake him from his game. If he’s able to sit in the pocket and rely on his intelligence, the Chiefs could be in for a long day—or at least an entertaining one since Alex Smith will feel all kinds of pressure to stay close in a shootout.