Three major hurdles for the Chiefs vs. Cowboys

Must avoid turnovers

While it’s true, in general, that the game of football is often decided based on which franchise is able to win the turnover battle, this will prove to be especially true against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs currently rank second among all teams in the National Football League in turnovers with 20, just two behind the New York Jets with 22. They’ve definitely slowed their roll there, so to speak, but even in their dominating win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10, they still lost the fumble from Mike Hughes on a punt return, watched 1-2 passes near-interceptions from from Patrick Mahomes, and watched Tyreek Hill dribble the ball like a basketball only to come up with his own miscue.

Here’s the thing: Dallas’s defense is improved but, more than anything, it is a very opportunistic unit. Right now, 16.3 percent of all offensive drives by opponents end in a turnover when playing against Dallas and much of that can be attributed to the eight interceptions by Trevon Diggs this season. The Cowboys can be gashed on offense with a patient, measured approach that doesn’t take the sort of chances that the Chiefs love to take in the past.

There’s room to go deep, to be certain, against the Cowboys, but if the Chiefs can minimize mistakes and play intelligent, mistake-free football, they will keep the defense on its heels for all four quarters.