ARLINGTON, Texas – So many close games that are filled with great plays from both sides are sometimes decided by the forgettable plays.
Here are a handful of plays that might be forgotten but likely changed the course of Thursday's game.
Lamb's third-down catch on first drive – The Cowboys trailed 7-0 in the first two minutes of the game, so the second drive was crucial. Another thing vital to the offense was a turnaround by CeeDee Lamb after some key drops last week. On third-and-7 at the Dallas 43-yard line, Lamb caught a 10-yard pass for a first down. He later caught another third-down catch and then ended the drive with a touchdown. But that first catch, getting his confidence back on track, was probably bigger than we know.
Ferguson on fourth down – With the Chiefs leading 14-7 and the Cowboys facing a fourth-and-4 at the Kansas City 48-yard line, head coach Brian Schottenheimer chose to keep the offense on the field. A miss here and the Chiefs would have had a great shot of extending the lead to 14. But Dak Prescott hit Jake Ferguson for 10 yards to extend the drive, which ended in a field goal – a huge momentum-changing play and gutsy call.
Penalties on KC before halftime – The Chiefs trailed 17-14 but were on the move right before halftime. After a key holding call that led to second-and-20, the Cowboys were called for illegal contact in the secondary. However, an illegal procedure call before the snap meant offsetting penalties. Without that Chiefs call, the Dallas penalty would've been an automatic first down. The Cowboys were able to keep Kansas City from scoring and remained ahead by three at the half.
OPI called on Worthy – On the first drive of the third quarter, the Chiefs came out with a big kick return and started at their own 46-yard line. On third down, Patrick Mahomes hit Hollywood Brown for a 14-yard play into Dallas territory, but an offensive pass interference call on Xavier Worthy was a huge setback. On third-and-16, the Chiefs didn't convert and were forced to punt. Kansas City wouldn't end up scoring again until the fourth quarter.
Key drop by Rice after penalty – The Cowboys grabbed a 28-21 lead midway through the fourth quarter, and you knew Mahomes and the Chiefs would rally. But a crucial holding call led to a first-and-20. Eventually, it was third-and-8, and Mahomes scrambled and found Rashee Rice over the middle, but he dropped the ball, preventing a first down. The Cowboys took over and eventually drove for the field goal.
Bonus: Turpin recovers the ball – The Cowboys had a seven-point lead and were looking for a field goal when Prescott hit George Pickens for a short gain inside the 10-yard line. But, he fumbled the ball on the turf. Luckily for Dallas, though, KaVontae Turpin was there to pounce on it for a recovery. The Cowboys avoided disaster and kicked the field goal for a 10-point lead. Considering how quickly the Chiefs had just driven for a touchdown, that recovery might have prevented the game from going into overtime.
