ARLINGTON, Texas — Most NFL players try to treat their games as if they’re all the same: one at a time, with the only concern being the task at hand.
That’s not the case for the Dallas Cowboys (5-5-1), who enter their Thanksgiving game against the Kansas City Chiefs (6-5) walking a narrow tightrope when it comes to preserving their postseason hopes. Even after a 24-21 comeback win over the defending Super Bowl LIX champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Dallas has just an 11.4% chance to make the playoffs, per SportsLine projections. With a win against Patrick Mahomes and Co., those odds would climb to 21%. A loss would drop them to as low as 6%.
The Chiefs are in a more stable position after defeating the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. They currently have a 63.8% chance to reach the postseason, per SportsLine. With a win, that jumps to 74%; with a loss, it slips to 46%.
“We’ve got to win every game at this point. The Philly game doesn’t mean anything right now. Nothing that’s happened up to this point really means anything other than it’s put us in the position to be must-win games,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said Tuesday. “We’ve got the guys. We’ve got the plan. We’ve got the process intact. We’re going to give it our best and feel very confident in us.”
Which desperate squad will leave AT&T Stadium with a crucial Turkey Day victory? Follow our live blog below for key updates, highlights, analysis and more.
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