Costly Flags and Missed Chances: Chiefs’ Penalties Fuel Thanksgiving Loss to Cowboys
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On a day when Patrick Mahomes tossed four touchdown passes and the offense showed flashes of its old firepower, the Kansas City Chiefs still found themselves on the wrong end of a 31-28 Thanksgiving thriller against the Dallas Cowboys. The culprit? Penalties-plenty of them, and at the worst possible times.
The Chiefs were flagged 10 times for a whopping 119 yards, and the timing of those infractions couldn’t have been more damaging. Several came on third downs, extending Dallas drives that should’ve been dead in the water. That’s not just a discipline issue-that’s a momentum killer.
Third-Down Troubles Fueled by Defensive Penalties
Dallas converted 9 of 16 third-down attempts, and at least four of those conversions were directly aided by Kansas City penalties. The secondary, in particular, had a rough outing.
Cornerback Trent McDuffie was flagged three times for defensive pass interference. Fellow corner Jaylen Watson was hit with another DPI.
And on a third-quarter drive that had the Chiefs defense on the brink of a stop, defensive back Chamarri Conner was called for holding-only for McDuffie to follow it up with a 32-yard pass interference penalty. That drive ended with a 36-yard Brandon Aubrey field goal, giving Dallas a 20-14 lead.
McDuffie’s struggles didn’t end there. He was flagged twice more for pass interference in the fourth quarter, each time keeping Dallas drives alive and the Chiefs defense on the field longer than it needed to be.
Offensive Line Woes Compound the Problem
It wasn’t just the defense dealing with laundry on the field. The offensive line had its own share of miscues, with four accepted penalties that stalled key possessions.
Tackle Josh Simmons was called for two holding penalties in the second quarter, both of which wiped out positive plays. Early in the third, a first-down catch by Xavier Worthy was erased by an offensive pass interference call. Later, with the Chiefs trying to claw back in the fourth, a holding penalty on guard Mike Caliendo pushed the offense into a first-and-20 hole-a tough ask even with Mahomes under center.
Mahomes Delivers, But Penalties Steal the Spotlight
Mahomes did everything he could to keep the Chiefs in it. Four touchdown passes, no interceptions, and the kind of playmaking we’ve come to expect. But even a performance like that can’t overcome repeated self-inflicted wounds.
“Penalties killed some drives,” Mahomes said postgame. “You get behind the sticks, and then you don’t get first downs.”
And that’s exactly what happened. The Chiefs would move the ball, gain momentum, and then a flag would fly-forcing them into long-yardage situations and giving the Cowboys a chance to regroup.
Reid and Jones Emphasize Urgency
Head coach Andy Reid didn’t sugarcoat it. “We’re having too many penalties, and we’ve got to make sure we take care of that,” he said. “Both sides of the ball: to get off the field on third downs and to stay on the field offensively.”
That’s the recipe for winning football, and right now, Kansas City isn’t following it.
Veteran defensive tackle Chris Jones echoed the sentiment and looked ahead to what’s coming. “We’ve got these next five to six games that are going to be very critical for us as a team,” he said. “We need to make sure we execute at a high level.”
Where They Stand
With the loss, the Chiefs drop to 6-6-a record that leaves little margin for error down the stretch. The talent is there.
The quarterback is still elite. But if Kansas City wants to make a serious postseason push, the penalties have to stop.
Fast.
Because in a league where every possession matters, giving away yards and downs is a surefire way to let winnable games slip through your fingers. Just ask the Chiefs.
