LDN - Sports

Cowboys find their way past Chiefs through the air

[November 06, 2017] ARLINGTON, Tex. -- The Dallas Cowboys expected to rely on the run against a struggling Kansas City defense, but quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receivers Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley proved the unstoppable force in a 28-17 win over the Chiefs on Sunday.

Prescott completed 21 of 33 passes for 249 yards and two touchdowns, with Williams collecting nine catches for 141 yards and Beasley making two touchdown catches.

Head coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys took advantage of their multiple offensive options against the Chiefs.

"I think the biggest (thing) we try to do is attack the defense in a lot of different ways, and it starts with the run and pass," Garrett said. "We have weapons. We have guys we would like to throw the ball to, and give the ball to. It gives the defense a lot of different things to deal with."

Prescott put the Cowboys on the board first, hooking up with Beasley on a 6-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter.

A 38-yard field goal from Harrison Butker cut the lead to 7-3.

The Cowboys reclaimed the lead after a 61-yard drive capped by Prescott scrambling for a 6-yard touchdown run. Prescott kept the drive alive with a key third-and-15 conversion for 21 yards to wide receiver Dez Bryant.

"It's really about trusting your quarterback," Garrett said. "That he's going to make a good decision. He stood in there, made a big-time throw. Dez climbed the ladder on that play, and it was a big lift for us."

Dallas appeared poised to take a 14-3 lead into halftime with 21 seconds remaining in the first half. Prescott ended a seven-play, 82-yard drive inside the two-minute warning with a 10-yard scramble for a touchdown.

But Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill kept the Chiefs in the game with a Hail Mary of sorts that left the 93,273 fans at AT&T Stadium speechless.

The Chiefs lined up at their own 44-yard line with two seconds remaining in the half. Dallas prepared for a heave downfield into the end zone with seven defensive backs lined up along the goal line.

Hill caught the pass from Alex Smith inside the Dallas 45-yard line and ran 20 yards before slowing down, allowing a team of blockers to line up in front of him. Hill followed the convoy, then used his speed and agility to burst through the Cowboys' secondary and into the end zone.

"We use it in practice every week," head coach Andy Reid said. "We don't get a lot of opportunities to do it, but we did it there."

Kansas City received the second-half kickoff and took its first lead of the game. Smith found tight end Travis Kelce for a 2-yard touchdown pass that put the Chiefs ahead 17-14.

Dallas responded, however, marching 75 yards in 12 plays spanning nearly six minutes. Ezekiel Elliott finished the drive with a 2-yard run that put the Cowboys on top 21-17.

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Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) catches a pass against Kansas City Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen (49) in the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Following two tough losses by single digits, the Cowboys now own a three-game winning streak with each victory coming by double digits. Prescott said he believes the offense found its stride in recent weeks.

"There are still things we can get better at, but it was a great performance by the offense, by the defense and the special teams," Prescott said. "Staying in, especially after that play they had at halftime, just to come back in the second half and continue doing the good things we were doing in the first half was important to us."

The Cowboys extended their lead thanks to a 7-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Beasley, making it 28-17.

Elliott led the Cowboys in rushing with 93 yards on 27 carries with a touchdown.

Any chance for a Chiefs comeback ended on the team's next drive. Dallas safety Jeff Heath intercepted Smith to snuff out Kansas City's final scoring opportunity.

Smith finished 25-of-34 passing for 263 yards and two touchdowns.

The Chiefs, who started the season 5-0, head to the bye week losing three of their last four games, sending Reid and his squad into a week of self-reflection. Reid owns a 16-2 record as a head coach following the bye week. He told his squad to take advantage of the break to recharge for the second half.

"That they use it wisely," Reid said when asked his bye-week message to his team. "We'll be back and evaluate some things and get back and ready to go."

NOTES: Chiefs LB Tamba Hali made his season debut after his return to practice from the physically unable to perform list on Thursday. The team added Hali to the active roster Saturday, waiving CB D.J. White. ... Cowboys WR Dez Bryant left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. ... Chiefs QB Alex Smith's streak of 297 passes without an interception dating to last season ended. ... The Cowboys honored former quarterback Tony Romo, who called his first Dallas game since retiring from the team and joining CBS as an analyst.

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