Cowboys find their way past Chiefs through the air
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[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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