For the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs, this Thanksgiving matchup is essentially a playoff game. Both squads are in real danger of missing the postseason and there’s little room for error. As quarterback Dak Prescott said, the win over the Philadelphia Eagles means nothing unless they finish the season on a serious run. The Chiefs likely feel the same.

For Kansas City, however, being on this spot is much more of a surprise. What the heck is going on with the perennial contender led by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes? And more importantly, can the Cowboys capitalize on any of their struggles?

I reached out to A to Z Sports Kansas City’s Charles Goldman to get clarity on the Chiefs. He explained what’s going on with the offense, pointed out a weakness for All-Pro DT Quinnen Williams to exploit, and discussed how he expects Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo to defend CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. Let’s dive in.

It’s obviously a surprise the Chiefs are only 6-5. How real are the concerns for KC, and what has been the biggest weakness costing them games?

Goldman: The concerns are very real. Last week was a nice reprieve, but if you look at the stat sheet, it should’ve been a slaughter and not a 23-20 overtime nail-biter. The biggest problem has been just inconsistency with execution and play-calling on the offensive side of the ball. They’ve had a ton of drive-killing penalties, red zone turnovers, and they’re settling for too many field goals over the past three weeks. They also don’t eat their vegetables in the sense that they’re really good at running under center and have done so at one of the lowest rates in the NFL. Andy Reid’s view of RPOs as an extension of the running game is also a problem because they’re not forcing teams to respect the running game and creating space for some of the passing plays they want to run.

With no Trey Smith, do you expect the Chiefs OL to struggle against the Cowboys’ defensive tackles featuring Quinnen Williams?

Goldman: Yes. Mike Caliendo is just not on the same level as Trey Smith. I mean, there’s really no other way to dice it. With just a half of playing time in Week 12, he wound up as the Chiefs’ lowest-graded player on PFF. Their grades aren’t gospel, but we’ve got enough of a sample size at this point to know that he’s got very few redeeming qualities. The biggest one is that he knows the playbook, but if he can’t execute it, I’m not sure how much that matters. If the Cowboys line Quinnen Williams up over him all game, they’ll have a field day. If they force one-on-one matchups with a five-man defensive front, I won’t be shocked if they put Jaylon Moore in at right guard at some point.

The Chiefs defense appears to be improving, is there a weak link offenses have been able to attack this season?

Goldman: They’ve actually been excellent this season outside of a few key struggles. They’re not turning pressure into sacks, and they struggle to generate it without blitzing. They aren’t creating many turnovers, but their secondary scheme doesn’t really put them in the best position to intercept passes. I think the one glaring weak link, and it’s been this way for a few seasons now, is targeting the middle of the field in coverage. Their safeties and linebackers can be beaten in coverage, especially if you have some good tight ends and running backs.

George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb are one of the best WR duos in the NFL. What’s your best guess as to what will Steve Spagnuolo’s plan be to deal with them?

Goldman: The Chiefs have quite a bit of experience going up against some talented receiver duos, most notably Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins with the Cincinnati Bengals. I tend to believe they’ll lean on some of those coverages for Lamb and Pickens, but don’t be shocked if they leave both of them 1-on-1 at times. Spags has been known to get aggressive with his blitz packages, and that often requires those types of looks on the back end.

What’s your favorite spot to loot in ARC Raiders?

(Okay, some context: I know Charles, like I, is obsessed with this new videogame called ARC Raiders, so I had to ask him about it.)

Goldman: You, wearing your Cowboy hat, I just knew you were going to give me an ARC Raiders question. Buried City is the most enjoyable looting experience as a whole because there are just so many different buildings with the potential for high-value loot, whether you’re talking about getting a bunch of trinkets, blueprints, and weapons. It’s easy to get in and get out without getting murdered by ARC or other Raiders. I do really enjoy Reinforced Reception on Blue Gate because of the different puzzle areas where you can get loot, but the PVP can get a little bit dicey unless you go with a team.

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