Elliott returns, but Cowboys will need more playmakers against Chiefs

The Dallas Cowboys can score.

The Cowboys have scored 30 or more points in four consecutive games. It’s only the fourth time in franchise history a club has produced such a streak, joining the 1986, 2007 and 2014 teams.

Kansas City can score, too. And they can score fast.

The Chiefs are averaging 29.5 points per game. They have 35 plays of 20 or more yards and 103 of their 236 points have come outside the red zone.

Turnovers will be critical as neither team needs help scoring.

Zeke stays

The legal soap opera between the NFL and Ezekiel Elliott continues to linger, and Elliott won a last-minute decision to play Sunday. It’s a big boost for the Cowboys, who have found their running game behind Elliott and the offensive line in recent weeks. The Chiefs have a suspect run defense, and Elliott could be in line for another big game.

Mr. Prescott

There’s not sophomore slump for quarterback Dak Prescott. He has been the most consistent player for the Cowboys and has a 14-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Prescott has yet to have a 300-yard passing game, but it could come this week. The Chiefs rank 28th in pass defense, allowing an average of 261.1 passing yards, although they do have eight interceptions on the season.

Turnover battle

Turnovers will likely decide the game. The Chiefs are among the best at taking the ball away with 13 so far, and their offense has protected the ball well, giving it away only three times. The Cowboys have similar success in protecting the ball, and the defense has turned a corner in the takeaway department, with three in each of the past two games. Not surprisingly, they’ve won the past two games.

Defense matters

The Chiefs have one of the most potent offenses in the league. Alex Smith is second in passing yards behind Tom Brady, while Kareem Hunt is leading the league in rushing. Plus KC boasts playmakers in tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The Cowboys defense must keep Smith in the pocket and contain the running game if they’re going to win. Said defensive tackle David Irving, “We have to be great in the open field. We’ve got to stop the run, try to make them one-dimensional. It’s going to be a very good challenge this week.”

Kicking game

Mike Nugent fared well in his Cowboys debut, making four of five field goals in a win at Washington. The Cowboys enter as a 1-point favorite, which means a field goal could be the difference between a win or a loss. Nugent has played in AT&T Stadium only once in his career – last year with the Cincinnati Bengals – and missed his lone field goal attempt, of 50 yards. He did convert each point-after attempt in the Bengals’ 28-14 loss.

This story was originally published November 4, 2017 at 8:54 AM with the headline "Elliott returns, but Cowboys will need more playmakers against Chiefs."