The Kansas City Chiefs went to AT&T Stadium to take on the Dallas Cowboys during Week 13 on Thanksgiving. With the season winding down, it’s do-or-die time to make a run for the NFL playoffs.
After a 1-2 start to the season, the Chiefs fought back to 6-5 on the outside looking in of the AFC playoff race, before falling to 6-6 today. Can they still make the postseason after a close loss to the Cowboys?
Can the Kansas City Chiefs Still Make the Playoffs?
Heading into the Week 13 matchup, the Chiefs had a 44.2% chance to make the postseason, according to the PFSN NFL Playoff Predictor. Close to a 50% chance, but not as high as many would’ve thought heading into the season. Even more surprising, their seven-year streak of AFC West titles is on life support, as Kansas City had just a 4.9% chance of winning their division while chasing the red-hot Denver Broncos, who are 9-2.
The road gets even harder with the Thanksgiving loss to the Cowboys. Their chances of making the playoffs decreased by 17.1 percentage points to just 27.1%, and their opportunity to claim the AFC West title dropped to just 1.7%.
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While the Chiefs have struggled with consistency this season, you can’t put any of the blame on quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the loss. After some tough outings, the All-Pro quarterback completed 23 of 34 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns.
They’ve even scored 25.2 points per game, the ninth-highest total of the season. The Chiefs have even excelled in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, ranking fourth in the NFL with an 85.3 grade.
ONE-SCORE GAME.@Primetime_jet x #ProBowlVote pic.twitter.com/dO2XrTr9P2
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) November 28, 2025
Unfortunately for them, it’s their defense that let them down on Turkey Day. A unit that’s limited opponents to 18.3 points per game in 2025, the fourth-lowest in the league, and ranks as the eighth-ranked team in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric with a grade of 79.6, gave up 31 points against Dak Prescott and the Cowboys offense.
With the Chiefs’ playoff chances dwindling, NFL fans are facing a reality that seems unfathomable: No Kansas City in the playoffs for the first time since 2014. This would be the first time in Mahomes’ career that he has missed the postseason. What seemed like a forgone conclusion to start the season has rapidly turned on its head.
While the loss hurts the Chiefs, it gives the Cowboys a boost in their quest to clinch a playoff berth of their own. After a 3-5-1 start to the season, the Cowboys have rattled off three wins in a row to strengthen their chances for an NFC Wild Card berth at 6-5-1.