Cowboys cornerback Caelen Carson (hamstring) will not play in Thursday’s game against the Chiefs.
He is among the team’s inactives.
Carson popped up on the injury report on Tuesday and was limited again on Wednesday.
The Cowboys’ other inactives are wide receiver Jonathan Mingo, defensive tackle Jay Toia, defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey, left tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) and running back Jaydon Blue.
Jalen Tolbert, who was a healthy scratch last Sunday in favor of Mingo, is active. Mingo played only three snaps last week.
Nate Thomas will start at left tackle in place of Guyton.
The Chiefs’ inactives are cornerback Kristian Fulton, wide receiver Jalen Royals, running back Elijah Mitchell, cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace (back), right guard Trey Smith (ankle), tight end Noah Gray (concussion) and offensive lineman Esa Pole.
Roland-Wallce, Smith and Gray were already ruled out.
Mike Caliendo, a three-year veteran, is expected to replace Smith in the starting lineup.
Chiefs Clips
The Chiefs haven’t really been the Chiefs this season. At 6-5, the chances of a tenth straight division title are fading. They may not even make the playoffs.
One reason for their struggles is that, away from home, they’re not playing well.
The Chiefs are 1-4 on the road this season, with the only win coming in Week 3 on a Sunday night against the Giants. The Chiefs will try to get their second road win of the year on Thursday afternoon, against the suddenly surging Cowboys, who are 5-5-1.
For both teams, a loss could end up being the de facto death blow to their playoff hopes. And the Chiefs in recent years have thrived in do-or-die games, going 17-3 in the postseason since Mahomes became the starter in 2018.
Of course, the Chiefs in recent years have thrived in the regular season, too. Which has resulted in few if any do-or-die games before the postseason commences.
They survived on Sunday against the Colts, wiping out a 20-9 deficit against the Colts to win in overtime. The stakes on Thursday, for both teams, combined with the captive-audience platform will help propel the audience toward shattering the all-time viewership record for any regular-season game.
The Cowboys will have wide receivers George Pickens and KaVontae Turpin for Thursday’s game against the Chiefs.
Pickens was estimated as a full participant on Wednesday with knee and calf injuries. The Cowboys estimated him as a non-participant on Monday and a limited participant on Tuesday.
Turpin’s shoulder injury and an illness that kept him out on Monday and limited him on Tuesday. The Cowboys estimated him as a full participant on Wednesday.
The Cowboys had every player at the walkthrough on Wednesday except left tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle). Guyton is ruled out for Thursday. Cornerback Caelen Carson was the only player who was limited Wednesday after popping up on the report Tuesday as a limited participant.
Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney (neck) and left guard Tyler Smith (knee) are also among the players without an injury designation.
The Chiefs will have wide receiver Rashee Rice (hamstring), and they will see the return of running back Isiah Pacheco (knee).
Neither player has an injury designation for Thursday’s game against the Cowboys.
Rice was limited on Monday’s estimated report.
Pacheco has not played since Week 8. In eight games this season, he has 78 rushes for 329 yards and a touchdown and 11 receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown.
The Chiefs will not have Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith (ankle) or tight end Noah Gray (concussion). Both players are ruled out after not practicing this week.
Cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace (back) also is ruled out.
Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt was a key element of Kansas City’s comeback victory over Indianapolis on Sunday and now he’s been recognized for it.
Hunt has been named AFC offensive player of the week.
Hunt rushed for a season-high 104 yards with a touchdown and had three catches for 26 yards in the 23-20 overtime victory.
He also had a key fumble in Indianapolis territory, but was able to overcome that to help the club win.
Hunt’s 30 carries were also a season-high.
The Chiefs will be in Dallas for a Thanksgiving matchup against the Cowboys on Thursday.
CeeDee Lamb dropped three of Dak Prescott’s passes last Sunday, but the Cowboys quarterback isn’t doubting the wideout heading into Thursday’s game against the Chiefs.
Lamb and Prescott have played a lot of games together, which has provided Prescott with confidence in Lamb’s ability to follow up shaky performances with outstanding ones. That’s exactly what Prescott is predicting for Thanksgiving.
“Huge game,” Prescott said, via the team’s website. “Just go back and look at the career, right? Any game that maybe he’s not done to his standard or had a drop here or been a frustrating game, the way he’s responded has been unquestionable. I know early in this year, it was the same way from the first time we played them to his next game, I don’t expect this to be any different.”
The Cowboys beat the Eagles despite Lamb’s dropped passes and back-to-back victories have sparked some hope that the 5-5-1 team can make a late run at the playoffs. Lamb will be crucial to that effort, so everyone in Dallas will be hoping that history repeats itself this week.
The Chiefs will play on Thanksgiving for the first time in Patrick Mahomes’ career when the club plays the Cowboys on Thursday afternoon.
In his Tuesday press conference, Mahomes was asked about playing on the holidays.
“You grow up watching Thanksgiving games no matter who you’re a fan of,” Mahomes said. “If it’s the Lions, Cowboys, or whoever is playing at night, you grow up watching those games. I think that kid in me wants to be able to go out there and play on Thanksgiving and find a way to win.
“Obviously, a short week where we’re grinding in here right now and getting the whole game plan in and making sure everybody’s prepared and ready to go. I think we’re excited to get to go out there and play on Thanksgiving against a really good football team and the whole world watching.”
It will be even more special for Mahomes because he’ll have a lot of family and friends in attendance, with the game being in Texas. The quarterback noted his wife, Brittany, has arranged for more than 50 people to come see the game.
“Just getting to play back at home, and obviously have a lot of people in attendance that may not get to come up to Kansas City all the time and watch games,” Mahomes said, “it will be a really cool experience to play there [at AT&T Stadium], especially on Thanksgiving, and I’ll have a lot of family and friends in the stands.”
For years, Americans welcomed John Madden into their homes on Thanksgiving. The NFL is ensuring that Madden’s legacy remains a part of the holiday.
This year the NFL will once again celebrate Madden on Thanksgiving, with tributes to Madden broadcast on Fox, CBS and NBC during the Packers-Lions, Chiefs-Cowboys and Bengals-Ravens game.
Players on all six teams will wear patches honoring Madden’s legacy on their jerseys, and the coin toss for all three games will feature a silhouette of Madden as heads and a six-legged turducken as tails.
The MVP of each of the three games will receive a Madden trophy and will choose a high school or youth football program that will receive a $10,000 donation from the NFL Foundation. Items from the three games will also be auctioned with proceeds going to the John Madden Foundation for the youth of Oakland.
As part of the Bengals-Ravens game, Peacock will offer an EA Sports Madden NFL Cast that blends elements of the video game with the live broadcast. The Madden NFL Cast will use the sky cam angle behind the quarterback as the primary camera angle, the same primary angle that Madden players are accustomed to.
Madden was known to one generation of football fans as a Hall of Fame coach, to a second generation as the NFL’s most popular broadcaster, and to a third generation for the video game that bears his name. He died in December of 2021 at the age of 85. Since 2022, the NFL has honored him each year on Thanksgiving.
There is some positive news on the Cowboys’ injury report when it comes to one of their top offensive weapons.
Receiver George Pickens was upgraded to a limited participant on Tuesday after he was estimated as a non-participant on Monday.
Pickens is dealing with knee and calf injuries. Pickens has finished with 144 and 146 yards over the last two weeks in wins over the Raiders and Eagles, respectively.
In 11 games with Dallas this year, Pickens has 67 receptions for 1,054 yards with a career-high eight touchdowns.
Pickens was not the only player upgraded, as defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa (elbow) and receiver KaVontae Turpin (shoulder/illness) also went from DNP to limited on Tuesday’s report.
Offensive tackle Tyler Guyton (ankle) remained a non-participant.
Cornerback Caelen Carson (hamstring) was added to the injury report as limited.
Defensive end Jadeveon Clooney (neck), defensive end Dante Fowler (shoulder), safety Malik Hooker (toe/thigh), and safety Donovan Wilson (neck) all remained limited.
Cornerback DaRon Bland (wrist), defensive end James Houston (wrists/knee), fullback Hunter Luepke (hip), guard Tyler Smith (knee), and defensive tackle Solomon Thomas (calf) all remained full.
The Chiefs upgrade the participation levels for two wideouts on Tuesday’s injury report.
Rashee Rice (hamstring) and Xavier Worthy (ankle) both went from being listed as limited on Monday to full participation. Head coach Andy Reid said earlier in the day that he thought both players were on track to play on Thursday and the listing keeps them on that path.
Reid also said that running back Isiah Pacheco (knee) will play against the Cowboys. He was listed as a full participant along with linebacker Leo Chenal (knee), quarterback Patrick Mahomes (groin), defensive end George Karlaftis (thumb), and right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee).
Tight end Noah Gray (concussion) and right guard Trey Smith (ankle) remained out of practice. Cornerback Chris Roland-Wallace (back) was the only player listed as a limited participant.
