Four Takeaways From the Chiefs' 19-9 Win Over the Cowboys

Here are some major takeaways from the Chiefs' 11th game of the 2021 season.

It wasn't always pretty, but the Kansas City Chiefs took care of business and defeated the visiting Dallas Cowboys by a final score of 19-9. With the victory, the Chiefs extended their winning streak to four games and will head into their bye week with a 7-4 record. The Cowboys, a banged-up team that simply couldn't get enough going offensively, fell to 7-3 as a result of the road loss. 

Here are four takeaways from Sunday's game.

1. The Frank Clark apology needs to be as loud as the disrespect was

Look, no one is denying that Clark hasn't played up to expectations for prolonged stretches with the Chiefs. With that said, health has always been a major question mark for him, and he's showing now what he's capable of. Clark is keeping weight on and has put his hamstring injuries in the past. As a result, he's playing some of the best football of his career. He looks faster and stronger, and he worked together with Chris Jones to put Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott under constant pressure. Clark being at the top of his game is a true difference-maker for the Chiefs and if they're going to make a deep playoff run, they'll need this level of play to continue. His past month is a positive indicator for that. 

2. L'Jarius Sneed continues to impress

Speaking of good months of football, how about Sneed? The second-year cornerback has been battling several different minor injuries and despite that, he's looking more and more like his rookie self every week. Sneed is playing an aggressive brand of football, blowing up plays with his closing speed and physicality. The Chiefs' best cornerback is confident in his game, and it's evident on the field. As Steve Spagnuolo continues to dial up plays tailored to Sneed's strengths, expect to see him keep making plays — whether it be as a run defender, blitzer or coverage ace. He was all over the place in Week 11 and filled up the stat sheet in the process.

3. Chris Jones had his statement game

Heading into this season, there was a lot of hype for Jones to be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. A move to the outside of the defensive line and a subsequent wrist injury put those hopes to rest, but Jones played like one of the best defensive players in football against the Cowboys. In addition to forcing a fumble, Jones recorded three and a half sacks and was an absolute game-wrecker. The entire Chiefs defense is playing much better as of late, and Jones is no exception. It's unreasonable to expect many more of these performances but with the Chiefs' pass rush looking as good as it has at any point this season, Jones doesn't have to be legendary. He just has to be good. Games like this one are simply icing on the cake for Kansas City.

4. The Chiefs left plenty on the table

I haven't mentioned the Chiefs' offense yet, and that's because the defense was so dominant. Offensively, not too much stood out aside from costly penalties and dropped passes. There were quite a few positive moments mixed in (Clyde Edwards-Helaire's return, Tyreek Hill's overall quality outing) but if the Chiefs are going to make a run down the stretch and into the postseason, they'll need to execute and do the little things better. Their emotions got the best of them multiple times against the Cowboys, as did their lack of focus. It didn't cost them a Week 11 game, but it could cost them a playoff game a couple of months from now if those issues aren't cleaned up.

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