The NFL continues in week 13 as the Kansas City Chiefs travel to take on the Dallas Cowboys for the annual Thanksgiving game.
The Chiefs have a relatively poor season by their own standards so far, and come into this game with a 6-5 record, while the Cowboys have had a disappointing campaign too, with a 5-5-1 record to date.
Both teams will be keen to gain victory, and we’ll break down the fixture with our best free NFL betting picks to see if we can earn you some extra cash while you enjoy the action on the field.
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Dallas have had a very mixed season so far in 2025, and heading into this game in the best form they’ve been in all year.
The season began with a challenging 24-20 defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles, before they earned their first win of the season with a 40-37 victory in overtime against the New York Giants in week two. The Cowboys then fell to a 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears, before they were held to the only tie in the NFL season so far, drawing 40-40 with the Green Bay Packers in week 4.
A thrilling 37-22 win over the New York Giants came next in week 5, before a road trip to take on the Carolina Panthers ended in a 30-27 defeat to stop their momentum. The Cowboys then took on the Washington Commanders and claimed a dominant 44-22 victory, but they failed to capitalise on that and fell to back-to-back defeats against the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals in their next games.
A bye week followed, which allowed the team to recharge and reset, and they then returned last time out with an impressive 33-16 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, before a stunning late comeback last time out against the Eagles saw them claim consecutive wins for the first time this season with a 24-21 victory over the reigning champions.
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After failing in their attempt to make history by winning a third consecutive Super Bowl, the Chiefs opened the new season with a 27-21 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Kansas then fell to 0-2 as they lost to the Eagles, marking their worst start to a season in several years.
Kansas finally got their first win of the season in week 3, as they registered a comfortable 22-9 victory over the New York Giants, putting on a very strong defensive display. Patrick Mahomes powered the team through in week 4 to earn a 37-20 win over the Baltimore Ravens, making it consecutive wins in the process.
That momentum came to an end against the Jacksonville Jaguars as they fell to a 28-31 defeat, as they fell short in their comeback attempt late on. But the team quickly recovered and moved to a positive record for the first time in the year, winning their next three games in a row against the Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders.
The Chiefs then took on the Buffalo Bills in great form, but their winning run came to an end as they fell to a 28-21 defeat before they had a bye week, which allowed them to look at things and put new plans in place for the rest of the season.
However, after that week off they suffered yet another defeat against the Denver Broncos to move to a 5-5 record and leaving their playoff place in doubt. They responded to that with a big overtime win against the Indianapolis Colts last time out to get back on track, but know they must find some form to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Both sides have been struggling for momentum and form all season, and that has been in large part due to their struggles defensively.
The Cowboys have statistically been the best offensive team in the NFL this season for yards gained and passing yards, while the Chiefs are ranked number five in the league for total yards gained and ranked number two in the league for passing yards gained.
Defensively though, the Cowboys are ranked as the second-worst team in the NFL for points conceded per game, averaging 28.5 points against them so far this season. The Chiefs, on the other hand, have been able to limit their opponents to an average of just 18.3 points per game, making them the fourth-best defense in the NFL this season.
That makes this a particularly difficult game to predict, and with the short turnaround for both sides considering the Thanksgiving fixture, it’s unlikely to see any big game-plan changes implemented.
Both teams will look to prioritise their defensive unit to stop the opposition in order to gain victory, and that makes the Under 51.5 total look rather tasty. The Chiefs have been under that total in all of their last six games in a row, while Dallas have been under that match total in their last three games. At -105 odds there is good value in it too, so take it while you can.
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About the Author
Daniel is a football writer who has a great thirst for the Premier League and other major European leagues. A lover of the beautiful game and a firm believer that the eye test is better than statistics. Also an avid MMA fan.
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