The Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys meet on Thanksgiving with both sides trying to stay alive in the postseason chase. Patrick Mahomes and Co. want to steady their season, while the silver and blue want to heat up at home. So, let’s look at the injury report before the fight at AT&T Stadium.

Now the Chiefs walk in with a long list. They sit at 6-5 and list 10 names, and that includes Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs lose Christian Roland-Wallace, who deals with a back issue. They also lose Trey Smith, who battles an ankle injury. Noah Gray joins them as he remains in concussion protocol and stays out.

Meanwhile, the rest of the list paints a clearer picture. Jawaan Taylor shows up with a knee problem, but works fully. The same goes for Isiah Pacheco, who deals with knee soreness but practices. Mahomes appears with a groin concern, but checks every box in practice. George Karlaftis plays through a thumb issue. Xavier Worthy recovers from an ankle scare but suits up. Rashee Rice shows progress with his hamstring. Leo Chenal works through a knee issue but stays involved. So the Chiefs enter banged up but not broken.

They snapped a two-game skid with a win over Indy and now sit 4-2 in their last six. The Chiefdom watched Mahomes throw for a season-best 352 yards. He had no touchdown throws and one pick, but he still guided an offense with 2,977 passing yards this year. He owns 18 touchdowns and seven picks. The Chiefs average 376 yards a game.

On defense, the Chiefs stay sharp. They allow 18.3 points a game, and they give up 293 yards each week and force teams into mistakes.

Now the focus shifts to the Cowboys’ injury list.

Just like the Chiefs, the Cowboys are dealing with a lot of injuries

The Cowboys also walk into this matchup with the Chiefs carrying a heavy injury list. They sit at 5-5-1 and list 14 names, which already tells the story. Tyler Guyton stays out with an ankle issue and does not work this week. Caelen Carson deals with a hamstring problem and gets limited reps. George Pickens also appears on the sheet as Dallas tries to hold things together.

Now, the rest of the list stretches long. Solomon Thomas works through a calf concern but practices fully. Tyler Smith clears his knee issue. Hunter Luepke stays active despite a hip problem. James Houston pushes through a wrist injury. DaRon Bland and Donovan Wilson fight through their issues and log full sessions. Malik Hooker handles a toe injury. Dante Fowler Jr. and Jadeveon Clowney also show up, but work.

Then the list keeps going. KaVontae Turpin plays with a shoulder issue. George Pickens checks in with a knee concern. Osa Odighizuwa handles an elbow problem.

Even so, the Dallas offense is playing great at the right time. They have won two straight and sit back at .500 after beating Philly. Dak Prescott leads a strong second half with a season-best 354 yards and two scores. He now sits among the league’s top passers. The Cowboys average 29.1 points and over 387 yards a game.

Still, the defense remains the biggest concern. Dallas gives up 28.5 points a game and nearly 378 yards weekly. They allow teams to move through the air and on the ground. They have 25 sacks and 5 picks, but they struggle to slow down drives.

So the Cowboys enter this week knowing the injury load and the defensive strain make this mountain steeper than the Chiefs’.