Dallas Cowboys vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2017: Prediction, Odds After Elliott Suspension

If the Dallas Cowboys want to beat arguably the AFC’s best team in Week 9, it looks like they’ll have to do it without their best playmaker. Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game suspension was reinstated Monday night, likely making him unavailable when the defending NFC East champions host the Kansas City Chiefs.

The loss of Elliott is obviously a major blow to the Cowboys. It comes at a time when both the running back and team are playing their best football of the season.

Dallas got off to a slow start, losing two of their first five games as Elliott struggled to recapture the form that made him one of the best rookies in NFL history. That changed after the team’s Week 6 bye with two road wins by a combined 44 points. Elliott rushed for at least 147 yards and two scores in both of those games, and he ranks third among all players in yards per game from scrimmage.

Now, the team turns to Alfred Morris, who takes over the starting role after attempting just 82 rushes as Elliott’s backup in the last two seasons. As the Washington Redskins’ lead running back in 2015, Morris averaged 3.7 yards per carry.

The Cowboys need as much help as they can get on offense when they take on Kansas City.

The Chiefs move the ball better than anybody, averaging a league-high 6.3 yards per play. Alex Smith is second only to Tom Brady in passing yards, and he has the NFL’s highest passer rating with no interceptions. Kareem Hunt is this year’s version of Elliott, leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie and totaling at least 100 yards from scrimmage in all but one game.

It’s time for Dak Prescott to prove that he can carry the offense without the help of an All-Pro running back. The quarterback has been nothing but sensational since replacing Tony Romo as the team’s starter a year ago, and there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that he’ll put up big numbers Sunday afternoon.

Even though he played behind a top offensive line and the NFC’s best running back, Prescott’s 104.9 passer rating as a rookie is about as impressive as it gets. He’s combined to throw and run for 17 touchdowns with just three interceptions in 2017, and two of those picks came in the same game.

Prescott was terrific in Week 3, posting a 141.7 passer rating in Arizona when Dallas had trouble establishing a rushing attack. When Elliott rushed for just 85 yards the following week against the Los Angeles Rams, Prescott threw for three scores as the Cowboys put up 30 points.

Don’t pay much attention to how Trevor Siemian and Denver’s offense played in Kansas City Monday night. Competent offenses can move the ball against the Chiefs. Only two teams give up more yards per play than Kansas City, who's surrendered 31 and 34 points in their last two road games.

The Chiefs are 29th in the league, allowing 4.9 yards per carry. No matter who is carrying the ball for Dallas, that doesn’t bode well for Kansas City against the Cowboys’ offensive line.

The early betting odds at OddsShark list the game as a pick’em with an over/under of 51.5. Even if the betting line moves in Dallas’ favor, the Cowboys have what it takes to cover the spread and win.

Prediction: Dallas over Kansas City, 33-26