While Pittsburgh got pounded by a storm, delaying kickoff by an hour and a half, I sat at home thinking the same questions I had for the past couple of weeks about Dallas. How are they going to stop the rush? Will the Dallas defence be able to pressure the QB? Can the running game make more than a couple of yards? Is CeeDee Lamb going to ball out with Dak Prescott or are they going to fight each other? These questions did get answered yesterday, after the Cowboys managed to steal victory in Pittsburgh on the last play of the game, winning 20-17.
The answer to whether the Steelers rush was stopped… it wasn’t. TJ Watt was having a field day with Terence Steele at right tackle all game, recording eight tackles, seven solos, 1.5 sacks, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. The guy is a machine, which makes me feel as though I should back up a bit, though how do the Cowboys win when Dak is constantly feeling pressure.
Tyler Guyton at left tackle was even worse, allowing Nick Herbig to constantly beat the block and pressure the throw. Some might even say behind closed doors that Guyton was a bit too upset about getting whooped, so he stubbed his toe and went out of the game in the second quarter.
Dak Prescott (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The production from CeeDee Lamb hasn’t got me all that worried, it’s the way he and Dak are interacting at the moment. Lamb had five receptions for 62 yards from nine targets; that’s not terrible. I just hope I don’t know how to read body language and these two are simply giving each other attitude because they want to get the best out of each other.
With TJ and the Steelers’ defence holding Dallas to six points in the first half, the Cowboys gave it straight back. With the exclusion of both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys only allowed 92 rushing and 132 passing yards out of Justin Fields and the running back room.
Jourdan Lewis made me forget all about the Steeler’s No.14 George Pickens, who only had three receptions for 26 yards. Since we are dishing out the praise for the Cowboys’ defence, it would be rude of me not to mention the big boy No.93 Linval Joseph. This guy came out and bullied the O-line of Pittsburgh while getting two solos, a sack, and a forced fumble.
On the offensive side of the ball, Jalen Tolbert snatched the game-winning TD with DeShon Elliott all over him. Tolbert also recorded a season-best of seven receptions for 87 yards and a TD. The running backs seem to have found their identity after five weeks as well. They may not be getting big gaping holes to run through every attempt, though they are hitting at speed and hard every single time. Fingers crossed they can bring this hard-nosed running effort against Detroit as it takes enormous pressure off Dak.
I just couldn’t finish this piece without showcasing Elandon Roberts, linebacker for the Steelers as he created an instant highlight. On the second to last play of the game, Dallas ran the ball with Rico Dowdle. What Rico found out too late was that Elandon had already taken flight across the Cowboys O-line, like a jumbo jet soaring to fumble town. Roberts speared the ball from Rico’s hands with his head, forcing the fumble which luckily had a Cowboy to jump on.
