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PITTSBURGH — There are few rivalries which have roots that run as deeply as these between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it is downright legal that the 2 legendary NFL franchises solely meet as soon as a decade these days — the newest being on Sunday evening in Week 5 because the Horrible Towels waved about.
Having break up their first 4 video games with a 2-2 report, the Cowboys’ protection have been hoping to take house their season’s first two-game win streak, however the absence of each Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, as a result of harm, loomed massive for the defensive unit in opposition to the upgraded play of Justin Fields.
Dak Prescott entered undermanned as effectively, with Brandin Cooks moved to injured reserve this week, forcing the sport onto youthful vast receivers of their try to assist CeeDee Lamb.
There was at the very least one who stepped up in that regard, and a few others who left all of it on the sphere in a nailbiter at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday Night time Soccer.
Resilience. That is the phrase of the day for Prescott. He did not play wonderful soccer and, at occasions, performed poor soccer. However a go forward landing after securing a misplaced fumble by Dowdle for the prospect to do it? PRICELESS.
It was one of many extra spectacular outings for Dowdle, to be fairly sincere. No, it wasn’t a 200-yard affair for the veteran working again however when he was given the ball, he cooked with it. To that time, he entered the fourth quarter averaging 4.9 yards per stick with it 11 carries, and made loads of Steelers defenders miss tackles within the course of to transform and hold the chains shifting when the struggling Cowboys’ offense wanted it most — add in a receiving landing to start out the fourth quarter that gave Dallas a 13-10 lead.
The explanation the Cowboys signed Joseph was so as to add physicality and depth to the inside of the line of defense and, in opposition to the Steelers, he confirmed precisely what that appears like. He additionally put some perserverence on movie, an unlawful arms to the face penalty on the second drive of the sport by the Steelers, acquitting himself by demolishing his blocker on the identical drive and never solely sacking Justin Fields, but in addition forcing a fumble. It was recovered by the Steelers, however Joseph despatched a really actual message as he continues to enhance week-over-week in Dallas.
No Micah Parsons. No DeMarcus Lawrence. No Marshawn Kneeland. This put a ton of the warmth Chauncey Golston to step up in a significant means, and he greater than performed his half in serving to the protection make it a protracted day for Fields — whom he drew a penalty on for roughing the quarterback that was a comedically horrible name on a rattling good soccer play. Golston was additionally efficient in run protection, serving to to bottle up Najee Harris and Co. frequently.
Within the absence of Brandin Cooks, the query of who would step up amongst the younger vast receivers not named CeeDee Lamb was answered, at the very least for this week. It was Jalen Tolbert stepping up as a rule, mixing in well timed catches with those who became chunk performs on multiple event. Tolbert led the group in receiving yards and receptions late within the fourth quarter — a testomony to his potential to grow to be what the Cowboys are hoping he can grow to be.
It was additionally Ferguson serving to to hold the load within the receiving sport, as is usually the case for the Professional Bowl tight finish. He was proper behind Tolbert in carring the load in receiving yards and receptions as the sport neared its finish, and was a vital a part of why the Cowboys have been in a position to transfer the chains on multiple event. He did all he might to attempt to put Dallas within the win column on Sunday night in Pittsburgh.
He hasn’t been featured in any sport this season, and this was as shut as he is come to it in his younger NFL profession. Luepke’s stat line will not knock the socks off of your or your grandmother’s cat, however the movie will. The younger fullback was efficient as a blocker, a working again and a receiver out of the backfield. The Steelers have been lulled to sleep by the actual fact he wasn’t used because the latter for almost all of the sport, however that was their mistake. So when the Cowboys wanted Luepke on 1st-and-10 from the Pittsburgh 22-yard line with 1:01 on the fourth quarter clock, Dak Prescott tossed it to him and was rewarded with an 18-yard achieve that put the Cowboys inside a breath of a walk-off landing.
You simply knew the Steelers, of all groups, would attempt to bully the Cowboys and to indicate them who was the extra bodily group. However within the immortal phrases of present WWE United States Champion LA Knight: “Nah nah.” It was as an alternative Lewis and Co. moving into the heads of the Steelers and this was by no means extra clear than when vast receiver George Pickens was fed up sufficient to seize Lewis by the facemask after being bullied all of the stay lengthy day on his personal subject, pressured into the void repeatedly. Lewis is a menace, has all the time been and can seemingly all the time be.