PITTSBURGH — Sunday night brought hectic times, sloppy play and a thrilling finish for the Dallas Cowboys.
It also brought triumph, as the Cowboys stomped off a soggy field at Acrisure Stadium with a 20-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers that steadied their season in the face of steep challenges. Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert pulled in a four-yard touchdown catch on a fourth-and-goal with 20 seconds left to seal the victory and cap a wild string of events that unfolded over several tense hours in the heart of the Steel City.
First, thunderstorms delayed kickoff nearly 90 minutes. Then, shortly after play began, the Cowboys’ already-ravaged defensive end rotation suffered its latest loss when rookie Marshawn Kneeland left the field what appeared to be a significant right knee injury. And as the game wore on, mistakes piled up.
The Cowboys committed 11 penalties, three turnovers and had a field goal blocked.
While errors filled Sunday’s game, so too did encouraging moments for Dallas (3-2). The team’s offense saw Tolbert and running back Rico Dowdle enjoy their best performances of the season, and a depleted defense held firm in crucial moments despite a staggering pile of injuries.
As a result, the Cowboys put together an outing that could withstand a wave of blunders.
Quarterback Dak Prescott coughed the ball up twice in the red zone in the first half — once via a fumble and once with an interception at the goal line — and threw another pick in the fourth quarter,but he also led a game-winning drive in a hostile environment.
Dallas took possession while trailing 17-13 with just under five minutes to go, and Prescott marched the team down the field with an array of short passes. On second-and-goal at the half-yard line, a Dowdle fumble seemed to put the Cowboys’ winning drive in jeopardy, but the Cowboys recovered. Two plays later, Prescott hit Tolbert to give the team an exhilarating victory.
