The Cowboys had no business winning that game

[SackMaster]

We might not be talking up the defense without the "Hero Ball" guys if we had not been facing a limited offense. Fields is not a good passer and doesn't have great targets, outside of Pickens, who who basically shut down. It was a good offense for us to face without our heroes, one that has scored more than 20 points in just one game this year. This was their third one in the teens.

Now, that being said, the defense played well considering who all we were missing. That could have been an excuse for struggling, but instead players stepped up and got it done. Maybe with Micah, Pittsburgh only scores 10, but without him, the defense held them to 17. Detroit will be a better test of this short-handed defense.

Pittsburgh was a better test of our offense because it has one of the top defenses in the league, and despite plenty of setbacks, the offense ultimately got it done, becoming only the second one this season to score at least 20 against the Steelers.

While it is obvious the Steeler's offense is not very good, I just look back at another comparable offense we faced, the Browns, and see a pretty big difference in the run defense.

Both the Steelers and Browns have sub-par QBs (Watson and Fields) so quite honestly, in both games the Dallas D got away with not-so-great coverage because both opposing QBs missed some pretty easy throws. Or in other words, they both missed throws that the current Cowboys QB, be it Quincy, Romo, Dak, ect ..., would be CHASTISED on this board for missing.

So let's take a look at the running D. The Steelers are clearly a better running team than the Browns. Yet when Dallas was missing several top players, they played the run MUCH better than they did against the Browns with the top players playing.

While it looked like the Cowboys had issues with Harris, he ended up with 14 carries for just 42 yards, or 3.0 ypc, and a long of 6 yards. As a team, the Steelers had 92 yards off of 26 carries for 3.5 ypc, with a long of 9.

Compare that to the "full strength" Cowboys D against the Browns, Ford had 12 carries for 44 yards, 3.7 ypc, with a long of 11 yards. As a team, the Browns had 94 yards off of 19 carries for 4.9 ypc, with a long of 16.

Even Chris Collinsworth pointed it out in the broadcast when the Steelers ran a toss on 3rd down and long-ish: (parapharasing)

"Tomlin must have saw something they liked on film to call that play."​

My response was "No kidding, the edge defenders have been TRASH against the run all season."

Well, the "backups" proved me wrong as they had those toss plays pretty well covered for virtually the whole game.

So when comparing against simular-ish run offenses, I was much more impressed with what our backups did in Pittsburgh than what our starters did in Cleveland.

We will see what our backups can do in the next few weeks against better offenses, but for now, I am happy with what our D did without our "superstar(s)" / "Hero Ballers" in the lineup.

 

[Redsfan_83]

If you don't have a Franchise QB you lose that game.....

If you have a good QB you can win that game. If you have a franchise QB you should have never been put in that position to begin with. Give Dak credit because we all held our breath as we got in the RZ, but clarity is needed. He may be our franchise QB, but he isn't a franchise QB

 

[Buzzbait]

Im always happy with a win,, nothing is easy in the NFL

To not be happy with a WIN has to be a little weird. Yeah I know not every win is pretty, but at least it's still a win.

 

[diamonddelts]

Ironically hell is what I gather people feel like they are in when having to engage with you.

Smells like teen spirit.

 

[garyo1954]

We should call the Steelers and post game forfeit. Apologizing for winning will make everything better.

 

[Buzzbait]

They are not. But they’re a great defense playing at home on Sunday night with the type of running QB that usually kills the Cowboys. I’m not saying Super Bowl bound, but it’s a good win big picture when you take in the stage. I think the fans are going to have to enjoy them as they come this year. There won’t be many, and they definitely won’t be in January.

I agree, it's not a SB year and IMO it's not even a play off year, but Sunday night was a WIN in a game I was really apprehensive about, so I'm gonna take that WIN and run! Despite all his haters and critics, Dak actually completed 64% of his passes and threw 2 TD passes.
I'm not a big Dak fan these days, and I'm certainly not onboard in the least with the ridiculous highest paid player in the NFL contract Jerry gave him, but fair is fair and Dak and company hung in there last night with an excellent late game effort and beat a good Pitt defense on Pitt's home field with a perfect pass to Tolbert who made a perfect catch for the winning TD in a tough fought game in the closing seconds.
The Cowboys never quit and never gave up.

 

[Buzzbait]

The NFL makes it their business.
Another "miraculous" ending for a prime time game to keep advertisers and gamblers happy.
Drama, drama, drama. Almost as if it were arranged.

You just can't get over it can you?

 

[Bullflop]

We benefitted greatly by the play of Justin Fields, IMHO, who is more of a RB than a QB at this juncture of his career. Not sure how things might go whenever Russell Wilson becomes available, but if he's anywhere nearly as good as what he once was, his performance might well be far more preferable for the Steelers. Fields' accuracy wasn't really what the doctor ordered for them. I think we were quite fortunate in that respect.

 

[Gonzomandela01]

You have to give it to Mac, Garret would have never won a game like that, one injury was enough for Redball's team to crumble.

 

[Qcard]

If you have a good QB you can win that game. If you have a franchise QB you should have never been put in that position to begin with. Give Dak credit because we all held our breath as we got in the RZ, but clarity is needed. He may be our franchise QB, but he isn't a franchise QB

Andy Dalton last week yes...this week No

 

[Buzzbait]

We benefitted greatly by the play of Justin Fields, IMHO, who is more of a RB than a QB at this juncture of his career. Not sure how things might go whenever Russell Wilson becomes available, but if he's anywhere nearly as good as what he once was, his performance might well be far more preferable for the Steelers. Fields' accuracy wasn't really what the doctor ordered for them. I think we were quite fortunate in that respect.

Yes and I just want to say my heart bleeds for them.............well, not really.

 

[AyeAtey]

If you don't have a Franchise QB you lose that game.....

And Fields is NOT

 

[Blackrain]

It still hurts me to this day that a tight end that good, with hands as good as his, did not make that catch.

Yeah got to admit I never got over it that one play could have totally changed history.
Roger did everything he could humanly do to try and win that game and it was there