Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott scored the winning touchdown in the final minute of the game, defeating the Steelers. (AP Photo/Jean J. Pasker)
The Dallas Cowboys’ biggest play of the season so far was made by Dak Prescott, but it wasn’t the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left.
It was a fumble dive by Prescott.
In the final moments Sunday night, with the Cowboys facing second-and-goal inside their own 1-yard line, the Pittsburgh Steelers faced a big play when linebacker Elandon Roberts hit Rico Doodle and the ball spilled. It looked like he had come up with it. But Prescott was right there and recovered the fumble. Two plays later, on fourth down, Prescott beat Jalen Tolbert for a touchdown with 20 seconds left. Dallas hung on and won 20-17.
It wasn’t a clean game for Prescott or the Cowboys. Prescott threw two interceptions and forced one fumble. Two of the turnovers occurred in the red zone, and the other resulted in the winning touchdown with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
But Prescott survived a turnover and Dowdle’s fatal fumble, and the Cowboys left Pittsburgh with a 3-2 record.
Cowboys’ turnovers keep the game close
The Cowboys led 6-3 at the half, but it should have been at least 12-3. The Cowboys were at their 11-yard line when Prescott was hit by TJ Watt and Nick Herbig. When the ball came out, Herbig recovered it, denying the Cowboys a chance to score.
Prescott threw an ugly interception late in the first half. There appeared to be some kind of miscommunication with CeeDee Lamb on the pass into the end zone, as Prescott’s throw was nowhere near Lamb. It hit cornerback Donte Jackson, who must have been surprised at how easily he intercepted it.
The first half was atrocious as the start was significantly delayed due to weather. In the first half, Dallas was the team that created more chances. But two red-zone turnovers by Prescott kept the Steelers within field goal range at halftime.
That made a big difference early in the third quarter. Despite taking a hard hit on Pittsburgh’s first drive of the third quarter, Justin Fields returned shortly after and found Connor Heyward for a touchdown. This gave the Steelers a 10-6 lead.
A sack on Dallas’ next drive pushed the Cowboys back and Brandon Aubrey’s field goal attempt was blocked. The Cowboys’ sloppiness cost them dearly on a night that started more than an hour late due to a heavy rainstorm in Pittsburgh.
Steelers fall behind in the 4th quarter
The Cowboys finally broke through with a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Prescott rolled to his right and found Dowdle for a 22-yard score. That score gave them a 13-10 lead in all of the Cowboys’ assignments through the first three quarters.
The mistakes didn’t stop. With a chance to extend the lead in the fourth quarter, Prescott threw deep to beat Tolbert and Joey Porter Jr. took the shot. This interception turned into a touchdown for Pittsburgh. The Steelers went on a long, tough drive that ended with tight end Pat Freiermuth scoring on a shovel pass from Fields. This gave Pittsburgh a 17-13 lead with 4:56 remaining. There was no one to blame but Dallas himself for leading the game at this point.
The Cowboys had one more drive left to seal the victory. And while he usually relies on Prescott to run the offense, Mike McCarthy shifted responsibility to the running game with the game on the line. Dallas drove downfield and Doodle was given the ball for second goal. He jumped, but was hit hard by Roberts in the air. The ball popped out and Prescott recovered it, but the Cowboys retreated to their 4-yard line. Prescott threw incomplete on third down, but came up with the play that gave Tolbert the win on force-and-goal.
The Cowboys have a lot to fix after Sunday night. They were far from perfect. But overcoming those mistakes with a win in Pittsburgh will feel a lot better.