PITTSBURGH (AP)— Dak Prescott connected with Jalen Tolbert for a dramatic 4-yard touchdown pass with just 20 seconds left on the clock, lifting the Dallas Cowboys to a thrilling 20-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers early Monday morning.
The Cowboys (3-2) notched their second straight win after Prescott redeemed himself from a shaky performance, driving his team 70 yards down the field. The game-winning play saw Tolbert lunge over the goal line on fourth down to secure the victory.
The Steelers (3-2), who started the season 3-0, have now dropped two consecutive games. The matchup, which started nearly 90 minutes late due to severe weather, concluded at 12:59 a.m. Despite clear skies by the end, Pittsburgh’s offense remained cloudy, managing only 222 total yards against a Dallas defense missing key players like Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
Prescott, currently the NFL’s highest-paid player, threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns despite having two interceptions and a fumble in Pittsburgh territory.
Rico Dowdle gave the Cowboys’ struggling run game a much-needed boost with 87 rushing yards. He also added a sliding 22-yard touchdown reception on a long 16-play, 90-yard drive, which put Dallas ahead 13-10 early in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh’s quarterback Justin Fields, meanwhile, passed for 127 yards and two touchdowns, including a 6-yard shovel pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth to put the Steelers in the lead with 4:56 remaining.
Prescott responded by leading Dallas on a game-winning drive against Pittsburgh’s stout defense. After a tense series inside the Pittsburgh 10-yard line—featuring a scramble to the half-yard line, a fumble recovery by Prescott, and an incompletion—the Cowboys faced fourth down. Prescott calmly took the snap, rolled left, and found Tolbert in the end zone.
The Steelers tried a last-ditch lateral play, but it went nowhere, sealing the Cowboys’ victory.
Dallas could have put the game away earlier if not for a few costly mistakes by Prescott. He fumbled while being sacked by T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig in the first quarter, stalling a promising drive. Late in the second quarter, a late throw to CeeDee Lamb in the end zone was picked off by Pittsburgh cornerback Donte Jackson. Prescott’s second interception set up Pittsburgh’s go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter.
Yet, as he did as a rookie eight years ago, Prescott orchestrated a masterful late-game drive, giving the Cowboys renewed momentum after back-to-back losses against the Saints and Ravens.
INJURIES
– Cowboys: DE Marshawn Kneeland, who was filling in for DeMarcus Lawrence, left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
– Steelers: OLB Nick Herbig exited the game in the third quarter with a right hamstring injury. OLB DeMarvin Leal suffered a stinger in the fourth quarter, leaving Jeremiah Moon as the Steelers’ only active outside linebacker.
UP NEXT
– Cowboys: Host the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
– Steelers: Travel to Las Vegas to face the Raiders on Sunday.
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr., right, puts a stiff arm on Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson after making an interception during the second half of an NFL football game, early Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Pittsburgh. The Cowboys won 20-17. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson (87) is tripped by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)