DALLAS — The Dallas Cowboys are headed to Pittsburgh to play their biggest non-divisional rival, the AFC North’s Steelers in Week 5.
It’s a homecoming for Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, who was born in the Steel City, but it won’t be treated as one as things usually get interesting when these two teams get together.
The last meeting was an instant classic when a rookie quarterback named Dak Prescott and his fellow rookie, running back Ezekiel Elliott, went into Pittsburgh riding a seven-game winning streak and left with their eighth consecutive win.
This time around, the Cowboys are reeling, despite earning a win in Week 4. The victory over the New York Giants during Week 4’s Thursday night contest came at a cost, and the injuries have mounted to leave the team decimated.
The Steelers arrive at this game after their first loss of the season and are looking to bounce back. Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the Steelers as they prepare to host the beaten-up Cowboys in Week 5:
Strength: Running game
The Cowboys did a good job with their run defense last week against the Giants, but they were helped by an offense that forgot that they had a running quarterback in Daniel Jones. That won’t be the case with the Steelers, who have one of the better-rushing signal callers in the league with Justin Fields.
With expected starter Russell Wilson unable to suit up this season due to injury, the fourth-year QB ranks fifth in the NFL as a running quarterback with 145 yards on the ground, and he has the only three rushing scores for the Steelers.
In his last matchup against the Cowboys, when he was still a member of the Chicago Bears, Fields ran for 60 yards and a touchdown. That’s a problem for a defense that allowed another running QB, Lamar Jackson, to rush for 87 yards and a TD against them in the Week 3 loss to Baltimore.
Pittsburgh’s running game also features RB Najee Harris, who leads the team with 228 rushing yards. Harris isn’t terribly efficient on the ground, but he’s part of the Steelers’ commitment to the running game. Their offense has 138 rushing attempts on the season, tied for the most in the league. That number is tied with two other teams, the Baltimore Ravens and the New Orleans Saints, two teams who torched the Dallas defense on the ground in the Cowboys’ two losses this season.
The Cowboys need to slow down a rushing attack that will keep coming at them for all four quarters.
Weakness: Passing game
For how aggressive the Steelers are in the run game, they rank just 25th in passing attempts. Where Fields excels with his legs, he struggles in the passing game. Fields has just three passing scores and averages just over 200 passing yards per game.
The Steelers are led in the receiving game by wide receiver George Pickens, who has 20 catches for 284 yards, but no scores. The only touchdown from a WR came on a 55-yard catch and score to Calvin Austin. The top two receivers in the passing game after Pickens are tight end Pat Freiermuth and Harris at RB, and two of the Steelers' passing scores have been to the TEs.
Despite having the speed and home run ability from Pickens and Austin, the Steelers lack punch in the passing game. Fields isn’t the polished pocket passer who should be able to beat the Cowboys’ passing defense consistently.
Strength: Pass rush
The Steelers historically have always had a ferocious pass rush, and this year is no different. Led by All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt, their defense can pressure the QB like few teams. Watt is one of the best pass rushers in the league, and despite having just three sacks this season so far, he affects the game like few defensive players. Since entering the NFL in 2017, Watt has 99.5 career sacks, so he’ll be looking to join the 100-sack club after having five double-digit sack years.
Watt isn’t the only good pass rusher, he’s joined by veteran defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, who is still an elite player in the middle of the Steelers’ defense.
It’s a scary good one-two punch and a duo that should keep the Cowboys up at night with a group that features two rookie offensive linemen who are still getting their feet under them. First-round left tackle Tyler Guyton had a tough first four weeks and it won’t get any easier against Pittsburgh, while fellow rookie Cooper Beebe will have his hands full at center as well.
Weakness: Offensive line
The Steelers were in the same boat as the Cowboys this past offseason, they needed to upgrade their offensive line. And much like Dallas, they selected two early in the draft, taking one in each of the first two rounds to rebuild their line.
It’s a much-improved unit with Zach Frazier at center, but first-round pick Troy Fautanu is currently on IR due to a knee injury, and guards Nate Herbig and James Daniels are also on IR, leaving the OL short on talent. Mason McCormick will step in at one of the guard spots and former Philadelphia Eagle Isaac Seumalo will be seeing his first action this season after coming off the injured list.
That’s a lot of shuffling around as the Cowboys come to town, and even with the depleted defensive line for Mike Zimmer’s group, the Steelers will try to find some rhythm as the unit plays together in this alignment for the first time this year. It isn’t the offensive line that the Steelers had hoped for when they bolstered the group in the offseason, and now they’re back to being short-handed.
The Cowboys’ defense needs to take advantage of an offensive line that’s given up 10 sacks this season, and one that’s working in a new starting five. They will likely have to do so without their two best pass rushers with DeMarcus Lawrence on the IR and Micah Parsons expected to miss Week 5, but they still should have opportunities against Pittsburgh’s line if players step up.
Do you think the Cowboys have the manpower to beat the Steelers in Week 5? Share your thoughts with Ben on X (formerly Twitter) @BenGrimaldi.
