The Cowboys will take on the Steelers at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This matchup features two of the leagues most storied franchises. This heavyweight matchup will kick off at 4:25 PM ET.
On Sunday, the Cowboys will take their 7-1 record on the road and try to continue their seven game winning streak. Last week against the Browns, Dak Prescott completed 21 of his passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Through eight games on the season, Prescott has 12 touchdown passes to only two interceptions according to NFL Stats. In addition, Prescott has also rushed for four touchdowns on the year. Prescott’s poise in the pocket at the young age of 23 is remarkable. If Prescott continues excel and the Cowboys continue to win, then it’s hard to imagine Romo seeing the field again this season.
Last week against the Browns, the Cowboys offensive line showed why they are on of the best in the league, keeping the pocket clean for Prescott and creating tons of holes for the Dallas rushing attack. The Cowboys rushing attack ranks 1st in yards per game in the NFL according to NFL Stats. Dallas is second in the league with 14 rushing touchdowns. And, Dallas is third in the league in terms of rushes of 20+ yards.
The Cowboys best offensive weapon is Ezekiel Elliott. The rookie is the best back in the league this season. Elliott leads the league with 111 yards per game according to NFL Stats; He’s averaging five yards per carry, and his seven touchdowns has him tied for 5th in the league. The most dangerous element of Elliott’s game is his explosiveness. Elliot has rushed 20+ yards seven times this season.
Trying to stop the Cowboys rushing attack is no small feat. The Steelers rank 13th in yards allowed per game according to NFL Stats. Pittsburgh has allowed eight rushes of 20+ yards and two rushes of 40+ yards on the season. The Steelers will need to play sound, fundamental football against the Cowboys if they have any hope of ending Dallas’ winning streak.
Last week against the Ravens, the Steelers struggled offensively to find a rhythm. Roethlisberger returned from injury and struggled to shake off the rust. He completed 23 passes for 264 yards and a score. Roethlisberger had trouble throwing down field and had to settle for easier throws and much smaller gains. In his second game back from injury, expect Roethlisberger to perform better, but he’s still not operating at a hundred percent.
The Dallas run defense ranks 6th in terms of fewest yards allowed per game according to NFL Stats. But, Le’Veon Bell should test that this week. Last week against the Ravens, Bell had his worst game of the year. He rushed for 32 yards on 14 carries. Bell played a role in the passing game, but his lack of production on the ground really hurt the Steelers chances of victory. Bell will have a chip on his shoulder this week, and facing the stingy Dallas defense, he’s going to need all the motivation he can get.
On Sunday, Dez Bryant and Antonio Brown will be the most gifted receivers on the field for both their respective teams. But, one player that often gets overlooked is the Cowboys’ Jason Witten. His numbers are solid this season, and the matchup against the Steelers doesn’t appear to overly favor him; however, he is the most clutch receiver on either team. If this game is close in the fourth quarter, having the sure-handed Witten might make the difference.
Steelers Vs Cowboys Betting Lines
BetOnline.ag has the Steelers favored to win the game by 2.5 points. The over/under on total points scored is 50. You can read our full BetOnline review here.
My Pick
The Steelers have lost three straight and have failed to score over twenty points in all three matchups. The Cowboys continued offense and defense have played complimentary football all year, and that balance has helped produce this winning streak. The Steelers are still a playoff team, and it’s hard to imagine them losing four straight, but the Cowboys are the better team now. Expect the Cowboys to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball on their way to their eighth straight victory.
Play: Cowboys +2.5 @ BetOnline.ag
cowboys • NFL 2016 Steelers Vs Cowboys • NFL Betting Pick • Steelers