The Dallas Cowboys are on the road this week and take on their historic rival, the Pittsburgh Steelers, at Heinz Field Sunday afternoon.
Now, I may be a little biased, but I think this is the game of the week.
Personally, I can’t wait till these two teams square off against one another. I think we’re in for a treat because of the buildup this game has been receiving and history that comes into play when these two teams are up against one another.
It seems like every week we hear that this will be the measuring stick for the Dallas Cowboys, but week in and week out they have proven that they are a team to be reckoned with.
Heinz Field is always a tough environment to play in, but there is a new focus and energy about this team that makes me believe the atmosphere will be any kind of problem.
Below I attempt to explain how the Dallas Cowboys win this game and for good measure I decided to go ahead and mention how the Pittsburgh Steelers can pull an upset.
The Dallas Cowboys win if…
This is pretty simple, the Dallas Cowboys win this game as long as they continue to follow the blueprint that has served them so well the first half of the 2016 season.
That blueprint is to rely heavily on the running game with Ezekiel Elliott and let Dak Prescott dink and dunk his way down the field, all the while eating up the game clock.
The Cowboys pretty much moved the ball at will and won the time of possession battle in just about every single game this season, and if they continue to do that I don’t see any reason why they don’t leave Heinz Field with another W in the win column.
On the defensive side of the ball, they just need to contain Antonio Brown in the passing game and shutdown Le’Veon Bell in the running game. It’s that simple.
I’m pretty sure by now you’ve heard that the Dallas Cowboys defense has yet to allow a 100 yard rusher or a 100 yard receiver this season, so why not let that streak continue this week against the Steelers?
Sounds pretty simple… Right?
The Pittsburgh Steelers win if…
To be completely honest, I have the Dallas Cowboys going on the road and beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, but unfortunately there are no guarantees for any game in the NFL.
The Steelers have a good chance to win this game, despite the fact that they are struggling on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
They have playmakers throughout the roster, but for some reason or another they are not quite living up to their potential this season. That doesn’t mean that they won’t bring their A game against the Cowboys, because I believe they will.
Ben Roethlisberger is back at QB for the Steelers offense and that is good news for their All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown.
If Roethlisberger is able to get Brown involved early and often, it is going to be a long day for the entire Cowboys defense. That would open up the entire offense and help get Le’Veon Bell going and this is the exact scenario that would turn this game into a shootout.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Steelers just need to shut down Ezekiel Elliott and the running game for the Cowboys. That would make the offense one-dimensional and play into the hands of the Steelers.
If this game turns into a shootout between Ben Roethlisberger and Dak Prescott, I think you have to give the advantage to Big Ben, even if it is just a slight advantage.
Do you Agree or Disagree?
Please feel free to use the commment section below to share your thoughts and opinions on this topic.
At some point, we’re going to miss Church and Claiborne. No pass rush either? This might be the game where that happens.
I couldn’t agree more.