The keys to a Dallas win against the Steelers
Scoring first
The Cowboys will need to take an early lead. Dallas scored the first touchdown against the Browns and Giants and won both games. In a recent “Coach” podcast with Matt Patricia and Michael Lombardi, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick praised the Cowboys’ ability to play with the lead. “Nobody’s better at playing ahead than Dallas is. They can control the ball offensively, and they can play from ahead on defense with their pass rush and their coverage players. That really plays into their hands.” In their four games, the Cowboys have scored an average of 14 points in the first half, ranking ninth in the league. Dallas is averaging 10.3 points in the second half, ranking 18th in the NFL. Fun fact: The Cowboys’ win-loss record when they score first is 564-415-6 all-time.
Kicking game
Sunday’s game will be a duel between two of the league’s best kickers. Brandon Aubrey has connected on 12 of 13 field-goal attempts for the Cowboys including a 65-yarder, the second-longest in NFL history. Aubrey is perfect on extra-point attempts (seven), totaling 43 points so far this season. Chris Boswell is having a stellar season as Pittsburgh’s kicker, with 11 of 12 field-goal attempts and six extra points for 39 points. The Steelers are second-best in the league in made field goals, posting an average of 2.8 per game. The Cowboys are first with an average of three field goals made per game. Don’t rule out a last-second heroic kick by Aubrey to give Dallas the victory.
Next man-up attitude
Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will have to find ways to compensate for the absences of Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. The linebacker and defensive end are the team’s defensive anchors, and both will be out due to injuries. Parsons’ injury (high ankle sprain) typically takes two to four weeks. Lawrence (Lisfranc injury to his foot) will be out even longer. “Those are two dynamic guys,” Zimmer told The Dallas Morning News’ David Moore. “Good leaders, good team guys. We’ll have to make some adjustments and see how it goes.” In a surprise Wednesday, it was revealed receiver Brandin Cooks will miss Sunday’s game with an infection in his knee that developed following a medical procedure. Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks and KaVontae Turpin will be looked upon to fill the void.