Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) makes a touchdown catch as Pittsburgh Steelers safety DeShon Elliott tries to stop him during the second half of an NFL football game, early Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in Pittsburgh. The Cowboys won 20-17. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Dak Prescott threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert with 20 seconds remaining, and the Dallas Cowboys slipped past the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17 early Monday.
The Cowboys (3-2) won their second straight after Prescott overcame a mistake-filled night to lead a 70-yard drive that ended with Prescott finding a lunging Tolbert just across the goal line on fourth down.
Pittsburgh (3-2) dropped its second consecutive game following a 3-0 start, this one a sluggish performance on a night the opening kickoff was delayed nearly 90 minutes due to severe weather. The game ended at 12:59 a.m.
The sky eventually cleared. The Steelers spent much of the night in a fog, particularly on offense, managing just 222 yards against a defense missing injured stars Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.
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Prescott, the NFL's highest-paid player, threw for 352 yards and two scores to offset a night he had two interceptions and fumbled in Pittsburgh territory.
Rico Dowdle gave the league's worst rushing attack a boost by running for 87 yards. He also added a sliding 22-yard touchdown reception on the third play of the fourth quarter to cap a 16-play, 90-yard drive that put Dallas 13-10.
Pittsburgh's Justin Fields passed for 127 yards and two scores, including a 6-yard shovel to tight end Pat Freiermuth with 4:56 remaining for the lead.
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Prescott calmly led Dallas the length of the field against the NFL's second-ranked defense. The Cowboys moved inside the Pittsburgh 10 before things got tight. Prescott scrambled to the half-yard line, a fumble by Dowdle at the goal line that Prescott deftly recovered and an incompletion set up fourth down. Prescott took the snap and drifted to his left before finding Tolbert.
Pittsburgh had one last shot, but a lateral drill went nowhere.
The Cowboys let multiple chances to create some early breathing room slip away thanks to miscues by Prescott, who fumbled while getting sacked by T.J. Watt and Nick Herbig to end one drive deep in Pittsburgh territory in the first quarter.
Dallas was driving late in the second when he threw late to Cee Dee Lamb in the end zone, giving Pittsburgh cornerback Donte Jackson time to step in front of the pass for an interception and keep the Steelers within striking distance despite a sluggish opening 30 minutes.
Prescott's second pick — this one a heave into double coverage — set the stage for Pittsburgh's go-ahead drive.
But just as he did eight years ago as a rookie, Prescott engineered another late winning drive to give the Cowboys some momentum after consecutive losses to New Orleans and Baltimore left them shaken.
INJURIES
Cowboys: DE Marshawn Kneeland, starting in place of DeMarcus Lawrence, left in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
Steelers: OLB Nick Herbig hobbled off the field in the third quarter with a right hamstring injury. ... OLB DeMarvin Leal went down in the fourth quarter with a stinger, leaving Jeremiah Moon as the only other outside linebacker.
Cowboys: Host Detroit on Sunday.
Steelers: At Las Vegas on Sunday.
