Steelers vs. Cowboys preview
The Pittsburgh Steelers face the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. While most fans may be wondering which team will win, I’m more interested in a much more important question; will Steeler Nation successfully take over Cowboys Stadium?
The Cowboys have an irritating habit of trying to declare themselves to be “America’s Team”. But we all know who the real America’s team is. And Steeler Nation helped make that fact crystal clear by completely taking over Cowboys Stadium the last two times the Steelers played there.
I love hearing the TV announcers talk about how many Steelers fans there are in Cowboys Stadium. I get great joy from hearing them say that the Steelers fans are just as loud as the Cowboys fans, if not louder. And I get a sadistic pleasure from knowing that Jerry Jones is seething over all of the Steelers fans in his house. So I’m putting out a call to Steeler Nation. PLEASE take over Cowboys Stadium tomorrow.
Besides the battle of fans, there will also be a battle taking place on the field. Both teams have a 7-6 record and are fighting for a playoff spot. So this game may ruin the season of the team that loses.
The Steelers are coming off of an embarrassing 34-24 loss to the San Diego Chargers. They looked bad on both sides of the ball during that game, and must have a better performance against the Cowboys. On offense, the running backs have to be more effective, and the wide receivers have to hold onto the ball. And on defense, the cornerbacks have to show that they can be effective without Ike Taylor in the lineup.
The Cowboys just beat the Cincinnati Bengals 20-19. That win helped the Steelers stay tied with the Bengals, so the Cowboys actually did the Steelers a favor. But don’t expect the Steelers to thank them for that.
The Cowboys enter the game with the NFL’s third ranked passing attack. Tony Romo is averaging over 300 yards per game, and he should provide a real test for the Steelers’ defensive backs. Romo’s favorite target is still tight end Jason Whitten. Because of that, Brandon Marshall, Calvin Johnson, Wes Welker, and Reggie Wayne are the only players in the NFL to catch more passes than Whitten this season. Aside from Whitten, Dez Bryant and Miles Austin are also dangerous targets. Bryant has an injured finger, and is questionable for the game. But I expect to see him play.
The Cowboys’ rushing attack is pretty pedestrian. In fact, they’re ranked 31st in the NFL. That’s next to last, for those of you who aren’t aware. They’re only averaging 79.8 rushing yards per game. So no real worries there.
I expect an exciting game between these historic rivals. But ultimately, I expect the Steelers to pull out a win. After all, they really can’t afford to lose.
Go Steelers!
I look at it this way: Dallas is a good team, so the Steelers will be at their best. If the Cowboys were 3-10, there would be a problem.
1Prediction: Steelers to win 20-9. Why: Polumalu will command defense, challenging the secondary to 4th Qtr containment of the Dallas offense; so that Colon & Big Heath can do their thing and secure possession time needed for the easy finish! …BOOM!
2