The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Dallas Cowboys at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday night, with the game delayed due to bad weather. Despite the late start, Steeler Nation was eager to see their team handle business at home. The game opened with a near-miss deep pass from Justin Fields to Connor Heyward, leaving many fans wondering how different the night could have been if that connection had been made.
Offensive struggles plagued the Steelers throughout the game, but they came alive when it counted. Fields found tight end Pat Freiermuth on a shovel pass up the middle, giving Pittsburgh a 17-13 lead. However, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys had one last chance to steal the game. Prescott led a 70-yard drive, capping it off with a game-winning touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert on fourth down.
It was a collectively disappointing performance for the Steelers. While some fans were frustrated with the defense—football’s highest-paid unit—for allowing the 70-yard drive, cornerback Donte Jackson addressed the media postgame, sharing his perspective on the final play that sealed the Cowboys’ victory.
"It just felt like in the backend, we just almost, too many almost's for real."
When asked by a Steelers reporter to walk through the final play, Jackson broke down the defensive scheme and shared the team’s mindset during the crucial, game-losing moment for Pittsburgh.
He provided a detailed explanation of what went wrong and how the play unfolded from his perspective.
"We were in man and ran crossers. Just running trying to fight through traffic and he was able to step and get a ball in there. Bang bang play and yeah, called the man beater. We were in man and just ran through traffic. It’d be kind of hard for the defender to navigate his way through. That’s what I saw, but like I said, I still have to go watch it. It’s a tough one to lose."
While Steelers fans are quick to blame the defense, the loss wasn't entirely on them. Yes, the Steelers have the highest-paid defense in football, and they should have been able to stop the Cowboys from driving 70 yards to score the game-winning touchdown, especially while holding a four-point lead.
The Cowboys needed a touchdown to win, and despite being on the road in a hostile environment, they managed to do just that. It was an ugly loss for a Steelers team favored to win. While the defense deserves some blame for allowing that final drive and a few other key plays, the offense also fell short.
They were handed three turnovers and a blocked field goal but failed to capitalize on those opportunities. Ultimately, their inability to turn those mistakes into points played a bigger role in the loss.
Steelers' Offense Continues To Be Bad And Boring
The Steelers entered the 2024 season with high expectations for an improved offense, but five games in, many are still waiting for Arthur Smith to find his rhythm. Smith’s conservative play-calling has frustrated fans, reminiscent of past offensive coordinators.
Scoring just 17 points won't win NFL games, and the Steelers offense needs to be more effective and consistent if Pittsburgh wants to contend this season. After starting 3-0, the team has now dropped two consecutive games. While it’s not time to panic, the mood among Steelers fans has noticeably shifted after back-to-back losses.
