Playing in poor conditions following a long weather delay, it's no surprise the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers are entrenched in a low-scoring affair on Sunday Night Football. While Dallas is clinging to a 6-3 lead, rookie defensive end Marshawn Kneeland was carted to the locker room with a knee injury and was already ruled out for the game.
Down several starters on defense, the Cowboys have leaned on Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to carry the offense in the first half. That is the case every week, but Prescott and Lamb have even more pressure to perform at a high level.
They have been up to the challenge, but Prescott had a forgettable moment in the second quarter when he lost a fumble on a sack amid a long Cowboys drive. Steelers all-word pass rusher T.J. Watt got to Prescott first and helped dislodge the football alongside teammate Nick Herbig.
It was the 100th sack of Watt's decorated career. It was an iconic way to reach the milestone, and it serves as a painful reminder for one of Jerry Jones' worst picks as Dallas' de facto general manager.
T.J. Watt strip-sacking Dak Prescott reminds Cowboys fans of Taco Charlton
Watt is second-fastest player to reach 100 sacks, behind late Hall of Famer Reggie White, who is second all-time with 198 sacks.
The Cowboys could've had Watt in the 2017 draft. Equipped with the No. 28 overall pick, Dallas selected Michigan defensive end Taco Charlton. Watt was drafted by the Steelers two picks later. It's one of the most egregious draft whiffs of the last decade.
Every team has a bad draft pick they want back, but missing on Charlton stings that much more considering a generational talent in Watt was available. The former Wolverine lasted just two seasons in Dallas. He requested a trade in 2019, but the team was unable to find a trade partner so he was released.
Charlton made a total of 27 appearances for America's Team, posting four sacks, eight tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He has had short stints with the Dolphins, Chiefs, Steelers and the Bengals as recently as 2022, but he is currently playing in the UFL for the Birmingham Stallions.
Watt, meanwhile, is a three-time sack champ, a former Defensive Player of the Year and has three other top-three finishes in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
There's no sense crying over spilled milk, but it was fitting that Watt reached the 100-sack milestone against the team that should've drafted him in 2017.
