Cowboys look for fourth straight win

Dallas travels to Pittsburgh to face Big Ben & the Steelers

One month ago the Cowboys were 5-4 and on the brink of a total collapse. They were plagued by injuries, controversy, and their chances of making the playoffs looked dim. But things began to turn around on a cool night in Washington when they scratched out a win against the Redskins. Since then they’ve added two more wins against the 49ers and Seahawks to improve their record to 8-4 and have gotten back into the mix. Now the Cowboys are considered a force to be reckoned with again in the NFC, but their biggest test awaits them in Pittsburgh this Sunday when they take on Big Ben and the Steelers.

One of the main reasons why the Cowboys have been revitalized has been due to the return of quarterback Tony Romo. In the three games since his return Romo has thrown for 870 yards and seven touchdowns. His presence and play has clearly galvanized the Dallas offense which was sputtering while he was injured, averaging about 14 points a game. In the previous two games the Cowboys scored 35 and 34 points respectively and the effect Romo has on the offense cannot be overstated. His injured finger continues to be wrapped for each game, but Romo appears to be improving from week to week.

The defense has also played better for Dallas over the course of the last month. They held the Redskins to 10 points, the 49ers to 22(most of that coming late when the game was pretty much decided), and gave up nine points off three field goals to Seattle. It may still be early to judge how well the defense is playing given the mediocre opponents, especially the previous two weeks, but they do appear to be clicking much better than they were earlier in the season. The return of cornerback Terence Newman from injury has helped, and the reinstatement of Adam Jones may also provide a boost to the secondary.

The Cowboys opponent this Sunday will be their toughest since their winning streak began. Pittsburgh is not a flashy team like Dallas on offense or defense. They play old school football, a smash-mouth physical style that is designed to wear opposing teams down. The Steelers are 9-3, atop their division, and coming off one of their best performances of the year in which they dominated the New England Patriots 33-10. Throughout the season the Steelers have had to deal with some significant injuries including Ben Roethlisberger and Willie Parker, but both star players will be ready for the Cowboys at Heinz Field.

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On the year Roethlisberger has thrown for over 2400 yards with 13 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His numbers are not impressive overall, but he has been one of the best in the clutch since entering the league. Last week against New England he threw two touchdowns while his running back, Parker, rushed for 87 yards on 16 carries, but probably the most impressive aspect of the Steelers win was the defense, which created 5 turnovers against the Patriots. The Cowboys, Romo especially, will have to do their best to prevent the same thing from happening to them. While Romo’s numbers have been great he has proven to be susceptible to losing the football. So far this year Romo has been picked off 8 times and fumbled 4 times in only nine games started.

Winning breeds confidence and the Cowboys are definitely feeling much more confident now than they were just a short while ago. They’ll bring their renewed swagger into Pittsburgh where they will likely be tested. This is the exact kind of game the Cowboys have not been able to win recently, a game in which they get punched in the mouth and don’t respond. For Dallas it’s a chance not only to win a game but show their mettle. And the games won’t get any easier in the weeks ahead as they are schedule to play the Giants, Ravens, and Eagles the rest of the way.

By Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com Dallas Cowboys Correspondent