Cowboys let one slip away

Steelers score fast in final 8 minutes

With only eight minutes and 42 seconds remaining on the clock, the Cowboys lead the Steelers 13-3 and appeared to be well on their way to a fourth straight win. It was just the kind of big game the Cowboys needed to win, but haven’t been able to over the last couple of seasons. It was an opportunity to silence some naysayers, stay alive in the NFC East, and greatly enhance their chances to make the playoffs. But somehow it all unraveled in those final eight minutes plus, and the Cowboys fell, some would say, choked, to the Steelers at Heinz Field.

The contest between the Steelers and Cowboys may have been the best played game of the weekend. With bitter cold temperatures and strong winds, a grueling physical battle unfolded between two old time rivals. The entire first half was a defensive struggle with neither team’s offense having much success driving or holding onto the ball. The Steelers missed a field goal and fumbled the ball twice before finally scoring a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Dallas didn’t fair much better with Romo throwing two interceptions and losing the ball on a sack. They also failed to convert two 4 th and short plays and muffed a punt, which Pittsburgh recovered. Yet they were still able to drive down the field and tie the game with a field goal as time expired in the first half.

In the second half the Cowboys began to take control of the game. The Dallas defense, which has played much better since Wade Phillips assumed more control, continued to dominate Pittsburgh. They forced the Steelers to go three and out on the opening possession of the second half, and the Cowboys offense quickly responded. Tony Romo lead his team down the field on an eight play, four minute, and 18 second drive that ended with a 12 yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens. On their next possession the Cowboys added a field goal to go up 13-3 late in the third quarter, and when the defense stopped a Pittsburgh drive by stuffing a running play on 4 th and goal from the one it appeared the Cowboys would not be denied a victory.

> Find a great selection of Dallas Cowboys apparel & merchandise online through Pro Football Fans!

However, things turned on Dallas in a flash as the fourth quarter was winding down. After a harrowing field goal by Jeff Reed bounced off one of the uprights and in for three points trimmed the lead to seven, the Steelers defense rose up and showed its toughness. They sacked Romo and forced the Cowboys to punt. Rothlisberger rallied the troops and got the Steelers in position for a score. From the Dallas six Rothlisberger found his tight end Heath Miller who ran it in, barely breaking the goal line for the game tying touchdown. The Steelers defense continued to make plays when on the next series for Dallas Deshea Tonwsend intercepted a Romo pass and ran it in for the score. It was the fifth turnover of the game for the Cowboys, the fourth by Romo, and it proved to be the dagger. The Cowboys had one last shot, but barely moved the ball against this modern version of the Steel Curtain, and Romo over threw Jason Witten on a 4 th and ten. The Steelers then ran out the clock and ran off the field knowing they had just robbed a victory from Dallas.

What could’ve been an incredible win against one of the NFL’s best on the road turned out to be a demoralizing loss for the Cowboys. Dallas has continuously lost games of this nature and it was a chance to move away from that stigma, but they couldn’t finish the deal. In losing, the Cowboys have allowed several more team to close in on them for a playoff spot. The Panthers (9-3), Falcons (8-5), Eagles ( 7-5-1), Redskins (7-6), and Bears (7-6) are all very much alive in the hunt for the two wild cards. And it won’t get any easier for Dallas as next week the defending champion New York Giants, who clinched the NFC East with the Cowboys loss, come into Texas Stadium looking to bounce back from their loss to Philadelphia and take another step towards wrapping up home field advantage in the conference. The Cowboys will have to do some bouncing back of their own and in a big way if they want to still be playing come January.

By Steven Mondelli
ProFootball-fans.com Dallas Cowboys Correspondent