Noted Pittsburgh Steelers fans and Dallas Cowboys hater Stephen A. Smith isn’t too high on the latter’s chances come Sunday night. Nor the odds of QB Dak Prescott coming through this one unscathed.
In Friday’s episode of First Take, Smith laid into the Cowboys, picking the Steelers to win their upcoming matchup. Specifically, Smith said he expects the Steelers defense to dominate the Cowboys offense, which has sputtered this season.
“Dallas has to go against Pittsburgh’s defense,” said Smith. “I am looking at the fact that you got to fling that football because you certainly aren’t going to be able to run against the Steelers and because that’s your reality you’re going to be target practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
The player Smith is referring to as “target practice” is Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott. The Cowboys have struggled to run the ball this season. So far, the team ranks as the worst rushing offense in the NFL with a league-low 301 yards. Unsurprisingly, they aren’t efficient at running the ball either, averaging a second-worst 3.5 yards a clip. What was once the staple of the Dallas offense has diminished with a largely young cast of offensive lineman and a bland running back room headed by the ghost of Ezekiel Elliott.
As a result, the team has pivoted heavily to passing the ball, averaging the second-most attempts per game in the league at 38. To his credit, Prescott hasn’t taken many sacks despite dropping back so often. This season he has been sacked 10 times, tied for 12th-most in the league. However, he is still feeling pressure on a consistent basis, hurried the eighth-most among all quarterbacks.
Enter the Steelers defensive front, widely regarded among the best in the NFL with Cameron Heyward and TJ Watt. You have a recipe for disaster for the Cowboys.
It’s important to note that Alex Highsmith will miss the game due to a groin injury, so that will mean the Steelers will be without at least one more pass rusher. Nick Herbig will make his second consecutive start across from Watt. While maybe not the overall caliber of player as Highsmith, Herbig has impressed in limited time this season, earning a 81.6 PFF grade and registering two sacks.
Expect Smith’s prediction to hold true in this game with Herbig, Watt, Heyward and the rest of the Steelers defense pinning their ears back and attacking Prescott.
