Make that two weeks in a row that the Pittsburgh Steelers have beaten themselves just as much as the other team has beaten them. The Steelers forced three turnovers, but they also allowed some brutal plays in crucial moments. The last drive in particular was crushing, with the Dallas Cowboys picking them apart. Donte Jackson seemed upset that the Steelers defense let victory slip through their hands.
“I don’t really know,” Jackson said after the game via the team’s YouTube channel when asked if it felt like the Cowboys were taking advantage of matchups in key situations. “I gotta watch it, but that’s what it felt like. It just felt like, back in the back end, [there] were just too many almosts.”
It did feel like the Cowboys had the Steelers’ number on third down. They started out okay, holding the Cowboys to just two field goals in the first half, but things began to change quickly. Near the end of the second quarter, it felt like the Cowboys were getting into a rhythm. They got down the field quickly and would’ve scored again if not for a horrible decision by quarterback Dak Prescott that led to a Jackson touchdown.
The second half saw much more of that. In fact, the Cowboys didn’t punt once in the second half. They either scored or turned the ball over. Those turnovers were great, but the two touchdown drives saw the Steelers give up six conversions on third down. That isn’t including the touchdown on fourth down that basically ended the game.
Rookie corner Beanie Bishop Jr. seemed to be frequently targeted by the Cowboys. Mike Tomlin made it clear that the Steelers are aware a young player like Bishop will get targeted, but that doesn’t make it any better. Whether it was getting beaten in coverage or penalized, Bishop is one example of what Jackson is likely referring to.
When it comes to almost in this game, nothing is bigger than the Cowboys’ fumble on the goal line at the end of the game. Elandon Roberts almost won the Steelers the game, but Prescott managed to fall on the ball. It was an incredible play that unfortunately amounted to nothing. All it did was show that Roberts should not be challenged on the goal line.
This same narrative could have been applied to the game against the Indianapolis Colts too. Whatever the issue is, the Steelers need to figure it out. They’ve now lost their spot on top of the AFC North, with the Baltimore Ravens starting to catch fire. There’s still a lot of time left in the season, so they can make adjustments and eliminate the “almosts.”
