Pittsburgh, PA — Quarterback Dak Prescott showcased both resilience and precision on a challenging night, ultimately leading the Dallas Cowboys to a dramatic 20-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers early Monday morning. With just 20 seconds left and pressure mounting from T.J. Watt and the Steelers’ defense, Prescott delivered a crucial touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert, sealing the game for the Cowboys.
Throughout the contest, Prescott displayed a mix of brilliance and frustration, throwing two interceptions and fumbling once, keeping the sluggish Steelers in the mix. However, with the Cowboys trailing by four and under five minutes remaining, he orchestrated a composed 70-yard drive in 15 plays. A key moment came when Prescott smartly recovered a fumble from teammate Rico Dowdle, extending the drive and allowing Dallas to have multiple opportunities to score.
“We talk about staying neutral, being resilient, and understanding there will be ups and downs,” Prescott remarked after the game. “We just know who we are. If we stick with it, we can come out on top. This was a great example of that.”
For Pittsburgh (3-2), this marked their second straight loss after starting the season 3-0. The team struggled offensively, managing just 226 yards against a Cowboys defense missing stars Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. The game, delayed nearly 90 minutes due to severe weather, saw the Steelers unable to find their rhythm.
“It’s the same recurring issue: shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Steelers quarterback Justin Fields. “Penalties, false starts, it all comes down to execution.”
After Tolbert’s go-ahead touchdown, Pittsburgh attempted a last-minute lateral play, but it fell short, allowing the Cowboys to celebrate their hard-fought victory just shy of 1 a.m.

Dowdle had a standout performance, running for 87 yards and catching a 22-yard touchdown on a crucial 16-play, 90-yard drive that put Dallas ahead 13-10 early in the fourth quarter. However, a critical interception by Joey Porter Jr. from a deep pass by Prescott allowed the Steelers to reclaim the lead, culminating in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Fields to tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Fields finished the night with 131 passing yards, two touchdowns, and 27 rushing yards, but struggled with accuracy, completing only 15 of 27 attempts. His performance raises questions about the quarterback position as veteran Russell Wilson nears recovery from injury.
“We missed opportunities and shot ourselves in the foot again,” Fields acknowledged.
Dallas had several chances to extend their lead but were hindered by Prescott’s mistakes. He fumbled after a sack from Watt and Nick Herbig in the first quarter, which helped Watt reach a milestone of 100 career sacks, making him the second-fastest player in NFL history to do so. Later, an ill-timed pass to CeeDee Lamb in the end zone resulted in another interception, keeping the Steelers within striking distance.
Despite these setbacks, Prescott’s late-game heroics reminded fans of his significance to the team. With a makeshift offensive line, he managed to find a way to turn the game around and provide momentum for the Cowboys after tough losses to New Orleans and Baltimore.
“We had a play we loved, and we were confident in it, regardless of the defense,” Prescott explained. “The offensive line did a great job, and Tolbert got open to the left. I just had to make the throw.”
UP NEXT
Cowboys: Plays Detroit on Sunday at home.
Steelers: At Las Vegas on Sunday.