3 keys to a Dallas Cowboys victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium – Abraham Nudelstejer, Dallas Morning Information
The Cowboys might want to excel in these three areas so as to have a very good probability of beating the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday.
Scoring first
The Cowboys might want to take an early lead. Dallas scored the primary landing in opposition to the Browns and Giants and received each video games. In a current “Coach” podcast with Matt Patricia and Michael Lombardi, former Patriots head coach Invoice Belichick praised the Cowboys’ potential to play with the lead. “No one’s higher at taking part in forward than Dallas is. They will management the ball offensively, and so they can play from forward on protection with their move rush and their protection gamers. That basically performs into their arms.” Of their 4 video games, the Cowboys have scored a mean of 14 factors within the first half, rating ninth within the league. Dallas is averaging 10.3 factors within the second half, rating 18th within the NFL. Enjoyable truth: The Cowboys’ win-loss document once they rating first is 564-415-6 all-time.
Kicking recreation
Sunday’s recreation will likely be a duel between two of the league’s greatest kickers. Brandon Aubrey has linked on 12 of 13 field-goal makes an attempt for the Cowboys together with a 65-yarder, the second-longest in NFL historical past. Aubrey is ideal on extra-point makes an attempt (seven), totaling 43 factors to this point this season. Chris Boswell is having a stellar season as Pittsburgh’s kicker, with 11 of 12 field-goal makes an attempt and 6 additional factors for 39 factors. The Steelers are second-best within the league in made subject objectives, posting a mean of two.8 per recreation. The Cowboys are first with a mean of three subject objectives made per recreation. Don’t rule out a last-second heroic kick by Aubrey to offer Dallas the victory.
Subsequent man-up angle
Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer must discover methods to compensate for the absences of Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence. The linebacker and defensive finish are the workforce’s defensive anchors, and each will likely be out resulting from accidents. Parsons’ damage (excessive ankle sprain) usually takes two to 4 weeks. Lawrence (Lisfranc damage to his foot) will likely be out even longer. “These are two dynamic guys,” Zimmer advised The Dallas Morning Information’ David Moore. “Good leaders, good workforce guys. We’ll must make some changes and see the way it goes.” In a shock Wednesday, it was revealed receiver Brandin Cooks will miss Sunday’s recreation with an an infection in his knee that developed following a medical process. Jalen Tolbert, Jalen Brooks and KaVontae Turpin will likely be seemed upon to fill the void.
Will Dalvin Prepare dinner play in Week 5? Jerry Jones sheds mild on plan – Josh Sanchez, Sports activities Illustrated
Jerry Jones advised interviewers that Dalvin Prepare dinner will probably stay on the follow squad this week.
Throughout his look on 105.3 The Fan (KRLD-FM), Jones was requested about Prepare dinner making his debut. Based on Jones, that “in all probability” received’t occur this week.
“Whenever you take a look at a roster, you take a look at the whole roster and it’s a must to regulate it for accidents or it’s a must to regulate for availability. That’s a giant factor and it’s a must to regulate it for a way you’re going to make use of them,” Jones mentioned. “The opposite day, we didn’t run the ball a lot in any respect. You’ve bought to judge the way you’re going to have a look at any place, whether or not it’s his place, with receivers or what.”
Dallas is taking part in a harmful recreation.
Prepare dinner has mentioned he’s staying prepared for when he will get the chance to see the sector, however the longer he’s stashed on the follow squad, the extra alternatives groups across the league may poach him in the event that they discover themselves in want of a working again.
Hunter Luepke discovering inspiration from fullback legends – Kyle Youmans, DallasCowboys.com
After an excellent begin to the 2024 season, Hunter Luepke talked to the media concerning the fullbacks who impressed him.
“Again in school we used to have motivational movies that my place coach would pull up,” Luepke mentioned. “Coach would pull up Mike Alstott just about each Friday, if not each different Friday earlier than a recreation and simply watch his movie. So yeah, he’s a legend.”
Mike Alstott performed all 11 of his NFL seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being chosen within the second spherical of the 1996 NFL Draft. He cemented his legacy as one of the versatile and adorned fullbacks in historical past, tallying three All-Professional choices, six Professional Bowls, and a Tremendous Bowl title.
However rising up in Spencer, Wisconsin, Luepke additionally had a front-row seat in watching his present head coach, carve out a task for John Kuhn on the fullback place, who additionally completed his profession with a number of All-Professional and Professional Bowl nods, successful two Tremendous Bowls as nicely.
“Kuhn was certainly one of my favorites rising up as nicely,” Luepke mentioned. “Third and objective on the one-yard line. He is available in, and everyone’s simply screaming ‘Kuuuuuuhn!’ That was superior.”
Two function fashions that Luepke has been lucky to see in particular person and study from on tape to assist additional his recreation, and construct expectations for himself, that may assist this offense enhance.
“Groups can use you in numerous eventualities,” Luepke mentioned. “I’m not all the time simply going to be lined up on the F place, straight fullback. That was my mindset rolling into it. Displaying my versatility and be all over the place on the sector that I probably could be to make this workforce, and now to assist this workforce win video games.”
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott battling by means of sluggish begin, restricted carries in Dallas reunion – Calvin Watkins, Dallas Morning Information
Ezekiel Elliott is making an attempt to take advantage of out of his restricted alternatives.
On the season, Elliott has simply 81 yards on 24 carries with one landing. Final week, Elliott rushed for a season-high 40 yards on a season-high 10 carries in a win over the Giants.
He’s performed in simply 32% of the offensive snaps for the Cowboys. That’s 85 complete.
“It’s one thing we set to work by means of,” he mentioned after Thursday’s follow. “The final couple of video games have been robust. I feel like earlier than the 2 minute (mark) the final recreation we had 22 performs. It hasn’t been very fluid. We’ve gotten behind, hopefully it should get higher.”
Within the offseason, the Cowboys signed Elliott to a one-year deal over acquiring a dearer free agent working again like Derrick Henry, who presently leads the league with 480 dashing yards.
Elliott has gotten restricted snaps the final three weeks as Rico Dowdle and fullback Hunter Luepke get the majority of them.
“I’m positive it’s irritating,” quarterback Dak Prescott mentioned of his shut buddy. “Rattling positive irritating. He’s a team-first man.”
It’s perplexing why Elliott was given first-team snaps in coaching camp with the target of being recent for the season, solely to see, as soon as the common season began, restricted alternatives.
When requested about this, Elliott didn’t reply.
In a observe as much as being affected person he mentioned, “Yeah, you simply bought to take advantage of the alternatives I’m given and take it from there.”
Cowboys’ Stephen Jones Dismisses Davante Adams Commerce Rumors, Cites Wage Cap – Andrew Peters, Bleacher Report
Stephen Jones squashed rumors that the Cowboys had been within the hunt for a doable commerce to accumulate Davante Adams from the Raiders.
Cowboys govt vice chairman Stephen Jones dismissed rumors that Dallas can be within the combine for Adams, citing the workforce’s current cope with large receiver CeeDee Lamb and different cap house challenges.
“No. I don’t assume there may be something to that,” Jones mentioned on San Antonio’s Sports activities Star (h/t The Athletic’s Jon Machota). “We simply signed our No. 1 man (CeeDee Lamb) and (Adams) is a No. 1 receiver. When you will have the challenges cap-wise that we have now, that will be a protracted putt for us.”
The Cowboys had been among the many groups listed in early reviews of doable suitors for Adams, with The Athletic’s Dianna Russini noting that Dallas had already checked in with the Raiders on Wednesday morning.
Jones’ feedback on Thursday appear to point the Cowboys have since determined to not pursue Adams.
Dallas Cowboys offensive line making ready for ‘enormous problem’ in Steelers’ T.J. Watt – R.J. Coyle, Dallas Morning Information
The younger offensive line for the Cowboys could have their arms full making an attempt to include T.J. Watt this weekend.
“Clearly, T.J. Watt simply jumps off the tape,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy mentioned on Thursday. “We’re gonna must play at a really excessive stage and we’re gonna must be extraordinarily environment friendly, as a result of they do a very good job of conserving the purpose totals low.”
McCarthy says Watt primarily performs on the best facet, which means Cowboys proper deal with Terence Steele would be the first line of protection in opposition to Watt. But it surely’ll take a village to cease the youthful brother of fellow All-Professional move rusher J.J. Watt.
“The man performs extraordinarily exhausting, and he’s an all-day man,” proper guard and veteran of the Cowboys’ line Zack Martin mentioned. “You’re not gonna get any freebies. He’s bought a pair strikes which might be fairly distinctive, you’ll be able to inform everybody on their D-line is making an attempt to emulate, as a result of they’re good.”
Watt is able to disrupting the run recreation as a lot as he’s the move recreation, one thing that doesn’t bode very nicely for the Cowboys and their NFL-worst 75.3 dashing yards per recreation.
“It’s simply a part of the on a regular basis problem, and it’ll be an enormous problem Sunday evening,” McCarthy mentioned. “Their edge stress, with a premiere participant inside … This can be a problem for any safety scheme.”
