SNF: Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Dallas Cowboys Prediction and Game Thread

Sunday Night Football, Week 5. Tonight the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Dallas Cowboys in a matchup of two of the most successful franchises in NFL history. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Steelers are a 2.5-point home favorite.

The 2-2 Dallas Cowboys enter this game with a narrow 20-15 win over the moribund New York Giants. The Cowboys victory came after a 1-2 start to the season, their only previous win being against the hapless Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys are doing little right at the start of the season. They can’t run the ball and they can’t stop the run. Their pass defense was mediocre at best. The only thing going well for the Cowboys right now is their passing game, which ranks fifth in the NFL in yards gained but only 15th in net yards per attempt. The Cowboys’ passing game is dangerously poor, with only wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and tight end Jake Ferguson being above-average targets. A defense that can shut down Lamb will pave the way to victory against the Cowboys.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are the surprise leader of the AFC North at 3-1 at the start of the season. The Steelers have traditionally relied on a stout defense and an excellent running game. This year the defensive tradition continues. The Steelers rank in the top ten in the NFL in virtually every major category. However, the ongoing game is still a work in progress. The Steelers’ running backs have had little success running the ball this season. Lead running back Najee Harris averages an anemic 3.4 yards per carry. Quarterback Justin Fields has taken over for the injured Russell Wilson and has had some success. However, the Steelers rank a mediocre 18th in yards gained and just 22nd in passing yards, leaving much of the heavy lifting to the vaunted Steelers defense, which has been at the top so far this season 4th place in the NFL is standing.

The Steelers have home field advantage tonight and are primed to end the Cowboys’ worst running game in the NFL. This means the Cowboys are likely to remain a one-dimensional team on offense, which would allow the Steelers defense to tee off against Dak Prescott. In a game that looks like it will be a defensive battle, I think the Steelers defense will be the deciding factor in leading the Steelers to a home win over the struggling Cowboys tonight. If you’re betting, we wish you the best of luck and please consider using our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook.