Player Prop To Close Out The Sunday Slate

Cowboys vs. Steelers, 8:20 ET

Cowboys vs. Steelers, 8:20 ET

I can’t say I really expected this game to be on of the prime-time matchups. I suppose both have big followings throughout the US so they are a big draw in that way. After a long day of football, I look forward to the Sunday Night Game with only one thing to focus on after the sensory overload which is the full day of watching Red Zone. We’ve got a bet to watch in this one as the Cowboys take on the Steelers in Pittsburgh. 

I’m sure it will make many people happy to know that the Cowboys are just 2-2. That’s not a terrible start to a season, but the way they were blown out in the playoffs last season and completely embarrassed, it makes me a little more uneasy about being confident in betting on them regularly. For those that are Cowboys fans, what is positive for them? Dallas’s offense is still led by Dak Prescott and looks like they are finding a bit of a groove on the ground with Rico Dowdle. Prescott and CeeDee Lamb continue to have a good connection despite the hiccup in the Baltimore game. After a couple of early touchdowns last week against New York, they struggled to find much more of a rhythm, but still won the game. The bad part, at least for now, is the defense. They were absolutely embarrassed by a Saints offense (which has since cooled down), and the Ravens jumped out to a big lead on them before the Cowboys were able to get back into the game a little bit. The bad news is at this point the Cowboys have one of the worst rushing defenses in football (mostly due to the work of Alvin Kamara and Derrick Henry) and the Steelers enjoy running the ball. The passing defense isn’t great, but with Justin Fields under center, I think it is hard to believe the passing game will be a true concern.

ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 22: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on after a play against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half of an NFL football game at AT&T Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

The Steelers should have Russell Wilson back if they want to use him. Pittsburgh suffered their first loss of the season, something that was a little predictable considering they were road favorites and everyone seemed to think the Steelers would kill it while the Colts got lucky to win against the Bears. On offense, the team started to finally get some things going against the Colts. Justin Fields ran for two touchdowns and tossed another one. The three touchdowns matched their entire offensive touchdown output from their entire season. If Wilson does get the start, there is a bit different dynamic – he certainly is a better passer, but if you can beat the Cowboys on the ground, you should trust Fields to be a better option. Najee Harris, the Steelers running back, is not reliable. He has 68 carries and 228 yards. So, yes, you can rely on him to take the ball and be cautious with it, but he is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. He has a golden opportunity here (Fields may steal some of his touches or red zone value, but Harris is still a weapon there). On defense the Steelers look like one of the best through four games. They are only allowing 174.5 passing yards per game this season. They are even better against the run, allowing just 86.8 rushing yards per game. 

The Steelers are one of the toughest teams in football at home, but they are coming off of a game where they were a bit exposed. To this point, they’ve faced Kirk Cousins in his first game with a new team and back from injury, Bo Nix in just his second start, Justin Herbert who was somewhat injured in the game, and Anthony Richardson/Joe Flacco. I am not saying the defense is inflated, but I also don’t think they’ve had a big test. I lean toward the Cowboys to win this game, especially with the added rest (their last game was Thursday). I will play Najee Harris to get into the end zone in this one though. Regardless of who plays quarterback for the Steelers, I think Harris should be able to get going against this Cowboys defense. If it doesn’t happen in this one, it probably won’t. 

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