For nearly 90 minutes on Sunday night, the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers were confined to their locker rooms as a hellacious storm pummeled Western Pennsylvania and delayed the start of a Sunday Night Football clash that was dripping with NFL history. All of the fans who decided to stay up until past 1 a.m. eastern to see the conclusion of the game wouldn't be disappointed.
Despite 19 total penalties and four combined turnovers, the Cowboys and Steelers still managed to deliver a hard-fought, white-knuckle thriller in which neither team led by more than four points all game. With just 20 seconds remaining, Dak Prescott connected with Jalen Tolbert for the go-ahead, game-winning touchdown, giving the Cowboys their third win of the season and Mike McCarthy his first regular season win over his hometown team.
But this game wasn't necessarily won with just 20 seconds remaining. It was won during the hour-plus-long delay, as Dak Prescott continued to implore his Cowboys teammates to stay locked in and make the most of the unusual circumstances.
“I was saying it before the game started, like we're not going to forget this one regardless,” Prescott said after the game, per Todd Archer of ESPN.com. “With the delays, with everything that happened, it's one of those games I don't care how long you play, you'll never forget it. I just kept saying, ‘Let's make it one to remember.' I think we did that in all the ups, the downs, the ebbs and flows.”
In the 4th quarter alone, there were plenty of ebbs and flows. With a 13-10 lead early in the 4th quarter, it looked like Dallas, with just a few first downs and potentially another score, could've firmly taken control of the game. But on a deep shot to Jalen Tolbert, Dak Prescott was intercepted by Joey Porter Jr.. The Steelers capitalized, turning in a 12-play, 63-yard drive to take a 17-13 lead with just 4:56 to go.
Turns out, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys had the Steelers right where they wanted 'em.
Dak Prescott, Cowboys deliver late on Sunday Night Football
Against former Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt and what has been one of the league's best defenses through the first four weeks, the Cowboys responded like a team who was comfortable being in this particular high-pressure spot.
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“I love being in that. We practice it a lot,” Prescott said. “You're pissed at yourself for the turnovers, for the interceptions, but when I realize I have the ball, down 4 with an opportunity to score, with enough time, plenty of time, that's all I can ask for.”
Over the course of a 4 minute, 36 second drive, the Cowboys moved the ball down the field and finally, with just 20 seconds remaining, Dak Prescott connected with Jalen Tolbert for the go-ahead score.
“We have a play call that we love, we’re very confident in, regardless of the defense,” Prescott said. “Offensive line did a great job, Tolbert came open to the left, just had to make the throw.”
Maybe it was just the right play call. Or maybe it was the sense of the moment. But either way, Dak Prescott made good on his promise to make this one to remember.
