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Todd Archer, ESPN Staff Writer
PITTSBURGH — As lightning lit up the sky outside Acrisure Stadium, delaying the start of Sunday night’s game between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, Dak Prescott had a message for his teammates.
“I was saying it before the game started, like we’re not going to forget this one regardless,” said Prescott, who ate a protein waffle, stretched and did some drills during the wait. “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.”
Prescott threw the winning touchdown pass — a 4-yarder to receiver Jalen Tolbert — with 20 seconds left to give the Cowboys a crucial 20-17 win against the Steelers. It allowed the Cowboys (3-2) to stay above .500 and on the tail of the Washington Commanders (4-1) in the NFC East. It also was the Cowboys’ third road win of the season, marking their best start away from home since Prescott’s rookie year in 2016.
In addition, it was coach Mike McCarthy’s first regular-season win against the Steelers, his hometown team. While McCarthy holds the trump card with a win in Super Bowl XLV against the Steelers as coach of the Green Bay Packers, the Steelers were the only team he had coached against multiple times and had not beaten (0-4).
The four games were settled by 1, 7, 3 and 5 points.
“It feels great,” said McCarthy, who walked out of the stadium with his parents, Joe and Ellen, to a waiting group of family and friends. “It’s the first time I’ve been part of a victory here. But — and I do mean this — at the end of the day, this is about the players. This is a players’ game. I’m blessed to be a part of the NFL for as long as I’ve been. I have tremendous respect for this organization, but, yeah, this game is about the players. These guys poured it out there. Both sides.”
After the victory, McCarthy received the game ball from the players. He said it was the first he has received in his career.
“That’s a guy that, I mean, I know how I feel about him,” Prescott said. “Love him. Great head coach. He’s very, very proud to be from Pittsburgh. Greenfield at that. And you hear it anytime anything comes up with references from this place. So that’s why I had to go on a little tour [Saturday night] and see some of the stomping grounds that he’s talked about, paint that picture in my head. It was really special, got to stop by his parents’ house, spend some time with him and them.”
It wasn’t a perfect game by the Cowboys. Prescott turned the ball over three times with two interceptions and a fumble. Two of the turnovers came in the red zone, costing the Cowboys points. They had a field goal attempt blocked. They were penalized 11 times for 87 yards.
But with 4:56 left to play, Prescott had a chance to deliver the 23rd game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime of his career.
“Composure is a huge strength of his,” McCarthy said of his quarterback, who threw for 352 yards on 29-of-42 passing. “He’s the same man every day. The way he works, the way he competes, yeah, he doesn’t blink. He doesn’t dwell on mistakes.”
Prescott completed 5 of 7 passes for 46 yards on the winning drive. He ran for 3 yards and most importantly recovered a fumble at the 4-yard line. After the Steelers called a timeout with 26 seconds left, McCarthy changed the personnel group and formation so Prescott would have added protection.
Tolbert, starting for an injured Brandin Cooks, made his way across the field with DeShon Elliott on his hip but managed to get across the goal line for Prescott’s pass with 20 seconds left.
“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.”
The Cowboys entered the game without Cooks and defensive ends Micah Parsons (high ankle) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) and lost their top draft picks to knee injuries in the first half, left tackle Tyler Guyton and defensive end Marshawn Kneeland.
Guyton’s absence moved guard Tyler Smith to tackle. When Zack Martin had to leave because of cramping, the Cowboys had Brock Hoffman, Cooper Beebe and T.J. Bass as their three interior offensive linemen.
On defense, the Cowboys were preparing linebackers to play defensive end and had practice-squad elevation Amani Oruwariye start at cornerback.
“I just think,” McCarthy said, “the resiliency of our football team was on display tonight.”