Dallas Cowboys vs Pittsburgh Steelers Match Player Stats (Oct 6, 2024)
Dak Prescott found Jalen Tolbert alone in the left flat with 20 seconds on the clock. The 4 yard touchdown pass sealed a 20 to 17 Cowboys victory over the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on October 6, 2024. Prescott threw for 352 yards and two touchdowns despite two interceptions. Rico Dowdle rushed for 87 yards on 20 carries while Justin Fields completed 15 of 27 passes for 131 yards and two scores for Pittsburgh. T.J. Watt recorded his 100th career sack during a defensive struggle that started 90 minutes late due to lightning.
Table of Contents
Quick Reference Box
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Final Score | Dallas 20, Pittsburgh 17 |
| Game MVP | Dak Prescott (352 passing yards, 2 TD) |
| Key Stat | Cowboys outgained Steelers 445 to 226 in total yards |
| Turnovers | DAL 3, PIT 1 |
| Attendance | 67,380 at Acrisure Stadium |
Score by Quarter
| Quarter | Dallas | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | 3 |
| 2nd | 3 | 0 |
| 3rd | 0 | 7 |
| 4th | 14 | 7 |
| Final | 20 | 17 |
Game Metrics
| Category | Dallas | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 445 | 226 |
| First Downs | 25 | 17 |
| Time of Possession | 32:29 | 27:31 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 9 of 15 (60%) | 3 of 12 (25%) |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1 of 4 (25%) | 2 of 2 (100%) |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
Dallas doubled Pittsburgh’s yardage but converted just one of four red zone trips. Three turnovers kept the Steelers competitive until Prescott’s final drive covered 70 yards in 15 plays.
Quarterback Comparison: Prescott vs Fields
Passing Statistics
| Category | Dak Prescott | Justin Fields |
|---|---|---|
| Completions/Attempts | 29/42 | 15/27 |
| Completion Percentage | 69.0% | 55.6% |
| Passing Yards | 352 | 131 |
| Yards Per Attempt | 8.4 | 4.9 |
| Touchdowns | 2 | 2 |
| Interceptions | 2 | 0 |
| Passer Rating | 90.6 | 93.3 |
| Times Sacked | 2 | 3 |
| Sack Yards Lost | 16 | 16 |
Prescott threw into double coverage twice. Joey Porter Jr. picked him off with under 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Donte Jackson intercepted him in the end zone just before halftime after a late throw intended for CeeDee Lamb.
Fields recorded zero turnovers on 27 pass attempts. His 16 yard touchdown to Connor Heyward gave Pittsburgh a 10 to 6 lead in the third quarter. With 4:56 remaining, Fields hit Freiermuth on a 6 yard shovel pass for a 17 to 13 lead.
Kyle Allen entered briefly after Fields got checked for a concussion following a roughing the passer penalty. Allen completed his only attempt for 19 yards to Freiermuth.
Quarterback Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Fields | 6 | 27 | 4.5 | 8 | 0 |
| Dak Prescott | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 3 | 0 |
Rushing Stats: Dowdle and Harris
Team Rushing
| Team | Attempts | Yards | Average | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | 31 | 109 | 3.5 | 0 | 13 |
| Pittsburgh | 26 | 92 | 3.5 | 0 | 8 |
Individual Rushing
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Average | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | DAL | 20 | 87 | 4.4 | 13 | 0 |
| Najee Harris | PIT | 14 | 42 | 3.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Justin Fields | PIT | 6 | 27 | 4.5 | 8 | 0 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | 6 | 17 | 2.8 | 5 | 0 |
| Aaron Shampklin | PIT | 4 | 14 | 3.5 | 5 | 0 |
| Jonathan Ward | PIT | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 7 | 0 |
| Hunter Luepke | DAL | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 4 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | DAL | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 |
| KaVontae Turpin | DAL | 1 | -6 | -6.0 | -6 | 0 |
Dowdle posted a season high for the Cowboys. He touched the ball 22 times including two receptions for 27 yards and a 22 yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Harris averaged just 3.0 yards per carry without injured backs Jaylen Warren and Cordarrelle Patterson.
Receiving Stats
Dallas Cowboys Receivers
| Player | Targets | Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Tolbert | 10 | 7 | 87 | 12.4 | 48 | 1 |
| Jake Ferguson | 7 | 6 | 70 | 11.7 | 27 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 9 | 5 | 62 | 12.4 | 27 | 0 |
| KaVontae Turpin | 5 | 4 | 50 | 12.5 | 34 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | 2 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 22 | 1 |
| Brevyn Spann Ford | 3 | 2 | 20 | 10.0 | 13 | 0 |
| Hunter Luepke | 1 | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 18 | 0 |
| Jalen Brooks | 1 | 1 | 10 | 10.0 | 10 | 0 |
| Luke Schoonmaker | 2 | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 8 | 0 |
Tolbert’s 48 yard reception in the second quarter sparked a drive that reached the Pittsburgh 15 before Jackson’s end zone interception. On fourth and goal from the 4 yard line with 20 seconds remaining, Tolbert beat safety DeShon Elliott to the left pylon for the game winner.
Pittsburgh Steelers Receivers
| Player | Targets | Receptions | Yards | Average | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Pickens | 7 | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 21 | 0 |
| Van Jefferson | 5 | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 11 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 3 | 3 | 22 | 7.3 | 19 | 1 |
| Najee Harris | 2 | 2 | 35 | 17.5 | 20 | 0 |
| Connor Heyward | 4 | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 16 | 1 |
| Brandon Johnson | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 9 | 0 |
| Calvin Austin III | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 6 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 |
Harris led the Steelers with 35 receiving yards on two catches, including a 20 yarder in the first half. Pickens managed just 26 yards on seven targets. Pittsburgh’s 150 total receiving yards reflected their offensive struggles in this matchup.
Defensive Statistics
T.J. Watt became the second fastest player in NFL history to reach 100 career sacks, trailing only Reggie White. His strip sack of Prescott at the Pittsburgh 11 yard line in the first quarter ended a Dallas red zone drive.
Dallas Cowboys Defense
| Player | Total | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB Hits | FF | FR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Kendricks | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| DeMarvion Overshown | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik Hooker | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chauncey Golston | 5 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Donovan Wilson | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mazi Smith | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amani Oruwariye | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyrus Wheat | 3 | 2 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Linval Joseph | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Dallas played without All Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons (ankle) and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot). Rookie Marshawn Kneeland left in the first quarter with a knee injury. Despite losing their top three edge rushers, the defense held Pittsburgh to 226 yards, recorded three sacks, and generated eight quarterback hits.
Pittsburgh Steelers Defense
| Player | Total | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB Hits | INT | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minkah Fitzpatrick | 10 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Queen | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DeShon Elliott | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Payton Wilson | 9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Watt | 8 | 7 | 1.5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Donte Jackson | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Joey Porter Jr. | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Cameron Heyward | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Beanie Bishop Jr. | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elandon Roberts | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nick Herbig | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Watt’s 1.5 sacks came on a shared tackle with Herbig. Herbig recovered the fumble at the Pittsburgh 20 yard line. Elliott was responsible for Tolbert on the winning score but couldn’t prevent the completion.
Interceptions
| Player | Team | INT | Return Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Porter Jr. | PIT | 1 | 16 |
| Donte Jackson | PIT | 1 | 2 |
Special Teams
Kicking
| Kicker | Team | FG Made | FG Att | Long | XP | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Aubrey | DAL | 2 | 3 | 55 | 2/2 | 8 |
| Chris Boswell | PIT | 1 | 1 | 41 | 2/2 | 5 |
Aubrey’s 55 yard field goal opened the scoring. Loudermilk blocked his 38 yard attempt in the third quarter. Boswell connected on six field goals during Pittsburgh’s Week 1 win over Atlanta, including three from beyond 50 yards.
Punting and Returns
| Punter | Team | Punts | Yards | Average | Inside 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryan Anger | DAL | 1 | 45 | 45.0 | 0 |
| Corliss Waitman | PIT | 5 | 222 | 44.4 | 2 |
| Returner | Team | Kick Returns | Yards | Average | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Shampklin | PIT | 4 | 101 | 25.3 | 32 |
| KaVontae Turpin | DAL | 1 | 38 | 38.0 | 38 |
Team Statistics
The individual performances added up to a 219 yard advantage for Dallas that the scoreboard didn’t reflect.
| Category | Dallas | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 445 | 226 |
| Passing Yards | 336 | 134 |
| Rushing Yards | 109 | 92 |
| First Downs | 25 | 17 |
| Third Down Conversions | 9 of 15 | 3 of 12 |
| Fourth Down Conversions | 1 of 1 | 2 of 2 |
| Red Zone Efficiency | 1 of 4 | 2 of 2 |
| Penalties | 11 for 87 | 8 for 50 |
| Time of Possession | 32:29 | 27:31 |
Scoring Summary
First Quarter
- 12:35 DAL: Aubrey 55 yard FG (Dallas 3, Pittsburgh 0)
- 7:33 PIT: Boswell 41 yard FG (Dallas 3, Pittsburgh 3)
Second Quarter
- 8:51 DAL: Aubrey 33 yard FG (Dallas 6, Pittsburgh 3)
Third Quarter
- 11:50 PIT: Heyward 16 yard pass from Fields (Dallas 6, Pittsburgh 10)
Fourth Quarter
- 13:51 DAL: Dowdle 22 yard pass from Prescott (Dallas 13, Pittsburgh 10)
- 4:56 PIT: Freiermuth 6 yard pass from Fields (Dallas 13, Pittsburgh 17)
- 0:20 DAL: Tolbert 4 yard pass from Prescott (Dallas 20, Pittsburgh 17)
Decisive Plays
Watt and Herbig combined on a strip sack at the Pittsburgh 11 in the first quarter. Herbig recovered the fumble at the 20, stopping Dallas inside the red zone.
Loudermilk’s blocked field goal in the third quarter denied Dallas three points. Those points would have cut Pittsburgh’s lead to 9 to 10.
Dowdle fumbled at the 1 yard line with 35 seconds remaining. Elandon Roberts forced the ball loose, but Prescott recovered at the 4. After an incompletion on third down, Prescott rolled left and found Tolbert at the pylon.
This Week 5 result came two weeks after Baltimore’s Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards against Dallas in a 28 to 25 Ravens victory.
Standings Impact
Dallas improved to 3 and 2 with back to back wins after losses to New Orleans and Baltimore in Weeks 2 and 3. Pittsburgh dropped to 3 and 2, their second consecutive defeat after a 3 and 0 start.
Prescott overcame three turnovers by controlling the clock. His nine third down conversions and 32 minutes of possession time limited Pittsburgh to just 57 offensive plays. That yardage gap meant nothing until he needed one final drive.
The complete game recap from ESPN and official NFL gamebook verify these statistics.
According to AP News coverage, Pittsburgh’s penalties and missed opportunities prevented them from capitalizing on Dallas’s three giveaways. Prescott’s 352 yards came with two interceptions and a fumble, yet his 60 percent third down rate and 15 play final drive defined this Cowboys vs Steelers Week 5 matchup.
