If Ben Roethlisberger could only play like Dak Prescott, the Steelers might be ... no, wait a minute, that’s not right. But, it’s close to being correct. Prescott has the Dallas Cowboys humming with seven straight wins, the best record in the NFC and tied for the top spot overall with the Patriots. I’m sure not many envisioned this after Tony Romo went down in the preseason, but the Cowboys might be the best team in the NFL. They’ll get a test from the Pittsburgh Steelers in a Week 10 tussle.
Kickoff for this regular season Week 10 game is set for Sunday, November 13, 2016, at 4:25 p.m. ET at Heinz Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Dallas Cowboys +2
Pittsburgh Steelers -2
Over/Under 49.5
Odds Analysis
The Steelers aren’t used to losing three games in a row, but there are extenuating circumstances surrounding that slide, mainly an injured Roethlisberger. He was hurt in Miami, missed the Patriots game and started just a few weeks removed from having a procedure on his knee. So it’s not completely a surprise. Dallas has covered the spread in each game during its seven-game winning streak and getting two points is tough to pass on.
Injury Report
Ronald Leary – The Cowboys’ offensive lineman was removed from the last game and evaluated for a concussion. Leary was the ace in the hole and jumped into a starting spot when La’el Collins was put on injured reserve with a toe injury. The vaunted offensive line lacks depth behind Leary and with Collins still a few weeks away, Prescott and Zeke Elliott will see how the other half lives.
Darrius Heyward-Bey – Exited last game with an Achilles injury and is unlikely to play against Dallas. Heyward-Bey was a nice insurance policy for a receiving corps without Martavis Bryant, who was suspended for the year, and Markus Wheaton, who is dealing with a shoulder injury. The Steelers have Antonio Brown, but are thin after that.
Player to Watch
The fact that Roethlisberger started Sunday’s game just a few weeks after knee surgery says a lot about how Mike Tomlin feels towards his backup Landry Jones. Big Ben could stand and apparently that’s all Tomlin needed to see in order to make the decision. Hindsight is 20-20 as the saying goes, and of course we didn’t foresee the struggles. But they could have been expected. Roethlisberger threw for 54 yards, had a pick and a few others that should have been intercepted through three quarters. Pittsburgh’s offense failed to get on track amassing a total of two first downs to that point.
The game picked up in the fourth quarter when Big Ben threw for 210 yards and the Steelers made a late run. The question is, was Roethlisberger chiseling off the rust over the first 45 minutes and found his timing in the fourth? Or were the numbers a product of garbage time football while the Ravens were looking to protect a 21-0 lead? We know Big Ben is tough as nails and my money is on him finding his groove.
Free ATS Pick
Prescott and Elliott are getting all the headlines in Big D for their play in running the offense, which averages nearly 28 points and tops the circuit in rushing. Add Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, along with a stellar offensive line, and what’s not to like about the Cowboys? Overlooked in all the hoopla surrounding the offense is a defensive unit that ranks in the top 10 in total yards, rushing yards and points allowed per game. They haven’t allowed more than 23 points in a game all season and they’ve done it with two projected starters at the beginning of the year out suspended. Not bad for a group that was expected to be the weak link.
But just about everything the Cowboys have done this season is a bit surprising. When you think they’re ready to stub their toe, they come up with a big play to turn a game around. Prescott entered a situation built to succeed and he hasn’t disappointed. Elliott leads the NFL in rushing and the Boys look unstoppable. The Steelers are struggling and Roethlisberger might need more time to feel comfortable following his knee surgery. I like the Cowboys on the road to come out on top, but they’ll play it close and the game falls below the total.
NFL Odds: Cowboys 24, Steelers 18
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