The Pittsburgh Steelers are gearing up for the 2024 regular season, and with it being the team’s fourth game fans’ hopes remain high heading into the second quarter of the season. The hope is there is a winning performance on the horizon on Sunday in Week 5 when the team hosts the Dallas Cowboys in prime time in Week 5.

What exactly do the Steelers need to do to on defense to claim their fourth victory of 2024? Let’s break it down…

Defense

Force Long 3rd Downs

The Dallas Cowboys offense is the strength of their team, and their passing game is certainly their preferred method of moving the ball. Throughout the season the Cowboys have averaged 255.5 yards per game through the air (4th), with just 75.3 yards on the ground (32nd). The Steelers defense cannot allow the Cowboys to get into a rhythm and create manageable down and distances. Having Dak Prescott in those obvious pass situations will help players like T.J. Watt pin their ears back and get after the quarterback. To date, the Cowboys have surrendered 10 sacks this season, and if the Steelers can increase that number it will be a big boosts for the team looking for their 4th win.

Take It Away

It’s been two games since the Steelers have had a takeaway, and the lack of splash plays on defense have been noticeable. Dallas has only turned the ball over three times, 2 INTs and 1 Fumble, and if the Steelers want to win this game at home in prime time they’ll need the defense to step up and take the ball away. After two weeks the Steelers defense was atop the league in turnover differential, but the takeaways have dried up. Need to get back on that takeaway track.

Keep Them Off The Board

Having a goal of keeping the opposition off the field is both general and obvious. However, the Cowboys 24.3 points per game ranks tied for 11th in the league. The Cowboys are converting on 40% of their 3rd downs and 55.5% of Red-Zone trips. This offense knows how to put points on the board. If the Steelers were going to have a bend-don’t-break performance, this would certainly be one which would benefit the Steelers trying to get back into the win column.

I talk about this, and MUCH more on the “Let’s Ride”, and you can hear that podcast in the player below this article. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they gear up for game time!