The idiom “a knee jerk reaction” means that you respond to something in an equally unthinking way. That’s something as sports fans that we typically do, and if it’s in an unthinking way then I definitely qualify. Knee jerks apply especially if you are a full blood Yinzer, or even just a part Yinzer, who am I fooling it’s more like if you are a Steeler fan in general. As is the custom, I compile my knee-jerk thoughts and publish them immediately after each Steelers game (my son Kyle or nephew Warren might have a few things to say as well). It’s my version of running my mouth first and apologizing later (if at all). So with that being said, it’s time to react to the Steelers Week 5 against the Cowboys. Let’s get this going, HERE……WE……GO!!!

1st Quarter

• What fun. Let’s delay the game for an hour and a half because of thunderstorms. It’s going to be a late night.
• Steelers kickoff, give a big return and had a formation penalty on top of it.
• There was nobody covering the tight end. How do you leave a guy that open?
• The defense holds, Dallas to attempt a 50 plus yard field goal. It’s good. Cowboys 3, Steelers 0.
• Great effort by Connor Heyward, but he couldn’t come up with the deep throw.
• Was it me or did Fields move Najee into position to be able to catch that ball and make a nice play on third down.
• Not a fan of the running play on third down and seven. The Steelers will attempt a field goal. Boswell nails it. Steelers 3, Cowboys 3.
• It took a while for the flag on that third down play, but they’re going to get Prescott for grounding. That’s a three and aht.
• And there comes the Fields fumble. But somehow Fields is able to get on it again.
• Dallas is challenging that Fields recovered the ball. From what I’m seeing Fields scooped it away and Dallas should lose this challenge.
• And as predicted Dallas lost the challenge.
• Fields just not looking himself right now. Steelers to punt.
• Nick Herbig just blew up that run play.
• On third down the Steelers just rush four, don’t get home and give up the big play.
• If the Steelers are going to play that soft the zone on CeeDee Lamb, it’s going to be a long night.
• Herbig and Watt have a meeting at the quarterback! They force a fumble and Nick Herbig recovers it for the Steelers!
• What a great play for the Steelers to end the first quarter. Steelers 3, Cowboys 3.

2nd Quarter

• After a nice first down run, Mt. Washington gets flagged for a false start.
• Steelers faced with a third down. They need to convert this.
• And the Steelers get flagged for another false start.
• And the Steelers take a sack. They will punt.
• The Steelers needed to do something with that turnover instead of going 3 and out.
• Steelers get flagged for a face mask, and now the Cowboys are in Steelers territory.
• Beanie Bishop looked awful on that play. He had no clue where the ball was and nobody was guarding the tight end.
• Dallas in the red zone.
• The defense holds and forces a field goal try. It’s good. Cowboy 6, Steelers 3.
• The Steelers are faced with a fourth down at midfield. Looks to be about a foot to a foot and a half.
• Finally, they use Muth on the tush push to pick up the first down.
• Najee running tough.
• Not a fan of the second down run call. Steelers will face another third down. You know a play action would be nice once in a while on second down.
• Fields tries to force a ball that really shouldn’t have been thrown. Steelers will punt.
• The Steelers continue on third down to just rush four and play soft zone and they get absolutely torched.
• Donte Jackson interception!! The Steelers take over but they are really backed up near the goal line.
• The Steelers should be losing this game by a lot more if it weren’t for the two Dallas turnovers.
• That’s the half. Cowboys 6, Steelers 3.

3rd Quarter

• Fields currently out of the game. That was a pretty tough hit he took to the chin with a helmet.
• Muuuth!!!!
• Van Jefferson with back-to-back catches.
• Open, Heyward, Touchdown!
• Boswell squeaks the extra point inside the right upright. Steelers 10, Cowboys 6.
• Steelers get Dallas to a third down and again rush four and get gashed in the zone, when are they going to dial up something different?
• Watt and Herbig have another meeting at the quarterback.
• The defense holds and Dallas will attept another field goal.
• It’s blocked!
• Loudermilk with the block!
• Nice screen to Najee!
• The offense stalls at midfield. This was the chance for them to really put their stamp on this game and they didn’t do it.
• The Steelers finally get the Cowboys to another third down. Do we take a guess that they rush four and play soft behind it?
• And it was just as I called it.
• The defense finally gets some pressure on a third down, but Beanie Bishop gets called for a hold. Defense stays on the field.
• End of the third quarter. Steelers 10, Cowboys 6.

4th Quarter

• The Steelers open up the fourth quarter by giving up a touchdown pass to the running back. He was way wide open.
• Elliott fell down on the play.
• Cowboys 13, Steelers 10.
• That second down pass was nowhere near the receiver.
• Fields gets hit on the 3rd down play and it falls incomplete. The Steelers will punt. The offense is pathetic right now.
• The defense just got to Renegade. Now they need to do something.
• This time on 3rd down and six Dallas runs it and gains 10 yards. The Steelers just can’t get off the field on 3rd down.
• Dallas is now doing to the Steelers what the Steelers like to do. They are now going to just start running the ball down the Steelers throat.
• Prescott throws deep and JPJ picks it off!
• Someone needs to let the Steelers know that it’s okay to pick up first downs without going to third down first.
• Fields runs it on third down, but he’s so busy trying to slow down behind Dan Moore Jr. that he gets tackled instead of making sure he gets the first down.
• The toss sweeps to Najee are getting old. They aren’t working.
• I like the play design on third down, but Heyward doesn’t hold on to the ball.
• The Steelers are going for it on 4th down. Second effort from Najee picks up the first.
• The Steelers on third down and one complete a nice play but there’s a flag. Luckily both flags on the play were on Dallas.
• The Steelers have a first and goal.
• Shovel to Muth! TOUCHDOWN!
• Extra point is good. Steelers 17, Cowboys 13.
• Come on Steelers stop the run!
• Not liking this. The defense is looking worn out
• Dallas has been billed as a team that can’t run the ball. They don’t look like that against the Steelers, as the Steelers look like they’re a team that can’t stop the run.
• Third down and nine and instead of keeping the player short Donte Jackson tries to undercut the throw and gives up a first down.
• Cowboys set up with a first and goal. The Steelers are going to lose in back-to-back weeks because the defense can’t win the game.
• You win the turnover battle 3 to 0, you block a field goal, and still find a way to lose the game.
• The Steelers force a fumble, but Dallas is able to recover it.
• Fourth and goal Dallas.
• Dallas takes a time out. And the game comes down to this play. And then the Steelers take a time out.
• Touchdown Dallas. The Steelers have figured out a way to lose this game. Pitiful is the only word that comes to my mind right now.
• Cowboys 20, Steelers 17.
• The worst part is I had to stay up extra late to watch this.
• At some point the Steelers are going to have to start thinking about rushing more than four guys.
• The Steelers are playing too conservative of football right now. They need to try to win games instead of just trying not to lose them.

Once again, I just fired off what was going through my head at the time. All reactions were in real time. Basically, it is the equivalent of watching the game with a me and Kyle (Warren too), you just don’t have to go to another room because of my screaming at the television (sometimes Kyle leaves the room). Now time to process it, some quick analyzing for the Scho Bro Show, and then put it behind me so I can ready myself for the Week 6 matchup in Vegas against the Raiders. Make sure you get your voice heard in the comments below.