4 biggest causes of concern for Steelers vs. Cowboys Week 9

Ezekiel Elliott

I went back and forth with putting Ezekiel Elliott on this list. The former top-five pick has become one of the best all-around runners in the league, but the loss of a legitimate quarterback along with constantly playing from behind has given him some lean production recently. On top of this, he will be facing one of the best rushing defenses in the league, meaning his road to success seems narrow.

Go back to their matchup four years ago though, and Elliot was the single reason that the Steelers lost that matchup. Elliot totaled over 200 total yards and scored three times en route to a Cowboys 35-30 victory over the Steelers. While these are two entirely different teams playing now, underestimating Elliot could lead to the Steelers repeating their defensive woes from 2016. As well, the bout with the Ravens last week showed that the teams rush defense is not imperviable.

While the Steelers’ primary focus should be stopping Elliot given the issues the Cowboys have at quarterback, considering him an easy stop would be a mistake. In their last matchup, Elliot carried the Cowboys, and they will likely look for him to do it again. If the Steelers can effectively shut down Elliot, this win should become even easier. If they can’t, a repeat of 2016 could be in store.