Fans love to ask one simple question after a big game: who played best? When the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers meet, the question feels even bigger. These two teams have a long history, and many fans still remember their three Super Bowl games.
In this article, we look at the player stats from the most recent meeting between the two teams. We also look at a few older games, the full series record, and some simple tips for reading box scores. Everything here comes from official team pages and well known football record sites, which are listed at the end.
The Latest Game: Cowboys 20, Steelers 17
The last time the two teams played was on Sunday, October 6, 2024, in Week 5 of the NFL season. The game was at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, and the Cowboys won 20-17.
Here is how the points came in each quarter, according to the official Steelers box score:
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 3 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 20 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
The game was close for most of the day. The Steelers led going into the last quarter, but the Cowboys scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to win.
Team Stats at a Glance
The final score was close, but the team numbers were not. Dallas gained far more yards than Pittsburgh.
| Stat | Cowboys | Steelers |
|---|---|---|
| Total net yards | 445 | 226 |
| Penalties | 11 | 8 |
| Penalty yards | 87 | 50 |
| Time of possession | 32:29 | 27:31 |
The Cowboys had the ball for almost five more minutes. They also gained nearly twice as many yards. Still, they only won by three points. That is a good reminder that yards do not always show who is ahead. The Cowboys also threw two interceptions, and that kept the Steelers in the game.
Cowboys Player Stats
Dak Prescott, Quarterback
Dak Prescott had a big day through the air. He completed 29 of 42 passes for 352 yards. He threw 2 touchdown passes, but he also threw 2 interceptions. He ran the ball once for 3 yards.
So how should we judge his day? Many fans would say he played well, because 352 yards is a lot. But two interceptions can hurt a team, and the Steelers’ defense made him pay at times. Both things are true.
The Receivers
Prescott shared the ball with many players. Here are the Cowboys’ receiving numbers:
| Player | Catches | Yards | Longest | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Tolbert | 7 | 87 | 48 | 1 |
| Jake Ferguson | 6 | 70 | 27 | 0 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 5 | 62 | 27 | 0 |
| KaVontae Turpin | 4 | 50 | 34 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | 2 | 27 | 22 | 1 |
| Brevyn Spann-Ford | 2 | 20 | 13 | 0 |
| Hunter Luepke | 1 | 18 | 18 | 0 |
| Jalen Brooks | 1 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
| Luke Schoonmaker | 1 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
Jalen Tolbert led the team in both catches and yards, and he scored a touchdown. His longest catch was 48 yards, the biggest play of the group. Jake Ferguson, a tight end, also had a strong day with 6 catches for 70 yards.
CeeDee Lamb is the team’s best known receiver, but he did not lead the team in yards on this day. He caught 5 passes for 62 yards. Lamb also ran the ball once for 2 yards. This shows that one star does not need huge numbers for a team to win. Prescott spread the ball around, and that made the offense harder to stop.
The Running Game
The Cowboys ran the ball 31 times for 109 yards in total. Here are the main runners:
| Player | Carries | Yards | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rico Dowdle | 20 | 87 | 13 |
| Ezekiel Elliott | 6 | 17 | 5 |
| Hunter Luepke | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Dak Prescott | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| CeeDee Lamb | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| KaVontae Turpin | 1 | -6 | -6 |
Rico Dowdle did most of the work. He carried the ball 20 times for 87 yards, which is about 4.4 yards each time. He also caught a touchdown pass. That makes him one of the busiest and most useful Cowboys players in this game.
Look at the last line of the table. KaVontae Turpin lost 6 yards on his one run. A negative number like this is normal in football, and it just means the player was tackled behind the line where the play began.
Steelers Player Stats
Justin Fields, Quarterback
Justin Fields led the Steelers’ offense. He completed 15 of 27 passes for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions. That last number matters. Pittsburgh did not turn the ball over through the air, while Dallas threw two interceptions.
Fields also ran the ball 6 times for 27 yards. Quarterbacks who can run give a defense one more thing to worry about. Another Steelers quarterback, Kyle Allen, completed his only pass for 19 yards.
Put together, the Steelers’ passers completed 16 of 28 passes for 150 yards. That is much lower than the 352 yards Prescott threw for. But Pittsburgh made its passes count with two touchdowns.
The Receivers
Pittsburgh spread the ball around too. No Steelers player caught more than three passes.
| Player | Catches | Yards | Longest | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Najee Harris | 2 | 35 | 20 | 0 |
| Van Jefferson | 3 | 26 | 11 | 0 |
| George Pickens | 3 | 26 | 21 | 0 |
| Connor Heyward | 2 | 23 | 16 | 1 |
| Pat Freiermuth | 3 | 22 | 19 | 1 |
| Brandon Johnson | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 |
| C. Austin | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Darnell Washington | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
The two touchdown catches went to Connor Heyward and tight end Pat Freiermuth. George Pickens, one of the team’s best known receivers, had 3 catches for 26 yards. Najee Harris, a running back, actually had the most receiving yards on the team with 35.
The Running Game
The Steelers ran the ball 26 times for 92 yards.
| Player | Carries | Yards | Longest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Najee Harris | 14 | 42 | 6 |
| Justin Fields | 6 | 27 | 8 |
| A. Shampklin | 4 | 14 | 5 |
| J. Ward | 2 | 9 | 7 |
Najee Harris carried the ball 14 times for 42 yards, an average of 3 yards a carry. That is not a big number, but it is steady work. Running backs often help a team by taking time off the clock, even when they do not break long runs.
Please note that the official box score lists some Steelers players by first initial only, such as A. Shampklin, J. Ward and C. Austin. To keep the facts correct, this article uses the names exactly as the box score shows them. You can check them on the Steelers website, which is linked at the end.
So, Who Played Best?
There is no single right answer, but here is a fair way to look at it.
Best Cowboys player by yards: Dak Prescott, with 352 passing yards. He also had two touchdown passes, but his two interceptions are a weak point.
Best Cowboys runner: Rico Dowdle, with 87 yards on 20 carries and a touchdown catch.
Best Cowboys receiver: Jalen Tolbert, with 7 catches, 87 yards and a touchdown.
Best Steelers player: Justin Fields, because he threw 2 touchdowns, did not throw an interception and added 27 yards on the ground.
If you want a short answer, many fans would pick Prescott for his big yardage and Fields for taking care of the ball. The Cowboys won, so in the end Dallas had the better day as a team.
Older Games Worth Remembering
The 2024 game is not the only one with good stats. Here are a few older meetings that fans still talk about.
Super Bowl X (January 1976)
The Steelers beat the Cowboys 21-17. Steelers receiver Lynn Swann was named the game’s most valuable player. He caught four passes for 161 yards and a touchdown, which was a Super Bowl record at the time.
Super Bowl XIII (January 1979)
The Steelers won again, 35-31, in a game full of big plays. It was Pittsburgh’s third Super Bowl title.
Super Bowl XXX (January 1996)
This time Dallas won 27-17 in Tempe, Arizona. It gave the Cowboys their fifth Super Bowl title.
November 20, 1977
The Steelers won 28-13. Franco Harris ran 61 yards for a touchdown, and he scored again on a 2-yard run in the same game. Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach completed 18 of 36 passes for 230 yards, but he threw two interceptions. Tony Dorsett ran 17 times for 73 yards and scored a touchdown for Dallas.
October 28, 1979
The Steelers won 14-3. Franco Harris scored twice again, once from 1 yard out and once from 48 yards.
December 16, 2012
This game was a thriller. Dallas won 27-24 in overtime. Tony Romo threw touchdown passes to Jason Witten and Dez Bryant. Ben Roethlisberger answered with touchdown passes to Heath Miller and Antonio Brown for Pittsburgh. Kicker Dan Bailey ended the game with a 21-yard field goal in overtime.
The Full Series Record
According to Wikipedia’s page on the rivalry, the two teams have met 34 times, and the Cowboys lead the series 18-16. That includes three Super Bowls. In the regular season only, the Cowboys lead 17-14. The Steelers lead the Super Bowl meetings 2-1.
A few more facts from the same page:
- The first game was on September 10, 1960. The Steelers won 35-28.
- The biggest Cowboys win was 52-21 in 1966.
- The biggest Steelers win was 37-7 in 1961.
- The Cowboys once won seven games in a row against the Steelers, from 1965 to 1972.
- The Steelers once won five in a row, from 1976 to 1982.
You may see different totals on other websites. Some sites count only regular season games, and some count the Super Bowls too. Always check which games a record includes before you share it.
How to Read a Football Box Score
If box scores look confusing, here is a short guide. These are the short names you will see most often.
- CP/ATT: Completions and attempts. A quarterback with 29/42 completed 29 of 42 passes.
- YDS: Yards gained.
- TD: Touchdowns.
- INT: Interceptions. For a quarterback, this is a pass caught by the other team, which is bad.
- ATT (in rushing): Carries, or how many times a player ran with the ball.
- LNG: The longest single play for that player.
- REC: Receptions, or catches.
A quick trick: divide yards by carries or catches to find the average. For example, Rico Dowdle ran 20 times for 87 yards. That is 87 divided by 20, which is about 4.4 yards each time.
Where to Find Reliable Player Stats
Not every stats page is correct, and some sites copy each other’s mistakes. These sources are a safe place to start:
- Official team websites. The Steelers and Cowboys both publish box scores for every game.
- Pro Football Reference. It has box scores going back many years, including the old games from the 1970s.
- ESPN and Covers. These sites show game leaders, team stats and records in an easy layout.
If two sites show different numbers, the official team box score is usually the one to trust.
Final Thoughts
The Cowboys vs Steelers rivalry is not played every year, so each game feels special. In the 2024 meeting, Dallas won with a big passing day from Dak Prescott and steady running from Rico Dowdle. Pittsburgh stayed close because Justin Fields threw two touchdowns and kept the ball safe.
When you read player stats, remember that numbers tell only part of the story. A quarterback with fewer yards can still help his team win by avoiding mistakes. Check the box score, think about the whole game, and enjoy the next big meeting between these two famous teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the last Cowboys vs Steelers game?
The Cowboys won the most recent meeting that I could find. It took place on October 6, 2024, at Acrisure Stadium, and Dallas won 20-17. For the newest news, check the NFL schedule on an official site.
Who has won more games, the Cowboys or the Steelers?
Based on the rivalry page on Wikipedia, the Cowboys lead the all-time series 18-16 across 34 games. If you only count regular season games, the Cowboys lead 17-14. The Steelers have the better record in the Super Bowl, where they won two of the three meetings.
Which player had the most passing yards in the last game?
Dak Prescott of the Cowboys had the most passing yards. He threw for 352 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Justin Fields of the Steelers threw for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions.
