Dramatic Dak: Cowboys Survive Steelers; Top 10 Whitty Observations

As the clock struck midnight in a bizarre game, the Dallas Cowboys side-stepped a horrible loss and into a dramatic win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at soggy, bleary-eyed Acrisure Stadium.

10. GREAT, LATE: In one of the latest endings to a game in franchise history, the Cowboys won on Dak Prescott's fourth-down, 4-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Tolbert with :20 remaining. The Cowboys tried their darndest to lose this game to an inferior opponent, but Prescott and running back Rico Dowdle bailed them out on the final play.

9. LOW WATTAGE - Steelers' star T.J. Watt got his 100th career sack in the first half, but he was totally invisible on Dallas' final two scoring drives of 16 and 15 plays in the fourth quarter. Given Cowboys' right tackle Terence Steele credit for shutting Watt down when it mattered most.

8. EIGHT(Y EIGHT) IS ENOUGH - Back in the day when hitting was allowed in football and replay challenges weren't, the Cowboys played in rain and snow and, yes, lightning. The 88-minute delay before kickoff has to be the longest in franchise history.

7. AWESOME AUBREY - The Cowboys won the coin toss and coach Mike McCarthy elected to receive to send a message. But, honestly, it's the same old message: Their best weapon is kicker Brandon Aubrey. He ended the opening possession with a 55-yard field goal, his NFL-record seventh consecutive game with a kick of 50+ yards.

6. ZEKE ZAPPED? - Before the game NBC's cameras caught Cowboys' running back Ezekiel Elliott struggling to to raise his right shoulder in order to put on his shoulder pads. During the game, Zeke carried only six times for 17 yards. But go ahead, Jerry Jones. Tell us again in dismissive terms that four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook isn't an option. The Cowboys' entered with one of the league's three-worst running games. though they did get a breakout performance from Dowdle with 87 yards rushing and a diving touchdown catch.

Related: WATCH: Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott Too Injured to Put on Shoulder Pads During Steelers Weather Delay?

5. ROUGH ON ROOKIES - Cowboys lost their top two draft picks - Tyler Guyton and Marshawn Kneeland - to significant knee injuries in the same (first) half. Ouch.

4. TACO VS. TJ - Watt recorded his 100th career sack and ended a Cowboys' first-quarter drive with a forced fumble of Dak Prescott. Meanwhile, the man the Cowboys selected two spots ahead of him in the 2017 NFL Draft - Taco Charlton - enjoyed another night off during his offseason as a member of the United Football League's Birmingham Stallions.

3. OH IS FOR OFFENSE - Once upon a time this rivalry featured Hall-of-Fame offensive players such as Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Lynn Swann and Emmitt Smith. Those times are long gone. The Cowboys last won a Super Bowl in the 1995 season; the Steelers in 2008. Void of generational stars, the teams combined for pnly 16 points before a wild fourth quarter. How involuntary conservative were the Cowboys? On 3rd-and-16 from Pittsburgh's 19 they called a fullback dive to Luepke. It gained four yards. A Top 10 rivalry classic, it wasn't.

Related: Rivalry Renewed: Cowboys-Steelers Top 10 All-Time Games

2. DEPLETED DEFENSE - While his predecessor Dan Quinn is the most popular man in D.C. for leading the Washington Commanders to a 4-1 start, Mike Zimmer is getting a lot of heat for the defense's uninspired play. But a banged-up unit grew more thin early in the game, when Kneeland was carted off with a knee injury. The Cowboys were already pass-rushers Sam Williams, Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, and cornerbacks DaRon Bland and Caelen Carson. Wasn't much better on offense, where on one fourth-quarter drive - thanks to Zack Martin briefly leaving with a cramp - the guards were T.J. Bass and Brock Hoffman

1. GREAT ESCAPE - The Cowboys somehow won a road game against a 3-1 team despite committing three turnovers, 11 penalties and having a field goal blocked. Thanks to one play - Prescott's perfect throw and Tolbert's tough catch - an inexcusable loss turned into a gritty win.