Sunday's fascinating, drama-packed tilt between the Cowboys and Steelers ultimately boiled down to Pittsburgh trying to stop one man: Ezekiel Elliott.
No chance.
With just nine seconds left in a wild, back-and-forth tilt, the Dallas rookie runner shot through Pittsburgh's defense for a 32-yard touchdown that sealed the Cowboys' 35-30 win.
"It parted like the Red Sea. All I had to do was run," Elliott said after the game, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Behind the NFL's grittiest offensive line, Elliott had pounded away at Pittsburgh all afternoon. Along with an 83-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the first quarter, the shoe-in Rookie of the Year candidate lined up for his game-winning gallop averaging a healthy 3.9 yards per rush *before* contact on 21 attempts, per ESPN.
All afternoon, Elliott threatened to eventually break free. That happened at the perfect time for Dallas, with the former Ohio State star encountering a wide-open, Steeler-free meadow on his final attempt. Where was Pittsburgh?
"We really were just trying to run the ball, run the time down and kick the game-winning field goal," Elliott said. "But (the Steelers) ended up bringing the pressure. They lost the gap, and the O-line picked it up perfectly."
In a game that left Pittsburgh pointing fingers and asking questions, no doubt was cast about the sensational skills of Elliott, a player operating as a full-blown MVP for a club now boasting the NFL's best record.
