Nov 12, 2016 5 min read

PITTSBURGH – With a strong running game helping to protect a rookie quarterback, the Dallas Cowboys have rattled off seven consecutive wins.

That puts him six games behind Ben Roethlisberger’s rookie season, when he took over for an injured Tommy Maddox three games into the season and led the Steelers to 13 consecutive wins en route to a 15-1 season.

One of those victories was a 24-20 come-from-behind win at Dallas in which Roethlisberger completed 21 of 25 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

The Steelers (4-4) hope to avoid a similar situation today when they host the Cowboys (7-1) at Heinz Field.

“He’s been awesome,” said Roethlisberger. “I think very similar to what I had, he’s got a great running game and a good defense, a great defense. He’s not just managing games, he’s taking games over and doing some pretty awesome stuff. It’s fun to watch.”

Prescott, pressed into service when veteran starter Tony Romo suffered a fracture in his back during the preseason, already has led the Cowboys to a pair of fourth-quarter comebacks this season in wins over Washington and Philadelphia.

And though Romo is now healthy, much like when Maddox returned midway through the 2004 season from an elbow injury, the Cowboys aren’t in any hurry to replace the rookie in the lineup.

“When you’re just kind of rolling and you’re not losing games, it’s really hard to kind of change that position, especially,” Roethlisberger said. “Taking nothing away from Tony. He’s been doing it at a high level. But when you’re winning football games, it’s really hard to replace that one spot.”

Prescott has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 2,020 yards, 12 touchdowns and two interceptions but also has leaned heavily on the league’s best running game. Fellow rookie Ezekial Elliott leads the NFL with 891 yards rushing and keys a Dallas rushing attack that has not had fewer than 168 yards in each of its last six games.

“That good running game ends up making a good play-action scheme, boots, play-action passes, stuff like that. If you don’t handle the run very well, then their play-action is a lot more effective,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler. “And it gets people biting up on stuff, and he’s able to get the ball out to certain people. They’re doing a good job with their offense, what they’re calling and what they’re asking him to do.”

The Steelers need to find a way to get Roethlisberger and their offense working in a similar fashion.

Pittsburgh came into the season with a goal of averaging 30 points per game. The Steelers have done so in their four victories, scoring 35.3 points per game. In their losses, however, they have averaged 12 points.

“We have high, high expectations every time we take the field,” said offensive coordinator Todd Haley. “We need to go out and play at a high level. We didn’t do that here the last quarter (of the season). It’s time for us to get out there and play the way we are capable of playing.”

They’ll get an extra weapon into the lineup for the first time this season to possibly make that happen. Tight end Ladarius Green, the team’s top free agent acquisition in the offseason, was activated from the PUP List Saturday and will make his Pittsburgh debut. Green had been out while dealing with complications of an offseason ankle surgery.

Green has averaged 14.1 yards per catch in his career, nearly double that of what current starter Jesse James has provided for the Steelers this season. Dallas has allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 89 percent of their passes to the tight end this season, by far the worst in the league.

The Steelers have struggled to find a secondary downfield threat to help open up things for wide receiver Antonio Brown.

“When we’re functioning well, it’s because those potential other guys are producing plays,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. “It might not be a high-volume number of plays, but it’s significant plays.”

The Steelers will need some of those significant plays at home if they are to break a three-game losing streak that has put them at 4-4 for the second consecutive season at the midway point.

Pittsburgh rebounded last year to go 6-2 in the second half, something that began with a 38-35 win at home over upstart Oakland.

“We know the potential we have,” Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell said. “We’ve got to start living up to it week in and week out, home or on the road.”

Or, as Brown put it, “We just have to find a way to win.”

Roethlisberger needs 56 yards to reach 45,000 passing yards for his career. … Roethlisberger needs one TD pass to tie Johnny Unitas (290) for the 11th most scoring passes in NFL history. He needs to tie Warren Moon for 10th place. … Brown’s next touchdown will be the 50th of his career. Only five other players have that many in team history. … Center Maurkice Pouncey, who suffered a dislocated thumb in last week’s loss at Baltimore, is expected to play today.