Elliott was inches away from keeping Tolbert out of the end zone, only a bevy of the Steelers was beaten by Prescott by inches, leading to a rally that would have decided this game.

“I just hit him and saw the ball out and I knew I couldn’t get to him,” Roberts said. “It is what it is.”

What it is now is a two-game losing streak that followed the team's three-game winning streak, leaving the Steelers at 3-2.

Those weren't the only pieces inches away from completion.

On the Steelers' first possession of the game, Justin Fields threw 6-foot-7 tight end Darnell Washington to 6-foot-1 safety Malik Hooker on a play that would have at least put the ball in Dallas 10.

“I think I just threw it too hot, to be honest,” Fields said. “He’s a big body. 28 was pretty tight in cover, but he had no eyes back. So I probably could have set it lower. The worst thing that would have happened would have been a DPI or an incomplete pass, which it was. So.” I just have to give him more chances, that's what I told him.

Later in the game, Fields missed a wide-open Najee Harris alone down the sideline on a wheel route that would have resulted in a score had Fields seen it.

Defensively, Prescott threw a few passes for first downs on third down, which were plays that the defense had just about got its ceiling on, no bigger than a 27-yard toss to CeeDee Lamb down the sideline between two defenders on third down and 14.

But the Cowboys made just enough plays, even one more than the Steelers, to clinch the victory.

“I have to get through traffic,” Elliott said. “They ran a man-beater. The man-beater beat the man. I have to get through traffic. I met someone else so I took his man because I thought I could get him. I should have overdone it.” . You win some, you lose some. You make some games and you don't.

The good news is that the Steelers have been close enough over the last two weeks to win games in which they haven't played their best. The bad news is that they didn't make the plays necessary to secure the wins.

• Most disappointing was that the Steelers didn't do well the things that led them to their 3-0 start, especially the free football.

The defense struggled to get off the field. The offense had trouble hanging on.

The Cowboys were 9 of 15 on third down. The Steelers were 3 of 12.

Both teams also converted fourth downs. Dallas did it once, the Steelers did it twice.

However, when you lose turnovers by a margin of two to one – in this case 10 to 5 – it becomes difficult to win.

But still, much like last week's loss in Indianapolis, this game was there for the Steelers to win – if they made just one more play.

“If you look at this game, there weren't a lot of ups and downs. It was kind of a roller coaster ride,” Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “We had good plays, bad plays. I think if you watch this game you'll kill yourself The Horse. They gutted one too. You were on the right page.