Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: Betting spread, weather forecast, storylines and more

Injuries and a sturdy opponent will test the Dallas Cowboys (2-2) on Sunday night when they play at the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) in a primetime contest between two of the NFL's most iconic franchises. Get television details for the game at this link , and check betting lines, storylines and more below:

The spread: The Steelers are favored by 2.5 points ( via FanDuel )

Money lines: Steelers (-154); Cowboys (+130)

Kick-time forecast:

Injury reports: Defensive end Micah Parsons (ankle) and wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) are out for the Cowboys, while three of their defensive players are questionable. Read more here.

Storylines:

Over the past ten days, the Cowboys have lost Pro Bowl defensive ends Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence (foot sprain) and 11th-year veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee infection) to injuries. And while one Pro Bowl cornerback, DaRon Bland, remains on injured reserve, starters Trevon Diggs (ankle) and Caelen Carson (shoulder) are questionable to play against the Steelers. Entering a stretch of games against quality opponents, the Cowboys will play on the road far from full strength and face the type of challenge that could alter the trajectory of their season.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is a Pittsburgh area native who jump-started his career as an assistant with the Pitt Panthers in the late 1980s and early 90s. As he returns home, his tenure in Dallas approaches an inflection point — the Cowboys need to soon begin building momentum in order for McCarthy, in the final year of his contract, to feel assured about his future with the team. The Steelers are one of two NFL teams McCarthy has never beaten in a regular-season game as a head coach (along with his former team, the Packers), but McCarthy earned the biggest victory of his career over his hometown squad when he led Green Bay to a win over Pittsburgh in the 2011 Super Bowl.

The Cowboys and Steelers are the only NFL franchises to square off three times in Super Bowls — Pittsburgh won two of the matchups in the 1970s; Dallas got revenge in 1996 — and the teams remain among the most recognizable brands in sports. More recently, the Cowboys and Steelers have played five straight games decided by seven or fewer points, including a 2016 game in which then-rookie quarterback Dak Prescott led Dallas to a thrilling road win in Pittsburgh that helped cement his place as the face of the franchise.

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