Cowboys Next: Matt Ryan, Jonathan Taylor, Colts Blow Comeback vs. Steelers on MNF
As far as the first half was concerned, if Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons was watching Monday Night Football, he had to like what he's seeing.
And by the time the game was over? Critics who wonder why NFL teams can't figure out how to manage the clock were also entertained.
The Steelers' 24-17 win over the Colts drops Indy to 4-7-1 ... and to 1-2 since Saturday took over as interim head coach. That group will be at AT&T Stadium to take on the 8-3 Cowboys on Sunday night.
One storyline for the week: How the final drive, led by QB Matt Ryan, saw the Colts run out of time ... wasting 36 seconds after one play and 29 seconds after another ... with Saturday (or Ryan or anybody) realizing the value of using timeouts to aid the possession.
"I thought we had plenty of time," Saturday said. "We still had timeouts. I wasn't really concerned.
"This wasn't a press for time. We just didn't make enough plays."
He's wrong about the first point, but right about the second ... and the Cowboys' next-up concern will be to continue to corral those playmakers.
Meaning mostly running back Jonathan Taylor, who ended up with 86 yards here.
They now stumble into Dallas to face the Cowboys on Sunday night against a defense - led by Parsons - that is nearly certain to present even more problems for a quarterback like Ryan, who hardly presents any worries as a dual-threat difference-maker.
With a little under eight minutes left in the first half Monday, Ryan was 0 of 4 passing with one interception and a sack.
Ryan finished the half 5 of 13 for 36 yards, as the lack of production can be attributed to the constant duress that he was under. It's been a theme for Ryan this season, who, despite being benched for two games, was still tied for the fifth-most sacks taken (29) this season entering the weekend.
Enter Parsons, who is coming off another multi-sack performance in a 28-20 win over the New York Giants on Thanksgiving. He's now up to 12 sacks this season - the second-most in the league - and is in real position to add to that total against a sack-happy Ryan.
And the best part? (Or worst if you're the Colts). The Cowboys are the runaway leader in sacks (45), as pass-rushers like DeMarcus Lawrence, Dorance Armstrong and Dante Fowler Jr. have all totaled five-plus sacks this season.
The Cowboys and Colts kickoff from AT&T Stadium on Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT. ... a chance for Dallas to continue its holiday feast.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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