The six-play, 75-yard scoring drive in 2:22 included completions to Smith-Schuster for 20, 20 and 9 yards prior to the touchdown pass (Ebron was penalized 10 yards for holding and the Cowboys 5 yards for offside on the march).
Dallas improved a four-point halftime cushion to 10 by turning consecutive third-quarter possessions into field goals by kicker Greg Zuerlein.
The first, from 45 yards out, increased the Cowboys’ lead to 16-9 with 10:17 left in the third.
The second, a 39-yard effort with 2:13 left in the third, gave Dallas a 19-9 advantage.
The Steelers turned their final two possessions of the first half into nine points and headed to the locker room at halftime trailing, 13-9.
Boswell’s franchise-record 59-yard field goal closed the second quarter.
Boswell missed wide left on a 54-yard attempt with two seconds left in the quarter but the Steelers were guilty of a false start. Boswell backed up 5 yards and this time split the uprights.
The Steelers had regained possession at the Dallas 39-yard line 52 seconds before the half on a forced fumble by nickel cornerback Cam Sutton and a recovery by Fitzpatrick.
The Steelers first got on the board on a 17-yard touchdown pass from
Roethlisberger to wide receiver James Washington 1:10 prior to intermission. Boswell missed the extra point attempt wide left and the Cowboys led, 13-6.
Roethlisberger limped to the locker room after the touchdown pass favoring his left knee.
Backup Mason Rudolph directed the subsequent four-play field goal drive and completed two of three passes for 3 yards.
The Cowboys grabbed a 3-0 lead on a 38-yard field goal by Zuerlein that ended a 12-play, 65-yard drive in 6:47 on Dallas’ first possession.
The Cowboys upped their lead to 10-0 on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Gilbert to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and a Zuerlein extra point with 7:45 left in the second. The scoring strike wrapped up an eight-play, 65-yard drive in 3:41.
Dallas turned a throwback on a punt return that went for 73 yards after an illegal block penalty had been enforced into a 44-yard field goal by Zuerlein and a 13-0 lead with 3:46 left in the second.