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Who plays on Sunday Night Football? Breaking down Week 5 matchup

tom viera, usa today
·4 min read

NBC featured a possible AFC Championship matchup in Week 4 of its "Sunday Night Football" schedule. In Week 5, we will witness a battle between two of the NFL's more storied franchises.

The Dallas Cowboys are on the road in Week 5 to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in a "Sunday Night Football" battle. Pittsburgh and Dallas have met in the Super Bowl three times and are the top two in overall wins since the 1970 NFL merger. The Steelers have the most at 517, and Dallas follows with 497.

The Cowboys will be on the road in primetime for the second consecutive week after they defeated the New York Giants 20-15 on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 4.

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Meanwhile, the Steelers were handed their first loss of the season in Week 4 against the Indianapolis Colts, 27-24.

The Steelers have been terrific to start 2024, and a win over Dallas in primetime will show them to be legitimate contenders.

Here's everything to know about the "Sunday Night Football" matchup for Week 5.

Who plays on Sunday Night Football tonight?

The Steelers (3-1) are hosting the Cowboys (2-2) in NBC's fifth "Sunday Night Football" broadcast of the season. Pittsburgh enters the game favored to win, but Dallas presents a difficult challenge.

Each roster has many injuries on both sides of the ball heading into Week 5. The Cowboys will be without wide receiver Brandin Cooks. Pass rushers Demarcus Lawrence (IR) and Micah Parsons will also be out on defense after they suffered injuries in Week 4 against the Giants. These injuries are significant because the Steelers' offensive line is extremely banged up.

Steelers starting right guard James Daniels tore his Achilles in Week 4 and will join fellow offensive linemen Nate Herbig, Troy Fautanu, and Dylan Cook on injured reserve. Starting left guard Isaac Seumalo has missed the first four games; however, he could return to play against the Cowboys. The Steelers have started a different five-man offensive line combination three times in the first four weeks.

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Pittsburgh has been the model of consistency for nearly two decades, managing 17 consecutive seasons with a .500 record or better. The Steelers’ determination and grit to win games is displayed weekly, spearheaded by head coach Mike Tomlin.

Tomlin has announced that Justin Fields will start his fifth consecutive game for Pittsburgh as Russell Wilson continues to recover from a calf injury he suffered in training camp.

The Steelers’ defense was bolstered this offseason with the addition of former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen. Pittsburgh has a handful of blue-chip players on that side of the ball, including T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward up front and Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joey Porter Jr. in the secondary.

Steelers defensive end T.J. Watt is a player to watch on "SNF." Watt played all 17 games last season, finishing with a league-high 19 sacks. He was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year behind Myles Garrett, and some believe he was snubbed from the award. He has led the league in sacks three times in his career.

The Cowboys' offense was a juggernaut last season but hasn't quite replicated that in 2024. They are dead last in rushing yards per game and have leaned heavily on Dak Prescott's right arm. CeeDee Lamb will continue to be the focal point of the offense.

The winner of this game can springboard their momentum through the middle part of the season and have playoff implications at the end of the regular season.

What time is the NFL game tonight?

  • Date: Sunday, October 6

  • Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

The Steelers vs. Cowboys game will start at 8:20 p.m. ET, the typical start time for most of NBC's "Sunday Night Football" broadcasts during the 2024 NFL season. Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analysis), and Melissa Starks (field reporter) are on the game call.

NBC will also begin showing its pregame show, "Football Night In America," at 7 p.m. ET. Maria Taylor will host the program alongside NBC talents, including Jason Garrett, Tony Dungy, Devin McCourty, and Matthew Berry.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

What channel is Sunday Night Football on tonight?

"Sunday Night Football" will air on NBC in 2024, just as it has since the network bought the rights to the program in 2006.

Cord-cutters can still catch the game using NBC's streaming service, Peacock, or Fubo, which offers a free trial.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who plays on Sunday Night Football? Game, start time for Week 5