Quiet on Set: Cowboys’ silent count to be tested Week 5 vs Steelers

reidhanson

The Cowboys are no strangers to loud stadiums. They have to endure yearly matchups against the Giants in New Jersey and the Eagles in Philadelphia, in addition to oddly frequent pilgrimages to the noise chambers in Minnesota, Seattle and San Francisco. Playing on the road is part of the job and in many cases those road games change the job entirely.

Crowd noise is meant to stymie communication for opposing offenses. Snap counts, audibles and just about every other verbal communication on the field can be extremely difficult on the road. As such, offenses must learn to communicate through a series of gestures and motions to signal snap counts and audibles.

When allowed to communicate openly, the Cowboys have historically been one of the best teams in the NFL. Before their recent home losing streak, Dallas was undefeated within the confines of AT&T stadium. In 2023 they went 8-0 at home in the regular season, compared to just 4-5 on the road. They won their last eight home games of 2022. Crowd noise and its impact on the offense’s ability to communicate likely played a big part in that.

Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh is regarded as one of the loudest in the NFL. Ranking top 10 in decibel levels, the Cowboys will have their work cut out for them in Week 5.

And adding to the volume of this matchup is the rivalry between the two teams.

While players on the field may not feel it, fans in Pittsburgh certainly do. With bad blood going back 50 years, this is not just any old interconference matchup.

The primetime nature of Sunday Night Football also adds an element of fervor to the event. More time for day drinking in the parking lot often means an extra jolt of energy from the stands. Plus, the Steelers have started out the season 3-1 and currently have Dallas positioned as the underdogs. They smell blood in the water.

The stage has been set for this to be the Cowboys loudest game of the season, so for the sake of the offense, players better be prepared. Right tackle Terence Steele and left tackle Tyler Guyton will specifically be under extra pressure to avoid false starts in these silent count scenarios. The Cowboys can’t be giving away yards this week.

Dallas’ ability to survive the noise could make all the difference in this Week 5 showdown.

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