2021 NFL Hall of Fame Game: Steelers vs. Cowboys & What To Watch For
Football is back!
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys, two of the iconic franchises in the NFL, are returning to action tonight to kick off the preseason in Canton for the Hall of Fame Game.
This special game also makes it return after the 2020 game was canceled due to the COIVD-19 pandemic. The game starts at 8 p.m. on the FOX channel.
With football returning after the five-month offseason, fans will be clamoring for all types of action. But behind the smoke of the festivities, tonight is the first look at some concerning issues for both squads.
In his first season as head coach for the Boys, Mike McCarthy went 6-10. Of course, Dak Prescott’s season-ending ankle injury in Week 5 had a lot to do with this, but it was their defense that was the most disappointing under now-fired Mike Nolan. They gave up the second-most rushing yards per game (158.8), absolutely getting torched by running backs all season long. They were the fifth worse team in total points scored on them (473 points), which was a franchise record. They were just bad period.
The Steelers had a good regular season, winning the AFC North with a 12-4 record but they had a quick demise in the postseason in the Wild Card round against their division rival Cleveland Browns. So what went wrong? The lost key starters on defense in Bud Dupree and Devin Bush to season-ending injuries which certainly hampered them down the road though they still finished No.3 in total defense. But what was worse than that for them was their horrid run game. They had the worst rushing attack in all of the NFL (84 YPG). Their line play was bad and the run scheme was non-existent. The run game was so bad they had to relegate themselves to Big Ben throwing over 30 times multiple games, which is too much at his age.
Now as we enter the new season we get to see how these coaches handle these issues.
What to watch for:
Pittsburgh went out and drafted who they think is an impact running back in Najee Harris who will be looking to be the bell cow for them. Coach Mike Tomlin will likely have the Alabama standout suit up tonight.
“He’s a rookie, he needs the process of game preparation, and then ultimately play,” said Tomlin. “We’ve got four opportunities for him to do that, and we’re going to make sure he participates in all four of those processes.”
Harris put up video game numbers during his time in Bama. He finished his time there leading the program in rushing (3,843 yards) and touchdowns (57). Steelers had a lot of re-tooling to their O-line after losing Maurkice Pouncey to retirement and Alejandro Villanueva to the Baltimore Ravens. They’ll practically have new starters in every position on the line. How Harris looks behind this line tonight will be telling for the Steelers season and if we’ll be getting the same poor rushing attack from 2020.
Steelers backup QB, Dwayne Haskins
Another thing Steelers fans should watch for is the play of offseason pickup Dwyane Haskins. After a bad stint with the Washington Football Team (still?) he gets to rebirth his career behind a future hall of fame quarterback and coach. If Haskins plays well they’ll have their answer at the quarterback position once Ben finally leaves. He is still young and the potential is there. Word on the street is he’s been on his best behavior for the black and yellow team so this payoff could be huge.
The Cowboys can only go up from last year. They get their QB back, though he’s a little banged up he should be ready for the start of the season. He won’t play tonight for obvious reasons, along with a bunch of other starters on both sides. But who will suit up is the Boys' first-round pick, Micah Parsons.
Cowboys first round pick, Micah Parsons
Cowboys needed to address the lack of pieces on D and that started with the Penn St. standout. Insiders have said Parsons has been great at training camp so far:
We’ll finally be able to see the 12th overall pick in action fully for the first time since 2019 after foregoing the 2020 college football season due to the pandemic.
More players to watch for will be the Boys' second-round pick, cornerback Kelvin Joseph and veteran Maurice Canady. Canady has been a stud at camp with his ball hawk skills snagging 4 INTs, something the Cowboys have struggled with for the past few seasons. They needed someone to replace Byron Jones and they did so in Trevon Diggs and now they might have found their answer to pair alongside him. Joseph certainly has the confidence that is needed for this defense after the secondary had a strong camp.
“We’re gonna fly around. No-fly zone. We’re gonna call it airplane mode. When y’all drop this interview, tell them, ‘Cowboys defense,’ Kelvin Joseph says, ‘airplane mode.’ You can’t throw. No-fly zone.”
Both these teams have a lot to prove this season and show and tell starts tonight on the gridiron.
