Game Info
Tom Benson Hall of Fame Game
Dallas Cowboys vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Thursday – August 5 – 7:00 pm
TV: FOX
Canton, OH
I attend a church in Kaufman, Texas. Every Sunday during football season, the First Lady of our church along with her sister Nedra and granddaughter Kobe will come to church in their Steelers jerseys, shoes and ear rings. On the other hand, Pastor John Weaver will have his Dallas Cowboys jersey on and will share with the congregation a Cowboys story. Well, this Thursday the teams face off in the 2021 Hall of Fame Game that will launch the 2021 NFL preseason and season. Even though this is a preseason game, this game is slated as the “Church Civil War Game!” Dallas’ defense gave up so many points last year, that Cowboys fans flipped the channel to watch a different game because the defense would give you a heartache if you watched them. Pittsburgh dropped 4 of their last 5 games to Cleveland (twice), Cincinnati and Buffalo before their season came to an end. Let’s take a look at both teams for this game.
Dallas Cowboys (0-0)
Dak Prescott is back and the offense looks great. There’s a chance that he might sit this game out because of a sore throwing shoulder. Back ups Garrett Gilbert, Cooper Rush and others will see significant time under center. RB Zeke Elliott has dropped 23 pounds and looks as if he’s back at Ohio State. Look for him to get a few touches on the first drive of the game, but don’t expect him to play long. The defense will be key! The defense got punished last year and seeing what they have on the side of the ball is the sole focus of why Dallas fans will be watching. Dallas has a lot to prove not only to themselves, but to fans and the world! Its a new year, last year was just a fluke!
Pittsburgh Steelers (0-0)
The Steelers are led by QB Ben Roethlisberger and he’s the leader of one of the best offenses in football. Head Coach Mike Tomlin is on his last leg in Pittsburgh and this might be his last year with the team. The Steelers has their own problems within the organization. This game is not only the start of the season, but the measuring stick for their offense and special teams. WR Ju-Ju Smith-Shuster resigned with the team and Chase Claypool will need to make plays down the field. They were 12-4 last season and still left their fans unsure of bringing another title back to the steel city. Keep an eye on the Steelers specials teams from the kicking game and punt coverage.
Prediction
The Steelers are bringing back the core of their defense this year. They will play those guys in the first and second quarter of this game. Dallas has new faces and talented defensive players both old and new. This game will be a defensive game from start to finish. Look for Dallas to play a competitive game, but lose this one to the Steelers. There’s no over/under for this one.
Final Score
Pittsburgh – 21
Dallas – 17
