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Michael Ainsworth / Associated Press
The NFL preseason is back, with the kick-off of two legendary franchises that will take the field at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday night. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys opened things up for 2021 with the annual Hall of Fame game.
Few stars have taken the field, and there hasn’t exactly been a flurry of goals – Pittsburgh won 16-3. However, this was the first real gaming action of the season, and the Steelers and Cowboys learned a bit more about themselves during the contest and may have gotten a glimpse of future stars in the process. road.
Here are our biggest takeaways from the 2021 NFL Hall of Fame game.
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Keith Srakocic / Associated press
Several of the Steelers’ starters missed Thursday’s preseason opener, but second-year spreader Chase Claypool was in the lineup early. The Pittsburgh rookie in 2020 didn’t disappoint.
Claypool showed both his speed and road racing skills in the first half. He caught three of four targets for 62 yards, including a 45-yard reception from quarterback Mason Rudolph. There was a brief scare as he arrived injured on the long take, but it looked like he was just being rocked by an awkward landing.
“I grabbed it and had to dive in to catch it,” ESPN said. Brooke pryor tweeted. “Tried getting up and running a few more yards before he was tackled. He was on the pitch for a while, but he’s leaving. I’d say that’s it for Claypool.”
Claypool, who was selected in the second round of the 2020 Draft, showed the skills of a No.1 caliber all-round receiver on his preseason debut.
Notre Dame’s product was impressive as a rookie, finishing with 873 receiving yards, 16 rushing yards and 11 combined touchdowns. If Claypool’s performance on Thursday night – without starter Ben Roethlisberger – is any clear indication of his development, he could be even better in 2021.
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Ron Schwane / Associated press
Claypool wasn’t the only Steelers offensive player to shine on Thursday night. While rookie first-round pick Najee Harris didn’t have the most impressive raw stats – 22 rushing yards, 3.1 yards per carry, three receiving yards – he demonstrated the versatility that made him a first round selection.
Harris showed both power and burst in his seven first-half races. Perhaps more importantly, he showed his sure hands and his willingness to protect passes. The Alabama product played all three tries in Pittsburgh’s first two possessions, and he got a first try during his first preseason postponement in the NFL.
This is just a preview, but Pittsburgh looks set to use Harris as a true three-way fullback, which is how he was presented before the draft.
“His ability to be a productive player in any type of running plan and in the passing game – as long as he picks up NFL protection plans quickly – should make him a ready-to-run backer. ‘Three-Way Job,’ Nate Tice’s wrote the B / R Scouting Department.
It already looks like Harris could be an offensive centerpiece for the Steelers in 2021.
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Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
The Cowboys also got a good look at their rookie in the first round. Linebacker Micah Parsons, who was selected 12th overall, made his presence felt almost immediately. In Pittsburgh’s opening practice, Parsons was there to jump on a trial and error by Rudolph to give possession to Dallas.
“Much like training camp, Cowboys LB rookie Micah Parsons constantly seems to be in the right place at the right time,” The Athletic’s Jon machota tweeted.
Parsons’ recovery led to a 29-yard field goal for Hunter Niswander, the only points in the first half.
The Penn State product again showed his ability to find football by finishing the first half with three tackles in total. Any concerns about Parsons’ ability to be football ready after retiring from the 2020 season should be alluded to.
Dallas drafted Parson to be an instant impact centerpiece of his linebacking body. We’re only one game away from the preseason, but Parsons seems to be on the right track.
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Emilee Chinn / Getty Images
Like Roethlisberger, Cowboys starting quarterback Dak Prescott was out for the Hall of Fame game. Garrett Gilbert took the start and executed Dallas’ best of three signalers on Thursday.
Gilbert was not spectacular. He took a pair of sacks and almost threw a pickaxe at the goal line. However, he finished 8 of 13 for 104 yards, exhibiting a good mix of touch and arm strength on several throws.
Cooper Rush took over after two heats and finished 8 of 13 for 70 yards without being able to lead a scoring campaign. Ben DiNucci took a sack for a three-and-out on his first possession. He threw an interception on his second. He finished 7 of 17 for 89 yards.
The battle for the Dallas No. 2 job is especially big given that Prescott isn’t just coming back from last year’s broken ankle. He also suffers from a shoulder injury that could keep him away for several weeks.
“We take it day to day. Obviously it’s five weeks before the season opens, so I have plenty of time,” Prescott said, per Machota.
Gilbert, who started a game for Dallas last season, appears to have an early grip on the backup job.
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Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated press
Last season, Pittsburgh became the first franchise in NFL history to lead the NFL in sacks four times in a row. The Steelers could have a shot at making five in a row in 2021.
One of the challenges this offseason has been finding a replacement for pass-rusher Bud Dupree, who left to join the Tennessee Titans in free agency. Dupree, who became TJ Watt’s main running mate, recorded 19.5 sacks in 27 games over the past two seasons.
Second-year man Alex Highsmith is expected to compete with recent addition Melvin Ingram to replace Dupree. He put a clever spinning motion on the left, tackle Ty Nsekhe to score a sack in the middle of the first quarter.
The combination of Highsmith and Ingram, three-time Pro Bowler, should allow Pittsburgh to replace the production of Dupree. However, the Steelers also demonstrated their depth of rush. Cassius Marsh and Quincy Roche also produced bags.
With depth, a heavy blitz program and a contender for Defensive Player of the Year at Watt, the Pittsburgh defense should once again be one of the best in the league to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season.
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David Richard / Associated press
In January, the Steelers picked up a leaflet about the 2019 Washington football team’s first-round pick Dwayne Haskins. While Haskins wasn’t the first Pittsburgh quarterback to take snaps on Thursday, he could have a legitimate chance to knock down Rudolph as a Roethlisberger replacement.
Haskins recovered Pittsburgh’s fourth possession and played until the third quarter. He finished 8 of 13 for just 54 yards, but more importantly, he looked comfortable in coordinator Matt Canada’s offense and led two scoring campaigns.
Rudolph finished 6 of 9 for 84 yards, but fumbled once and got no points on the board.
While Haskins wasn’t statistically impressive on Thursday, he didn’t play the mistake-filled football he made in Washington. It continued a trend that started at the start of training camp.
“Haskins was surprisingly good,” wrote The Athletic’s Mark Kably. “He hasn’t had a day yet where he showed some of the problems that have surfaced in Washington over the past two years. He’s the Steelers’ top passer and his accuracy and decision making have been good. “
If Haskins can continue to build on what he did on Thursday and what he did at camp, he may well work himself in the Pittsburgh quarterback’s long-term plans.
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