The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys kicked off the 2021 NFL preseason and despite most of the starters in street clothes, the Steelers were active and played with excellent energy pulling off the 16-3 win over the Dallas Cowboys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.
Pittsburgh showcased all three of their young backup quarterbacks and all three players, Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins and Joshua Dobbs played well. No player really stood out but all three guys played with confidence and had a solid grasp of the new offense. This will be a battle to watch all preseason long.
Rookie running back Najee Harris started and played three offensive series, finishing with a hard-earned 22 rushing yards on seven carries. Overall the running backs were mediocre, largely because they played behind all reserve offensive linemen.
Defensively, it doesn’t matter if it is a starter or a backup, this group plays with intensity and energy. Plenty of young players including linebackers Alex Highsmith and Quincy Roche got into the backfield for a sack and the defensive secondary forced three fumbles and had an interception.
The star of the night was Steelers punter Pressley Harvin III. The rookie punter is looking to beat out veteran Jordan Berry for the starting job and after four excellent punts, it almost feels like a foregone conclusion.
