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The first game of the 2021 NFL preseason saw the Pittsburgh Steelers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 16-3. Preseason games won't have much bearing on things to come, but fans did get a good look at both teams' roster depth.
Both the Steelers and Cowboys will play four preseason games as opposed to three like the rest of the teams in the league and will likely use it to assess their roster ahead of the new season. Here are some of the main takeaways from the contest.
Five takeaways from Dallas Cowboys vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
#1 - MVP players from each team
Neither Ben Roethlisberger nor Dak Prescott played tonight. The teams also did not field many starters. This gave the opportunity to the teams' depth players to showcase their talent.
For the Dallas Cowboys, rookie linebacker Micah Parsons and 2018 UDFA WR Malik Turner delivered strong performances. Parsons had only three tackles in the game but was all over the field and seemed involved in most of the big tackles. After the game. Parsons said:
"It was bittersweet that I didn't get to play a lot... I am going to build off of it."
Malik Turner seemed to be the favorite target of every Dallas quarterback that played in the game. He finished with four catches on six targets for 47 yards. However, Turner fumbled the ball after completing a big pass on a 4th-and-15, which the Pittsburgh Steelers recovered.
The Steelers' MVPs include punter Pressley Harvin lll and RB Kalen Ballage. Harvin might have already won the position battle after just four punts. He averaged 45.8 yards per punt.
Harvin had an excellent deep punt on his first attempt, his second one was downed at the Cowboys' 1-yard line, his third pinned Dallas inside the 10, and his last one was muffled and recovered by the Steelers.
Kalen Ballage didn't lead the team in touches or yards but did score the game's first touchdown. He is a powerful runner who should get more touches during preseason. He will likely win the battle against Jaylen Samuels for a roster spot.
#2 - Players who might already be out of roster spot contention
This is the first time coaches are getting an objective look at their players in action on the field this year. Some players had poor outings and it might have already put them on the chopping block.
For Dallas, that could be quarterback Ben DiNucci and kicker Hunter Niswander. DiNucci played most of the game and ended with 89 passing yards, an interception, and two sacks. His QB rating was 33.7. He made some nice plays on the final drive of the game and showed he could make plays on the run. Overall, DiNucci didn't make the best decisions in the pocket. His accuracy was shaky.
Hunter Niswander made his first attempt from 29 yards out. He had another 29-yard field goal attempt blocked by the Pittsburgh Steelers and missed wildly on a 52-yard kick.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, kicker Sam Sloman and RB Jaylen Samuels are early candidates on the roster bubble. It wasn't a good night for kickers.
Sloman missed wide right on his first kick from 49 yards, missed his first XP attempt, but nailed a 48-yard FG and his second XP attempt.
Jaylen Samuels led the Pittsburgh Steelers with the most carries with 11 but only mustered 20 yards and 1.8 per carry. Samuels is battling Ballage for a roster spot but struggled to burst through holes the entire game.
#3 - Dallas has found their QB2 while Pittsburgh is still in a heated battle
Quarterback Garrett Gilbert will likely be Dak Prescott's backup going into the season. He made a few mental mistakes early in the game but was solid otherwise. He threw for 104 yards in a minimal role against a relatively solid Pittsburgh Steelers secondary.
The Pittsburgh Steelers went in with Mason Rudolph as their QB2, but now all three QBs are still in the hunt. Rudolph played for a short time and was somewhat effective with the ball, completing his first five passes.
Dwayne Haskins showed he can lead the offense down the field on several occasions and had decent downfield accuracy. Josh Dobbs threw the only touchdown pass of the game and looked like a true field general. Any of the three could win the backup quarterback role for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
#4 - Strong performances from position players
Dallas may have found solid depth players at wide receiver and running back. Malik Turner was one of the MVPs for the Cowboys, while Adam Parker and Cedrick Wilson found themselves open more than a few times and made some big plays.
Rico Dowdle led the team with eight carries and 43 yards. JaQuan Hardy and Tony Pollard had some success, but fullback Sewo Olonilua was a star in picking up blitzes all game long.
The secondary and EDGE were the positives for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Donovan Stiner got out in front of the route to snag the only interception of the game. James Pierre was likely the best defender throughout the game in man coverage. Miles Killebrew had a great game with six tackles and Mark Gilbert broke up a few key passes.
Rookie Quincy Roche and Alex Highsmith both notched a sack and Highsmith was constantly putting pressure on Dallas and knocking down the quarterbacks. The Pittsburgh Steelers defense should be better down the stretch this year.
#5 - Reviews for both teams
The Dallas Cowboys are loaded with stellar players on defense, but there isn't much depth at this point. That's not to say they cannot build that as the preseason goes on. After all, this was most of the players' taste of NFL action. They are deep at wide receiver and rookie Micah Parsons is poised to have an excellent rookie season.
The Pittsburgh Steelers still have several key positions to figure out. They found a gem in the seventh-round in punter Pressley Harvin and their secondary has more depth and talent than expected going into the game.
The front seven applied consistent pressure and heat on the Dallas O-line and ran the game, which bodes well entering the season. Wide receiver Chase Claypool was great in the first quarter. The highlight was his diving catch that looked spectacular but also caused some damage to his shoulder. Wide receiver James Washington also had a promising outing.
There's a chance Mason Rudolph won't end up as the backup after all, as both Dwayne Haskins and Josh Dobbs played well.
