NFL Hall of Fame Game: 5 talking points ahead of the Pittsburgh Steelers taking on the Dallas Cowboys

The first game of the 2021 NFL preseason is just days away.

The annual Hall of Fame Game will be held on Thursday, August 5, 2021, in Canton, Ohio, at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys, who were scheduled to play in last season's Hall of Fame Game, will face off this year in the league's preseason opener.

The Steelers and Cowboys were chosen to participate in the game because both organizations have integral members inducted into the NFL Pro Football of Fame this year.

Former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher and former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson will both be enshrined in the Hall of Fame this year. Both the 2020 and 2021 classes will be inducted into the NFL's Pro Football Hall of Fame this year.

The NFL Hall of Fame Game will be the first real football action since the Super Bowl and will mark the beginning of the new season. While there isn't much at stake for either team, there's still plenty to talk about.

Football every week from this one until February.And it all starts in Canton.@steelers | @dallascowboys📺: @ProFootballHOF Game -- Thursday, 8pm ET on FOX pic.twitter.com/EulZcv5tVa

— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2021

Five talking points for the upcoming NFL Fall of Fame Game

#1 - Neither starting QB will play

As with most early preseason games, neither starting quarterback will play the game on Thursday.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is rehabbing a shoulder injury he suffered in the first few days of training camp. The Steelers continue to ease veteran Ben Roethlisberger into his full-season workload and won't be playing him until the second or third preseason game.

This gives backup quarterbacks on both teams the opportunity to prove themselves. For both teams, it's necessary to have a reliable backup that can step up when need be and make an impact.

"It is extremely important for the head coach and the QB to be on the same page." - @JimmyJohnson #PFHOF20 | @dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/g4Kdq1krxq

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 1, 2021

#2 - First look at the Steelers new-look offensive line

The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line saw a major overhaul this offseason. Center Maurkice Pouncey retired, Alejandro Villanueva joined the Baltimore Ravens and the team released David DeCastro.

Second-year lineman Kevin Dotson will likely start for the Steelers. Zach Banner is expected to return from injury and third-round draft pick Kendrick Green could make an impact as part of the line as well. The Steelers also signed Trai Turner to strengthen the line further ahead of the 2021 NFL season.

So far in training camp, the offensive line has left a lot to be desired, which could spell trouble for Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense. Getting snaps in pre-season will be necessary for the line.

.@JohnLynch49ers believes his playing career has given him perspective and credibility in his career as a General Manager.#PFHOF21 | @49ers pic.twitter.com/449gtWmIGh

— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) August 2, 2021

#3 - Will Najee Harris and Micah Parsons play?

Steelers running back Najee Harris said this past weekend that he wanted to play in the NFL Hall of Fame Game. While there has been no word on the Steelers' plans for the running back, it's likely head coach Mike Tomlin will not field his first-round draft pick this early in the pre-season.

Similarly, the Dallas Cowboys haven't announced their plans for Parsons either. The first-round pick opted out of the 2020 college football season and hasn't played since the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 2019 season. Dallas will likely want to get him some playing time and progressively give him an uptick in his workload.

#4 - Fans back in the stands

The Hall of Fame Game will be the NFL's first game that will house a full stadium since the end of the 2019 season. The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium can hold over 20,000 fans.

On Thursday, it will be composed primarily of two of the biggest fan bases in the NFL, so the atmosphere should be electric.

#5 - A first look at the new Dallas defense

The Dallas Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator in Dan Quinn this season. This will be the first opportunity for Quinn to show his plans for the Cowboys' defense.

The Dallas defense was sub-par last season and needs to improve massively in 2021 to help the team make it to the playoffs. Although it is just the first NFL preseason game, it will be a first opportunity for the defense to show what they can do on the field.