CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers followed a stumbling first half with a strong final 30 minutes to beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-3 on Thursday night in the first NFL preseason game in two years.
Matthew Sexton’s 36-yard punt return early in the third quarter jump-started the Steelers, and the Cowboys never challenged after it.
Last season’s exhibition games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So maybe the enthusiastic crowd was an indication that even for a match between teams using few regulars, the hunger for pro football has not faded.
Or maybe it was simply a matter of two of the league’s most popular franchises being on the field in the Hall of Fame game, regardless of how many backups were in action.
Not unexpectedly for the kickoff to the preseason, the game was marked by spotty offense and special teams — until Sexton came through. Both sides lacked timing with the ball, helping each defense.
Pittsburgh blocked a field goal attempt by Hunter Niswander, and Steelers placekicker Sam Sloman missed from 49 yards, as well a botching an extra point. Niswander also missed from 52 yards and the opening half finished 3-0 thanks to Niswander’s 29-yarder.
Sexton’s runback led to a 4-yard scoring run by much-traveled running back Kalen Ballage, now with his fourth team in as many years. Sloman made amends with a 48-yard field goal after a 26-yard interception return by Donovan Stiner.
Dallas left 16 key players at its training base in California, yet in the opening half still looked superior to Pittsburgh. Not so after halftime.
The Steelers briefly used such regulars as receivers Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson, linebacker Alex Highsmith and cornerback Cameron Sutton. Linebacker Micah Parsons, the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick, saw some action, as did right tackle La’el Collins.
But this was a night to look at the back end of the roster. Both defenses were solid enough, with Pittsburgh’s vaunted pass rush getting lots of pressure on Dallas QBs. Dwayne Haskins, seeking a job after flopping in Washington, quarterbacked most of the night for the Steelers, though it was holdover Josh Dobbs who connected on a 5-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Simmons to put it away.
