The Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers will face off in the Hall of Fame game to give us our first taste of NFL action in months. It's time to begin our NFL odds series and make a Cowboys-Steelers prediction and pick. A general note: The spread has since changed since this post was originally published, but has been updated to reflect the most accurate data as of Thursday at 6 PM Eastern.
It may just be the Hall of Fame game, but it's good to have the NFL back in any capacity. It's extremely unlikely we see starters from either side for any amount of time, so an extended look at the depth of both of these teams will be provided on Thursday night. Neither team will be chasing a win in a meaningless game, so expect both coaching staffs to try and get young roster bubble players as many snaps as possible throughout this one.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the lines for Thursday night's game.
NFL Odds: Cowboys-Steelers Odds
Dallas Cowboys ML (+119)
Pittsburgh Steelers ML (-139)
Over 31 1/2points (+115)
Under 31 1/2 points (-105)
*Watch NFL games LIVE with fuboTV (Click for free trial)*
Why The Cowboys Could Cover The Spread
Now that Cowboys-Steelers odds are done with, let's move to the spread. This game will be the battle of the backups, which plays directly into Dallas' hands. The Cowboys have a much deeper roster than most people give them credit for. Their wide receivers who will play in this game are better than some other team's regular season starters. Noah Brown, Cedrick Wilson, Simi Fehoko and Malik Turner should all take snaps in this one, providing whoever is playing quarterback a bevy of weapons.
Exciting undrafted free agent TJ Vasher should also be able to take significant snaps. Vasher has the chance to be the best rookie receiver on the field on Thursday.
It doesn't matter who's playing receiver if there isn't a competent quarterback throwing the ball. The Cowboys have two competent backups who should play the majority of Thursday's game.
Ben DiNucci saw action in the regular season last year, performing about as well as anybody expected him to. Backup and former AAF superstar Garrett Gilbert should also play, giving the Cowboys two signal-callers who have seen action in the regular season. These guys should take advantage of playing against plenty of defenders who won't be on the roster at the end of training camp.
Dallas also spent eight draft picks on the defensive side, loading up that end of the ball with depth. The front office has put together impressive depth at all three levels of the defense. The defensive line features several high-level backups such as Brent Urban and Tarell Basham. The Cowboys also feature experience all throughout their secondary, as several of their backups at cornerback and safety have seen plenty of snaps in regular season games.
Why The Steelers Could Cover The Spread
When it comes to depth at the quarterback position, the Steelers certainly have Dallas outclassed. Mason Rudolph saw extended time starting for Pittsburgh during the 2019 season, earning himself valuable experience. Dwayne Haskins has seen plenty of regular-season snaps. Fourth-string signal-caller Joshua Dobbs has been in the league for four seasons now, making him the most experienced backup of the bunch. The Steelers have already announced that all these players will take snaps on Thursday and there's no reason to doubt any of them when they go against Dallas' backups.
Pittsburgh's skill positions also feature a couple of exciting rookies. Running back Najee Harris should see some action, and his presence has the potential to ignite the Steelers' offense. First-year tight end Pat Freiermuth will also see the field for the first time, giving any quarterback a strong security blanket underneath should they need it.
Final Cowboys-Steelers Prediction & Pick
It's hard to predict preseason games because of how many players see the field for each team, but the Cowboys should win this one. Their depth across the board looks better than Pittsburgh's, especially on the defensive side. The Steelers didn't do enough to reload their offensive line or their defense in the offseason, and their lack of depth will show throughout this game.
FINAL COWBOYS-STEELERS PICK: Dallas Cowboys ML (+119)
Follow Us
Subscribe