The Hall of Fame Game is here, kicking off the 2017 NFL preseason. This year, the game features the Dallas Cowboys going head to head with the Arizona Cardinals at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.
NFL Hall of Fame Game 2017 live stream: How to watch Cowboys vs. Cardinals online
Dallas and Arizona will collide in Canton, Ohio in the Hall of Fame Game.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Fans can watch the game at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. They can also live stream it on NBC Sports.
The Cowboys, led by second-year quarterback Dak Prescott and second-year running back Ezekiel Elliott, are looking to build off their stellar 2016 season. Dallas went 13-3, won the NFC East, and was the No. 1 seed in the conference. Prescott, the 2016 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, won the starting gig last season after Tony Romo went down with an injury in the preseason.
Prescott never looked back, throwing for 3,667 yards to go along with 23 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He also finished with the third-best passer rating in the league (104.9). The other big story surrounding this team last year was Elliott asserting himself as the top dog on offense. He ran for a league-best 1,631 yards and 15 scores, which was the third-highest in the NFL.
Dallas also bolstered its defense over the offseason, using its first three draft picks on defensive end Taco Charlton and cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Jourdan Lewis. This preseason game is the first step in Dallas’ quest to return to the playoffs.
Arizona, on the other hand, finished with a 7-8-1 record, the franchise’s worst finish under head coach Bruce Arians. The Cardinals had the second-best overall defense in 2016. This defensive unit ranked ninth against the run and fourth against the pass. However, Arizona’s defense lost a few big names, including safety Tony Jefferson and defensive tackle Calais Campbell in free agency. The Cardinals then used their first two draft sections on linebacker Haason Reddick and safety Budda Baker.
Offensively, Arizona finished with a top 10 offense. Quarterback Carson Palmer had an off year in 2016 but still racked up solid numbers, throwing for 4,233 passing yards to go along with 26 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. We’ll have to wait to see whether Palmer can shake off last season. The 37-year-old, along with the rest of the Cardinals’ starting players, will not play in the Hall of Fame Game.
That means running back David Johnson, who stole the show for the Cardinals in 2016, won’t see the field either. He rushed for 1,239 and 16 touchdowns, the second-highest in the league. He showed how dominant he can be as a receiving back, hauling in 80 passes for 879 yards and four scores.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cowboys decided not to trot out Prescott, Elliott, and the other starters, either. But fans should still tune in to watch rookies like Charlton, Awuzie, Lewis, Reddick, Baker.
Charlton is a massive defensive end with speed and pass-rushing moves. The Cowboys will need his skill set to help generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Awuzie and Lewis are press corners who can play in man coverage, which should help the Cowboys’ passing defense that ranked 26th last season.
Reddick is an undersized linebacker but has the speed and quick feet to cover tight ends and rush the passer. Baker thrives in pass coverage and making plays on the ball as a safety.
The Cardinals already have a stout defense. But if Reddick and Baker can showcase their skills early and consistently, Arizona’s defense will be scarier this season.
Fans should also be excited about the Hall of Fame ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m. ET. Kenny Easley, Kurt Warner, LaDainian Tomlinson, Jerry Jones, Terrell Davis, Jason Taylor, and Morten Andersen are the seven inductees this year. All of them will receive a yellow jacket and their own carved bust.
No, the regular season isn’t here yet, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy all of the NFL festivities this week.
How to watch the NFL Hall of Fame Game
Who: Dallas Cowboys vs. Arizona Cardinals
When: 8 p.m. ET
Where: Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio
TV: NBC
Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya
Live stream: NBC Sports
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