Who plays tonight in 2021 NFL preseason? Games, times and schedule of week 1
The NFL preseason will be in full swing this week. The Eagles vs the Steelers and New England vs Washington start a full weekend of football on Thursday.
Football season is back and all is seemingly right in the world. It’s been a long and eventful offseason, but we have survived the seven month break in action. The NFL preseason is already underway and will continue this week with a full slate of games starting on Thursday.
Hall of Fame Game started preseason slate
The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off the preseason in the annual inauguration game to commence Hall of Fame weekend from Canton, Ohio. There wasn’t a touchdown scored until the fourth quarter and it may not have been the most crisply game of football ever seen, but the sound of pads colliding brings a warming sensation up and down the body that lets us know that the NFL season is upon us.
Thursday night we will get a double dose of football as the Steelers return to action against the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots take on the Washington Football Team.
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Mac Jones to make debut
The Pats will host Washington at Gillette Stadium as home fans will get a first glimpse of first round draft pick QB Matt Jones. Many in Massachusetts believe, or at least are hoping, that the former Alabama gunslinger will be the second coming of Tom Brady.
Starters aren’t likely to play for more than the opening drive or two, so we should get a good look at the rookie, and his counter part Taylor Heinicke who had a brilliant end to his season, almost knocking off the eventual Super Bowl Champs in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
Philly looking for bounce back year
The Philadelphia Eagles will look to turn the page on a dreadful 2020 season that ended with their one time franchise quarterback shipping off to Indianapolis and head coach Doug Pedersen being sent his marching orders after a 4-11-1 season.
We should get a good first glimpse of Philly rookie QB Jalen Hurtz, who will be battling Joe Flacco for the starting spot on week 1. Pittsburgh won the preseason opener 16-3 over the Cowboys, and will play their second of four preseason games Thursday. We didn’t see Ben Roethlisberger in the opening game, and would be surprised to see the veteran put the pads on against the Eagles this week.
Both games kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, 12 August. Washington vs New England will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Eagles will host the Steelers at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.