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CLEVELAND – The wait was over and the games officially became important, but first Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys provided groundbreaking news in the form of a historic multi-year contract that makes him the team’s franchise quarterback through the 2028 season.
But while this news was still circulating across all media platforms, the Cleveland Browns had plans to spoil the celebrations.
Prescott and Lamb were looking to get off to a good start after Lamb missed all of training camp due to a contract violation that ended up with a mega-deal for himself. On offense, however, Ezekiel Elliott also returned to the running back lineup and the offensive line was revamped, with rookies Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe starting at left tackle and center, respectively, against Myles Garrett and one of the NFL’s best defenses.
Speaking of defense, the Cowboys were able to bring back Mike Zimmer this year to coordinate their defense, and the return of All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs leads the offense behind Micah Parsons and Co. However, with the other record-breaking All-Pro cornerback, DaRon Bland, missing, rookie Caelen Carson takes center stage.
In the end, the Cowboys had a clear 1-0 win at Huntington Bank Stadium at the start of the season and it really wasn’t as close as the final score suggests.
Let’s talk about some of those who emerged from the movie in an explosive way in this game.
Yes, the $240 million man came to play in Cleveland. Prescott looked as fresh and determined as ever, and combined with some surgically precise plays from Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with an athletic touchdown throw from Prescott to Brandin Cooks – despite a cover-0 blitz – that proved worthwhile with a 21-yard run. The All-Pro quarterback barely threw a fumble, as some of his incomplete passes were actually dropped by targets, but all in all, he was at his best in Week 1, showing everyone why he’s worth every penny of his new contract.
Rust? What rust? Lamb had none, despite missing all of training camp because of his absence. The All-Pro is not only a bit bigger, but also more agile than he was during his record-setting season, and that’s saying something considering how smooth he’s been in his young career. Lamb has played both receiver and halfback, making good time at the latter after showing last season that he’s a viable option there. There was little Lamb couldn’t do in Cleveland, and that means there probably won’t be anything he can’t do in the future – as the Browns have one of the best defenses in the entire NFL.
In 2023, Cooks got off to a slow start in McCarthy’s first season as a playcaller (and Cooks’ first year in Dallas), but picked up steam as the season went on. This offseason, the veteran wide receiver looked more impressive than he ever has in his NFL career, and yet he went unnoticed when younger wide receivers were in the headlines as CeeDee Lamb hoped for a new contract. But Cooks did his damage in Oxnard, and he continued that through the season opener, where he refused to get a cold start for the second year in a row.
The rumors of his death were greatly exaggerated. There are people outside the building accusing Elliott of being a bust, but so far he only looks like a bust. The former two-time NFL rushing champion began his afternoon against the Browns by taking a handoff on the first play and then jumping over the defender because he can still do it. The play was called back for a holding penalty behind him, but the message was received. Elliott did damage as a halfback and receiver out of the backfield at both short and medium range.
It always feels like Turpin is a hair away from scoring, but on Sunday against the Browns, he was bald. DeMarcus Lawrence sacked Watson in the third quarter, forcing a punt that Turpin caught and returned the other way for a 60-yard touchdown – something he’s come close to doing several times in his young career in Dallas. It gave the Cowboys a 20-3 lead at the time and made the Browns seem almost entirely one-dimensional, but more importantly, it restored the threat Turpin can pose as a returner in this league.
So this is what it looks like when you have dominant linebackers on the roster? The 180-degree turnaround the Cowboys have seen in the first year after Mike Zimmer’s return at the position was an impressive sight, and was sparked by Kendricks’ decision to leave the San Francisco 49ers at the last minute and take his talents to Dallas. Kendricks was obsessed against the Browns, leading the team in tackles for much of the game and adding an interception and an eight-yard return to his bottom line. Another former All-Pro who many wondered about due to his age showed they should never have doubted him.
Micah Parsons, W (Weapon)
He doesn’t want to be the hitman. He doesn’t want to be the assassin. Parsons wants to be the hitman for the Cowboys in 2024, and he’s off to a good start on that mission. Zimmer had him play multiple positions on Sunday against the Browns, and it paid off: He put a ton of pressure on Watson and recorded a sack in the first half, along with a PBU that led to Kendricks’ interception in the second quarter. The film of Parsons’ performance in Cleveland will make your jaw drop, even if his stats won’t.
Mission number one was to stop the run, and Lawrence helped the Cowboys do just that. Mission number two was to bully Watson, and yes, Lawrence made sure that happened, too. The former Pro Bowl edge rusher was a brick wall whenever the ball ran his way, and with a bit of help from Osa Odighizuwa a time or two, he was able to bring Watson down and score one of the Cowboys’ many sacks on the night. The bottom line is that Lawrence continues to play at a high level as the centerpiece of the defense, and was able to add a second sack of the day to his tally late in the fourth inning when Watson attempted to escape.
WOW. I could stop here, but I’ll tell you a little more about what I saw from Overshown in Cleveland. Even though it was a de facto rookie debut for the former Longhorn, Overshown played like he’d been in the league for years — a high football IQ to match his incredible athletic ability. In the days leading up to the matchup, Overshown told me he was “looking forward” to Watson trying to run, and he meant it. In the second half, he basically chased Watson like a cheetah chasing a hyena as the quarterback tried to escape on 4th-and-6, bringing him down and inflicting a three-yard loss — a play that has to be seen to be believed. Overshown and Kendricks were a deadly LB duo.
He’s back. Really back. Diggs showed little, if any, signs of rust over the course of four quarters that represented a heavy workload for the All-Pro. His coverage was sensational, even when plays went awry, and his tackling was just as strong in the open field. And when Watson decided to tackle him one too many times in the fourth quarter, Diggs reminded him why he had 11 interceptions not long ago. An interception on a throw to Elijah Moore sent Watson back to the sideline to reflect on his mistake, and Diggs was once again considered one of the best cornerbacks around.
Amari Cooper is a threat, and that makes Carson’s performance all the more impressive. On Cooper’s second attempt, Carson landed a PBU and then stood over the five-time Pro Bowler and taunted him, which wouldn’t be advisable if you can’t continue to stop him as the game goes on. Carson helped shut Cooper down completely by backing up his taunt, holding the former Cowboys WR1 to just 16 total yards on two pass catches late in the game – living up to his “Seat Belt” nickname in his rookie debut against one of the best to ever play.
Because of course, right? Aubrey was just doing what he always does: being accurate from any distance. He made 4 of 4 that afternoon and contributed 12 points to the final score. The NFL’s most powerful shooting weapon also had a chance to make history with a 66-yard throw, but a penalty ruined that chance and the Cowboys opted not to attempt a 71-yard throw, likely out of fear of injury. As it turns out, they didn’t need him either, but they need him available, so it was a wise decision.
