Cowboys vs. Browns takeaways: Micah Parsons, Dallas defense crush Deshaun Watson, injured OL in blowout win

Dallas opened up the 2024 season in Cleveland with style

The Dallas Cowboys went through a messy offseason for most of 2024, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones got his house in order late. He signed reinforcements at the defensive tackle position, re-signed All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb and re-signed three-time Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott to a record-setting four-year, $240 million extension on Sunday morning.  

Dallas played like a relaxed bunch Sunday, cruising to a 33-17 victory. Prescott powered the Cowboys to six scoring drives, concluding with a 21-yard touchdown to wide receiver Brandin Cooks. The scoring strike occurred on a third-and-5 in which the Browns sent an all-out blitz. Cooks cut toward the back corner of the end zone, leaving Cleveland's safety in the dust for a wide-open score after Prescott delivered him the football while backpedaling. The duo connected for eight touchdowns in Cooks' first season in Dallas last season, and they already have their first scoring strike of 2024. The Cowboys went 7-1 in the eight games Cooks scored last season and improved to 1-0 in such games in 2024 on Sunday. Prescott finished with 179 passing yards and a touchdown on 19 of 32 passing. 

Prescott's BFF and 2016 draft classmate Ezekiel Elliott also got in on the scoring, bulldozing into the end zone for a three-yard rushing touchdown that ran the score up to 14-3 with 5:15 left in the half. The touchdown plunge marked the three-time Pro Bowler's first with Dallas since Week 17 of the 2022 season. Elliott finished the game with 40 rushing yards and the touchdown on 10 carries. The freshly paid Lamb led all players in targets (10), catches (five) and receiving yards (61) in the game. Cowboys 2023 first-team All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey picked up right where he left off last year, draining four field goals from 57, 40, 50 and 46 yards. 

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and the Browns offense simply couldn't keep Cowboys All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons in check, surrendering a sack and multiple pressures. Parsons deflected a Watson pass that landed right in the hands of Dallas middle linebacker Eric Kendricks for an interception with 1:46 left in the half. Kendricks, who joined the Cowboys as a free agent this offseason, racked up two sacks in addition to the interception. Dallas capitalized on both of the Browns starting offensive tackles, left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and right tackle Jack Conklin, missing Sunday's game with knee injuries, finishing with six sacks of Watson. Parsons finished with 11 quarterback pressures, tied for the most in the NFL with Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson entering "Monday Night Football," and a sack. Four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence finished with seven pressures, two sacks and a forced fumble. Rookie edge rusher Marshawn Kneeled had five quarterback pressures. Second-year inside linebacker DeMarvion Overshown also got in on the action with a sack.

That havoc the Cowboys created led to the Browns settling for seven punts, two turnovers on downs and two interceptions. Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs hauled in his first interception after his ACL injury off a pass bounced off of Browns wideout Elijah Moore's hands and into his own diving hands. Watson finished with 169 yards, a touchdown (a six-yarder to Jerry Jeudy) and two interceptions on 24 of 45 passing. Myles Garrett, Cleveland's 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, briefly made his presence felt with a strip-sack of Prescott that was recovered by Dallas, but overall the Cowboys kept him in check. 

Why the Cowboys won

Dallas' defense led by Parsons left Watson and Co. searching for answers that never came. The Cowboys led the league in quarterback pressure rate under former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from 2021 to 2023, and they continued the trend in Mike Zimmer's first game as the defensive coordinator. 

Cowboys first-round rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton held up for the most part against 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett with the exception of Garrett's strip-sack that didn't lead to a turnover. Prescott played turnover-free football, and Aubrey's perfection allowed Dallas to waltz to an easy victory. 

Why the Browns lost 

They couldn't protect Watson. He didn't have a chance dropping back to pass in the pocket with both Wills and Conklin out, and he looked totally lost out there. 

Since Garrett and the Browns defense failed to pressure Prescott, he beat them early for a touchdown and then took care of the football the rest of the way. 

Turning point

Prescott's 21-yard touchdown pass to Cooks. Once the Dallas quarterback beat the blitz to hit Cooks for the touchdown to go up seven to three, this game was over. Providing Parsons, Lawrence, and the rest of the pass rush with the lead they needed to pin their ears back and maul Watson. 

Play of the game

KaVontae Turpin's 60-yard punt return touchdown. The All-Pro returner had preseason return touchdowns but none in the regular season. Now, he has one for real, and the score expanded the lead to 24 points, 27-3, early in the third quarter, putting the game completely out of reach for the Browns. 

What's next

The 1-0 Cowboys head back home to Texas for their Week 2 home opener against the 1-0 New Orleans Saints at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday. The 0-1 Browns will host the 0-1 Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday as well. 

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Cowboys backup QB Cooper Rush is in to take a knee. Dallas wins convincingly 33-17

 
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Browns running back Jerome Ford gets into the end zone on a two-yard rushing touchdown. Cleveland cuts the lead to 16, 33-17. That will likely be the final score with Dallas likely to take a knee with only 29 seconds left to play. 

 
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DeMarcus Lawrence strip-sacks Deshaun Watson, but Cleveland recovers the football. Dallas up 33-10. 

 
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Amari Cooper can't hold on to the deep ball down the right sideline from Deshaun Watson after he got clobbered letting the throw go. Would have been a touchdown. Instead it's third and long. 

 
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Chants of "Let's go Cowboys" are ringing throughout the stadium in Cleveland. 

 
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Cowboys Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs hauls in his first interception since his torn ACL injury prior to their Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals last season. Deshaun Watson's pass was tipped up by Browns receiver Elijah Moore, and Diggs dove to the ground to snag the football. Dallas takes over at their own 23 up 33-10 with 9:06 left in the game. 

 
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Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey improves to four for four on the afternoon following the 46-yard field goal. Dallas leads 33-10 with 11:51 left to play. 

 
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The Cowboys' defensive pressure gets home again, forcing Deshaun Watson into another fourth down incompletion. The Cowboys take over on the Cleveland 23 with 13:16 left to play. Outside of Cleveland's opening drive field goal and Watson's six-yard touchdown pass, the Browns other 10 drives have ended with seven punts, two turnovers on downs and an interception. Ugly day at the office. Dallas leads 30-10 with just over 13 minutes left. 

 
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Brandon Aubrey drains another field goal from 50, 50 yards exactly, and Dallas goes up 20, 30-10, with 1:27 left to play. 

 
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Cowboys second-year linebacker DeMarvion Overshown corrals Deshaun Watson to the ground on fourth-and-six. Dallas takes over at midfield up 27-10 with under four minutes left in the third quarter. 

 
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Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson goes down to the ground after a two-yard catch. He grabbed his knee on the ground. Ferguson is limping to the locker room with Dallas director of rehab Britt Brown. 

 
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A sack of Deshaun Watson by linebacker Eric Kendricks ends the drive and forces a punt. Cowboys get the ball back at their own 13 up 17, 27-10, with 6:35 left to play. 

 
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Browns cornerback Greg Newsome with tight coverage on CeeDee Lamb to force a punt. Cleveland gets the ball back on their own 14. Dallas Cowboys lead 27-10 with 7:47 left in the third quarter. 

 
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The Browns counter the punt return touchdown with their first touchdown of the day, a six-yard passing touchdown from Deshaun Watson to Jerry Jeudy. Cleveland trims the lead to 17, 27-10, with 8:42 in the third quarter. 

 
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Cowboys All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin takes his first return back of the second half 60 yards to the house for his first career return touchdown in the regular season. He had a couple in the 2023 preseason, but this is his first one that really counts. Dallas leads the host Cleveland Browns 27-3 with 12:59 left in the third quarter. 

 
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Browns start the second half with the football on their own 25. 

 
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A 12-yard pitch-and-catch from Dak Prescott to Jalen Tolbert puts the Browns on the Browns 48 to set up a Brandon Aubrey field goal attempt. The kick was from 66 yards, and he made it. However, it was canceled out by a delay of game. Cowboys instead opt for a Hail Mary attempt. Incomplete. Dallas dominates the first half and takes a 20-3 lead into the half. Halftime recap coming soon. 

 
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The Cowboys burn their first timeout with 19 seconds left to force the Browns to punt to Pro Bowl returner KaVontae Turpin. Dallas leads 20-3 with 19 seconds left. 

 
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Micah Parsons deflected a Deshaun Watson pass that landed right in the hands of Dallas middle linebacker Eric Kendricks for an interception with 1:46 left in the half. Cowboys up 17-3 with under two minutes to play. Dallas already at the red zone knocking on the door. 

 
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Cowboys 2023 First-Team All-Pro kicker Brandon Aubrey drills his first field goal of 2024 from 57 yards out. Looked pretty easy. Dallas leads 17-3 with 2:06 left in the half. 

 
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After another Browns punt, Dallas starts at their own 44 with 4:34 left. They lead 14-3. 

 
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Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott plunges into the end zone for a three-yard rushing touchdown, his first with Dallas since Week 17 of the 2022 season at the Tennessee Titans. Dallas takes a 14-3 advantage with 5:15 left in the first half. 

 
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That's now three punts in a row for the Browns after the opening drive field goal that was set up by a solid punt return by Jaelon Darden. Cowboys lead 7-3 with 11:11 left in the first half. Dallas as the ball on their own 22 for the start of the next drive. 

 
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Following the Cowboys punt, the Browns will begin their next drive on their own 23. Dallas leads 7-3 with 12:56 left in the half. 

 
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2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett beats Cowboys first-round rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton for the strip sack of Dak Prescott. However, Dallas is fortunate it's only a loss of four after wide receiver Jalen Tolbert falls on the football. 

 
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Now Micah Parsons gets home for the sack. He beat right tackle Dawand Jones and then cut back inside for the sack of Watson on third down. Browns forced to punt on fourth and 15. The Cowboys get called for holding on KaVontae Turpin's punt return, so Dallas will begin their next drive on their own 45 up 7-3.

 
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A Micah Parsons' quarterback pressure nearly leads to an interception for Browns QB Deshaun Watson. Fifth-round rookie corner Caelen Carson just missed hauling an interception. The throw was high, but it hit both of Carson's hands after the rookie jumped. 

 
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Dallas' latest drive fizzles out after a couple incompletions, and the Browns take over on their own 20 after a 13-yard return. Cowboys lead 7-3 with 1:20 left in the first quarter. 

 
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Dallas' defense forces a three-out, Cowboys now with a chance to go up two scores. Cowboys return man KaVontae Turpin let the punt go over his head, and it is downed at the Dallas 10. The boot traveled 58 yards. Dallas leads 7-3 with 4:56 remaining in the first quarter. 

 
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Dak Prescott hits a wide open Brandin Cooks in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown on third and five after the Browns sent an all-out blitz. Cooks cut toward the back corner of the end zone, leaving Cleveland's safety in the dust. The duo connected for eight touchdowns in Cooks' first season in Dallas last season, and they already have their first scoring strike of 2024. Dallas leads 7-3 with 6:55 left in the first quarter. 

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