CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The Cleveland Browns kick the 2024 season off at home against the Dallas Cowboys in front of a national television audience.
Both teams are coming off playoff seasons, but they ended with a thud on Super Wild Card weekend.
Here’s what were are watching for.
Deshaun Watson’s return – Watson says he is fully recovered from shoulder surgery that ended his 2023 season after just six games and he believes he is still one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. We’ll begin to find out Sunday afternoon if in fact that is the case, and with every top QB in the league on the schedule this season, we will find out where Watson truly ranks. Since being acquired from Houston for six picks, including three first rounders, and given a five-year $230 million fully guaranteed contract, Watson has played in just 12 games, and he hasn’t played a full season since 2020. The Browns are counting on Watson to return to form to not just get them to the playoffs but to win come January. His first test is Sunday against Dallas with future Hall of Famer and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady in the broadcast booth, so no pressure.
Prescott problem – While Watson isn’t going up against Dak Prescott on the field, he’ll be judged on how he is able to keep pace with the Cowboys prolific quarterback. Prescott led the NFL with 36 touchdown tosses in 2023, ranked second with a 105.9 QB rating, and third with 4,516 passing yards. Prescott threw at least two touchdowns in 10 of his final 11 starts last season and in his previous two games against the Browns he’s thrown three touchdowns and had a QB rating of 110 or better.
Refreshed O – The Browns debut a revamped offense under new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. This offseason the Browns added Jerry Jeudy in a trade with Denver then gave him a three-year, $52.5 million contract extension. Jeudy joins Amari Cooper, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, the first receiver in franchise history to accomplish the feat, and Elijah Moore. Cooper was acquired in March of 2022 from Dallas and Moore in 2023 from the Jets. While Nick Chubb continues recovery from that devastating knee injury the Browns will use a three-headed monster in the backfield – Jerome Ford, Pierre Strong and D’Onta Foreman.
The Chief – Tight end David Njoku is coming off his best season since the Browns drafted him 29th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft that saw him set career highs in catches, yards and touchdowns. After spending the offseason and training camp working with senior coaching consultant Mike Vrabel, njoku aims to bring and even more physical brand of play to the field this year and he should be one of Watson’s preferred targets.
Myles Garrett vs. Tyler Guyton – The NFL’s reigning defensive player of the year is licking his chops at the opportunity to face Cowboys rookie and first round pick Tyler Guyton. Garrett is the Browns all-time sack leader in franchise history, and he enters the season 11.5 sacks shy of 100 in his career. The five-time Pro Bowler looks to introduce Guyton, taken 29th overall, to the NFL with a dominant pass rush while getting after Prescott.
Left tackle – The Browns enter Sunday unsure who will start at left tackle. Let’s rephrase, we enter Week 1 unsure of who will start. Jedrick Wills Jr. was ruled out Friday as he has not fully recovered from MCL surgery. Jack Conklin, who had his ACL, MCL, PCL and meniscus repaired, is questionable. Conklin appears to be the favorite to start but James Hudson III is standing by if needed.
Denzel Ward vs CeeDee Lamb – Ward is coming off suffering his fifth NFL concussion during training camp and when healthy is an elite defender in the secondary. The three-time Pro Bowler matches up with Lamb, who caught 135 passes last season for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Cowboys. Because Lamb moves around, Greg Newsome II and MJ Emerson will also be asked to help slow Lamb down.
Micah Parsons – Parsons is coming off a career-high 14 sacks in 2023 and has set his sights on Garrett’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Knowing where No. 11 is on the field at all times will be priority one for Watson and the Browns protection assignments.
Last Time – October 4, 2020: Browns 49, Cowboys 38
Series – Browns lead all-time 16-13
Last week – Season opener for both teams
Probable Starters – Offense: WR Amari Cooper, LT James Hudson III or Jack Conklin, LG Joel Bitonio, C Ethan Pocic, RG Wyatt Teller, RT Dawand Jones, TE David Njoku, QB Deshaun Watson, RB Jerome Ford, WR Elijah Moore, WR Jerry Jeudy
Defense: DE Myles Garrett, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Shelby Harris, DE Za’Darius Smith, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB Jordan Hicks, CB Denzel Ward, CB Greg Newsome II, CB MJ Emerson, S Grant Delpit, S Juan Thornhill
Injury report – OUT: LT Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee); QUESTIONABLE: OT Jack Conklin (knee); EXPECTED TO PLAY: LB Jordan Hicks (calf), DT Maurice Hurst (hamstring), DT Quinton Jefferson (achilles), DT Dalvin Tomlinson (knee), LB Nathaniel Watson (quadriceps), WR Jerry Jeudy (knee), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (hand), DE Alex Wright (elbow)
Uniforms – Brown jersey, white pants, orange helmet
Broadcast – 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX and the University Hospitals Radio Network; WJW TV-8 (FOX)
Kickoff – 4:25 p.m. Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, Ohio
Our prediction – Browns 27, Cowboys 23