Week 1 is a true mystery in the NFL. With endless hope and opportunity entering the first week of the season, teams want to get off on the right foot. Such is the case for the Dallas Cowboys as they head to Cleveland to take on a tough Browns team.
With a preseason to build a roster and prepare for Week 1 action, there are five matchups that may make all the difference in this game. We analyze them and dissect what to watch for in this inter-conference matchup.
5 Important Matchups in Cowboys vs. Browns
Tyler Guyton vs. Myles Garrett
For an NFL rookie, there may not be a tougher assignment in Week 1 than going head-to-head with feared pass rusher Myles Garrett. And for Cowboys first-round pick Tyler Guyton, that’s exactly what he is tasked with.
With no easing into the NFL taking place, Guyton’s performance against Garrett on Sunday will play a huge factor in how the game unfolds for Dallas.
Garrett makes seasoned veterans look silly at times and is consistently dominant, regardless of his opponent. With him being arguably the league’s best pass rusher, Garrett will be licking his chops to get after the rookie and see what he’s made of.
Guyton has looked good in preseason, instilling hope in the Cowboys’ front office that they have their left tackle of the future. However, Sunday afternoon against Garrett will be the first glimpse of what the rookie is made of. If Guyton holds up well, it may bode well for Dallas this week and potentially into the future.
Trevon Diggs vs. Amari Cooper
A fun matchup between one of the NFL’s best route runners and best ball hawks, the battle between Trevon Diggs and Amari Cooper will be must-see television. The former teammates, turned Week 1 foes, will assuredly be seeing a lot of each other in this week’s matchup, with whoever gets the upper hand setting the tone for the game’s potential outcome.
Diggs is coming off a torn ACL he suffered early last season, with Week 1 being his first live action. Cooper and the Browns’ offense know what the playmaker is capable of when healthy, but look for them to test Diggs early to see where he is at physically.
Mike Zimmer vs. Deshaun Watson
It’s a new day for Dallas’ defense. A group that was the best defense by a wide margin last season when it comes to creating pressure without blitzing (42.7%, the only team north of 39.3%) ushers in a new era led by long-time NFL coach Mike Zimmer.
Zimmer is known for his exotic looks, his tendency to try and confuse a quarterback pre- and post-snap, and his disciplined approach to teaching his unit. Zimmer’s well-respected résumé and reputation are Deshaun Watson’s problem this week, and how he responds to this new defense will play a massive role in the game’s outcome.
Watson didn’t see any preseason action, has been battling shoulder issues throughout camp, and is coming off a year where he missed the majority of the season. Expecting rust to be a factor isn’t a reach by any stretch, and having to shake it off against a Zimmer defense is no easy task.
CeeDee Lamb vs. Denzel Ward
The CeeDee Lamb contract saga is officially over, and with that, the attention now turns to him getting ready for Week 1.
Who Lamb is likely to see the most of is young star cornerback Denzel Ward, who has just recently been cleared for a concussion he sustained in training camp.
The two young playmakers are set to square off for most of the evening. Both are familiar with one another from prior experiences and share mutual respect.
In the summer leading up to training camp, Lamb was a guest on teammate Micah Parsons’ podcast and named his top five cornerbacks in the NFL. He listed Ward at No. 5 behind only Xavien Howard, Jalen Ramsey, Patrick Surtain II, and Sauce Gardner.
.@_CeeDeeThree’s top 5 corners (the Edge with @MicahhParsons11 podcast):
1) @iamSauceGardner
2) @PatSurtainll
3) @jalenramsey
4) @Iamxavienhoward
5) @denzelward pic.twitter.com/pm9Rh7hPWv— uSTADIUM (@uSTADIUM) July 27, 2024
Lamb was force-fed the football last season, and as long as his conditioning is ready for a full workload following his long absence, it should look similar once again. If that’s the case, Ward will need to be ready for a long and active day guarding one of the NFL’s premier receivers.
Micah Parsons vs. Jack Conklin
Any time Parsons is on a football field, he has a chance of making a game-breaking play. This is something offensive lineman Jack Conklin is acutely aware of as he prepares to take on Parsons and Dallas’ respected pass rush.
The group as a whole may look different, but it’s still led by Parsons, and that may be enough to be a true disruptor in Week 1.
With uncertainty around Jedrick Wills Jr.’s availability for this one, Conklin may kick to left tackle in his place. Either way, whether on the right or the left, expect Conklin to see a heavy dose of Parsons as Zimmer and Co. look to use him as a chess piece to create matchup problems for the offensive line.
Watson hasn’t seen live action in over 10 months, so ensuring he has a clean pocket to operate will be crucial to the Browns’ success. With other playmakers worthy of watching on Dallas’ defense, it’s going to be a challenge to identify Parsons on every play while being aware of other disruptors.
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