After a tumultuous offseason that included massive unknowns for many of their key players, the Dallas Cowboys started the 2024 NFL season 1-0 with a resounding victory over the Cleveland Browns. Dallas was able to tighten up all off-the-field things ahead of kickoff, and when the whistle blew, they were ready to handle their business on the field as well.
With much to make of the impressive 33-17 win, let’s take a deeper dive into the numbers that propelled the team to its first win of the season.
Cowboys’ Win Told by the Numbers
Dallas’ Defense Stole the Show
The Cowboys scored 33 points on Sunday, leaving box-score watchers to believe the offense was the one clicking. However, the defense was actually firing on all cylinders against the Browns.
Mike Zimmer’s unit, led by Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Eric Kendricks, made life extremely unpleasant for Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and Co. Dallas tallied six sacks on the day, with Kendricks and Lawrence getting two apiece.
Watson was running for his life for most of the evening, finishing the day with a 9.4 QB rating. He averaged 3.8 yards per attempt and threw one meaningless touchdown pass while throwing two interceptions and fumbling once.
Dallas swarmed from start to finish, and Cleveland never found a rhythm to claw back into the game. If the pressure provided by the aforementioned pass rushers wasn’t enough, DeMarvion Overshown’s relentless pursuit from the second level was another layer added to the Browns’ offensive unit’s misery.
Overshown finished the day with a team-leading 11 tackles, two QB hits, one sack, and one tackle for loss. In his first NFL game, he was all over the field making plays, doing everything the Cowboys had hoped he would last year before his injury robbed him of his rookie season.
Overshown was impressive, but he wasn’t alone in that regard. The veteran Kendricks — and Zimmer’s right-hand man — looked like a man who was a home-run free agency add. He finished the evening with nine total tackles, two sacks, one TFL, and two QB hits.
The veteran is helping usher the new system into Dallas. Kendricks has been a long-time leadership piece for Zimmer since their days together with the Minnesota Vikings, and he looks to still be playing at a high level in their new location.
Offense Was Timely and Enough
Looking at the Cowboys’ offensive day, nothing will blow you away. With Dak Prescott finishing with a so-so 179 passing yards, one touchdown, and a rating of 85.3, it wasn’t outstanding, but it was enough to get the job done.
Nevertheless, Dallas scored 26 total points, with seven of its 33 coming from a special-teams touchdown, and winning by 16 points against a good Browns team. That needs to be remembered when critiquing the group.
Prescott and the offense protected the football, played safe, didn’t turn the ball over, and let their defense feast. There’s nothing wrong with complementary football, and being able to do so efficiently en route to a double-digit win is exactly what you want to see out of a group that doesn’t have their best stuff in a game.
On the ground, the unit rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown while grinding the game out, allowing their kicker, Brandon Aubrey, to continuously come in and bang field goals through the uprights with confidence.
Meanwhile, Dallas’ passing attack will clearly have better days, but the distribution is worth noting. CeeDee Lamb saw 10 targets while Brandin Cooks saw seven, setting the table for Dallas’ top two targets to be heavily involved, even in a perceived down game. Overall, the two combined for 101 of Prescott’s 179 passing yards and his lone touchdown pass.
Dallas’ offense will go as these three go. Some days, they’ll be the ones leading the charge. In other cases, like Sunday, they’ll do enough to make sure the game stays within their control.
Brandon Aubrey Puts the ‘Special’ in Teams
Is the crown for best kicker in the NFL being taken off of Justin Tucker’s head and being placed on Aubrey’s? Sound’s unimaginable, but it’s not all that crazy to state.
Since entering the NFL, Aubrey has been automatic, and Week 1 against the Browns shows once again just how special he truly is. Aubrey finished the day 4 of 4 with 15 total points. His long of the day (57 yards) was good, while he drilled a 66-yarder that didn’t count due to a flag.
Aubrey is a certified weapon for the Cowboys, setting up a possibility for points every time they cross midfield. Every time he approaches the football, Aubrey looks poised, confident, and ready to do his job. There is no wasted movement, and his presence has been calming for the Cowboys since his arrival.
There may not be a better kicker in the NFL right now, and the numbers show it.