Cleveland Browns drop season opener vs. Dallas Cowboys in big loss where offense struggled

CLEVELAND — The eyes of America were on Cleveland Sunday afternoon. Only fans of the Dallas Cowboys really liked what they saw.

Fresh off their third playoff appearance in the last 25 years, the Browns had a chance to make a statement against America's Team when the Cowboys visited the Browns . Not only that, they could do it with seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady on hand to make his Fox broadcasting debut.

If the Browns made a statement, it wasn't a good one. Dallas brought the heat on both sides of the ball, rolling up a 33-17 season-opening victory.

The Cowboys opened up a 20-3 lead at halftime. They led by as much as 23 in the second half.

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson made his first start since last Nov. 12, when he sustained a season-ending shoulder injury. Watson took plenty of shots from the Dallas defense, getting sacked five times and taking 15 hits from the Cowboys.

Watson was 24-of-45 passing for 169 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, with a 51.1 passer rating. He also ran it five times for 39 yards.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott, who was signed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension on Sunday morning, was 19-of-32 passing for 179 yards with a touchdown pass. He had an 85.7 passer rating.

So, how 'bout you follow along here as the Browns and Cowboys kick off this afternoon from the lakefront?

Jerome Ford finds the end zone for Cleveland Browns

The Browns added a score with 29 seconds left in the game. Jerome Ford ran it in from 2 yards out for the score, capping a 15-play, 64-yard drive.

Browns linebacker Tony Fields II ruled out with ankle injury

Browns linebacker Tony Fields II was ruled out by the team after sustaining an ankle injury. Fields suffered the injury on the Cowboys' field goal drive early in the fourth quarter.

The Browns have lost two linebackers to injuries. Mohamoud Diabate left with a hip injury in the third quarter.

Trevon Diggs gets interception, 2nd one Deshaun Watson's thrown

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson threw his second interception of the day, this time to Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs. The pick came with 9:06 remaining at the Cowboys 23.

Earlier in the game, Watson had a pass batted in the air by Micah Parsons and intercepted by Eric Kendricks.

Brandon Aubrey hits another FG for Dallas Cowboys

Brandon Aubrey's going to need his leg iced down. He kicked a 46-yard field goal with 11:51 remaining to give the Cowboys a 33-10 lead.

Aubrey has made four field goals in the game. He also had what appeared to be a record-tying 66-yard field goal negated by a delay of game penalty at the end of the first half.

Deshaun Watson takes a shot on Cleveland Browns' failed 4th-down try

Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has taken more than his share of shots Sunday. One of the biggest came on a fourth-and-4 pass attempt from the Cleveland 38, when Dallas' DeMarvion Overshown rocked him after he threw the ball.

Watson was down for a brief second before getting up and walking to the sideline. No one from the training staff was called to help.

Watson has been sacked five times and taken 14 hits from the Cowboys.

End 3rd quarter: Dallas Cowboys rolling over Cleveland Browns entering final quarter

The Dallas Cowboys took a 30-10 lead into the fourth quarter over the Cleveland Browns .

Cleveland Browns' Jerry Jeudy leaves game with apparent leg injury, returns in 4th

Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy left Sunday's game with 52 seconds left in the third quarter, complaining of pain in his right leg. As he came off the field after a 5-yard completion from Deshaun Watson to Jerome Ford, Jeudy pointed to the area behind his right knee.

Jeudy left the tent during the quarter break. He returned to the game with 14:32 remaining in the fourth.

Brandon Aubrey kicks another long field goal, pushes Dallas Cowboys lead back to 20

The Cowboys turned the Browns' failed fourth-down try into three more points and a 30-10 lead. Brandon Aubrey kicked a 50-yard field goal, his third field goal of the game.

Cleveland Browns' Deshaun Watson sacked on 4th down try

The Browns faced fourth-and-6 from their own 45 with just over four minutes remaining in the third quarter. They elected to go for it, trailing by 17.

Quarterback Deshaun Watson rolled to his right, trying to throw. Instead, Dallas rookie DeMarvion Overshown sacked him for a 3-yard loss, giving the Cowboys the ball back.

Watson has been sacked five times.

Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson injured after short gain

Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson immediately was helped to the locker room after he was injured on a two-yard catch with 6:35 remaining in the third quarter. Ferguson appeared to injury his lower leg when he was tackled by Browns linebacker Jordan Hicks.

Ferguson had three catches on five targets for 15 yards up until the injury. There was no immediate word on his injury status.

Cleveland Browns' Mohamoud Diabate ruled out with hip injury

Browns linebacker Mohamoud Diabate left Sunday's game with a hip injury. The injury appeared to occur earlier in the game, but flared up in the third quarter.

The Browns ruled Diabate out for the rest of the game.

Deshaun Watson finds Jerry Jeudy for Cleveland Browns TD

The Browns found the end zone for the first time all season when Deshaun Watson found Jerry Jeudy for a 6-yard touchdown with 8:42 remaining in the third quarter. That cut Dallas' lead to 27-17.

David Njoku into medical tent after making big catch

David Njoku gave the Browns' offense a boost with a 29-yard catch at the Dallas 27 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter. However, he was rocked by Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks on the catch, and went into the medical tent briefly for examination.

Njoku only spent a couple of minutes in the tent before coming out. He left the bench area and went to the locker room.

There was no immediate word on Njoku's injury status.

Dallas Cowboys add to Cleveland Browns misery with KaVontae Turpin punt return

The Browns offense started the second half with the football, but a second-down penalty on Dawand Jones and a third-down sack by Dallas' DeMarcus Lawrence on Deshaun Watson forced a three-and-out. That's where the Cowboys' KaVontae Turpin added to the bad day for Cleveland.

Turpin basically took Corey Bojorquez's punt 60 yards untouched to the end zone for the Cowboys' touchdowns. That made it 27-3 Dallas with 12:59 remaining in the third quarter.

Halftime: Boos rain down on Cleveland Browns as they trail Dallas Cowboys

The Browns fans in attendance rained boos down on the players as they ran off the field with the Browns trailing the Dallas Cowboys 20-3 at halftime. Dallas has outgained Cleveland 216-54 in the first half and limited the Browns to one first down.

Delay of game comes before Brandon Aubrey's record-tying 66-yard field goal

Dallas sent kicker Brandon Aubrey to try a 66-yard field goal with four seconds remaining in the first half, which would've tied the record set by the Baltimore Ravens' Justin Tucker against the Detroit Lions. The ball appeared to clear the crossbar, but was negated by the Cowboys being called for delay of game.

The Cowboys elected to try a Hail Mary pass after the 5-yard mark-off. It came up short and fell incomplete.

Brandon Aubrey hits 2nd field goal, Cowboys continue to push lead out

The interception was turned into Cowboys points. A third-down sack by Za'Darius Smith of Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott pushed the ball to the Browns 22.

Brandon Aubrey came on to hit a 40-yard field goal with 51 seconds left in the first half to make it 20-3.

Deshaun Watson's pass batted by Micah Parsons, intercepted by Eric Kendricks

Quarterback Deshaun Watson gave the Cowboys prime field position with less than two minutes remaining in the half. He tried to throw a pass to his right, but Dallas edge rusher Micah Parsons was right in front of him and batted the ball into the air.

The ball landed in the hands of Cowboys linebacker Eric Kendricks, who returned the ball 8 yards to the Browns 23. Parsons also knocked down Watson while blocking on the return.

Dawand Jones returns at right tackle before 2-minute warning

Dawand Jones' absence from the lineup was short-lived. He was back at right tackle when the Browns took over with 2:06 remaining.

Jones had left after the first play of the previous possession. He never went into the medical tent.

Germain Ifedi replaced Jones for those two plays.

Brandon Aubrey's 57-yard FG extends Cowboys' lead

The Cowboys pushed their lead out to 17-3 when Brandon Aubrey hit a 57-yard field goal with 2:06 remaining. Dallas has scored on three of their six offensive possessions.

Germain Ifedi replaces Dawand Jones mid-series at right tackle

The Browns made a switch at right tackle after the first play of their fifth offensive possession. Germaine Ifedi went in to replace Dawand Jones with 5:08 remaining in the second quarter, who appeared to injure his shoulder.

Jones remained on the sideline during the series, which was a three-and-out. He was seen talking to Jedrick Wills Jr. and Nick Harris, fellow offensive linemen, shortly after the series ended.

There's been no official word on his status yet.

Ezekiel Elliott gives Dallas Cowboys their 2nd TD, double-digit lead

Former Ohio State Buckeye running back Ezekiel Elliott's 3-yard touchdown run with 5:15 remaining in the second quarter gave Dallas a 14-3 lead over the Browns. The Cowboys have scored on two of their five possessions in the first half so far.

Dallas Cowboys effectively using CeeDee Lamb on jet sweeps

Dallas star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has made an impact in the passing game, obviously. However, Lamb's added a bit in the run game as well in the first half.

Lamb's run it twice so far for the Cowboys, both for double-digit gains. That includes a 12-yard run to help kick-start the second Dallas touchdown drive.

Replay chimes in to give Deshaun Watson an incompletion

The Browns thought they had a 12-yard reception by Elijah Moore. The Cowboys thought they had a touchdown after recovering a fumble.

Turns out, neither was correct. The Browns' second-down play on their fourth possession was a ball Deshaun Watson threw low to Moore, who appeared to make the catch.

Moore wasn't touched, but tossed the ball out, and Dallas' Jourdan Lewis picked it up and ran it into the end zone. The officially, though, initially ruled that Moore had given himself up, and was thus down.

However, replay chimed in and immediately corrected the ball to an incomplete pass after the ball bounced off the ground. After a seven-yard gain on third down, the Browns punted.

Myles Garrett makes his 1st statement against hometown Dallas Cowboys

Browns star Myles Garrett was playing against the team from his hometown for the second time in his career Sunday. On the second play of the second quarter, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year came off the left side of the Dallas offensive line, beating rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton, to record a strip sack of quarterback Dak Prescott.

The Cowboys recovered the fumble for a seven-yard loss. They would punt after a three-and-out.

End 1st quarter: Dallas Cowboys 7, Cleveland Browns 3

The Cowboys led the Browns 7-3 after one quarter. The second quarter will start with Dallas having the ball at their own 29.

Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons gets 1st sack of Cleveland Browns' Deshaun Watson

Dallas star edge rusher Micah Parsons nearly sacked quarterback Deshaun Watson on the first play of the Browns' third offensive series. He got him on the third play, sacking him for a five-yard loss to force a second Browns punt.

Deshaun Watson easing into 1st game since shoulder surgery

Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski appears to be easing quarterback Deshaun Watson into his first game since last Nov. 12. Watson is 4 of 5 for 23 yards and an 85.8 passer rating through two series, but isn't being asked to do too much on any given play.

Watson did take a shot to his shoulder when he scrambled on the first series for an eight-yard gain. He showed no ill effects from the hit.

Penalties an early story for Cleveland Browns

The Browns were flagged twice before the snapped the ball on their second possession. They were flagged for illegal formation on the kickoff, putting them at their own 25.

On first down, right tackle Dawand Jones picked up his second false start penalty of the game. The Browns, as a team, have been flagged five times for 30 yards in the first 10 minutes of the game.

The Browns eventually punted after a three-and-out.

Dak Prescott to Brandin Cooks for Dallas Cowboys TD

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott took advantage of a Browns coverage bust to hit Brandin Cooks for a 21-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys the lead at 7-3 with 6:55 remaining in the first quarter. It appeared to be some confusion between safety Juan Thornhill and cornerback Martin Emerson Jr on who was supposed to have the coverage.

The touchdown came three plays after Prescott's perfectly-placed 34-yard completion to CeeDee Lamb set up the scoring chance. Lamb caught the ball over cornerback Denzel Ward, who was well positions on the play.

Dustin Hopkins' 51-yard FG gives Cleveland Browns early lead

The Browns took a 3-0 lead with 9:23 remaining in the first quarter when Dustin Hopkins made a 51-yard field goal. It capped a six-play, 13-yard drive that was sabotaged by a pair of Browns penalties, one on each of the tackles.

Left tackle James Hudson III was flagged for an ineligible man downfield after the Browns had picked up a first down. Right tackle Dawand Jones was then flagged for false start on a fourth and 2 from the Dallas 28.

Cleveland Browns starting offense vs. Dallas Cowboys

Here's the Browns' starting offense against the Cowboys:

• QB: Deshaun Watson
• RB: Jerome Ford
• TE: David Njoku
• WR: Amari Cooper
• WR: Jerry Jeudy
• WR: Elijah Moore
• LT: James Hudson III
• LG: Joel Bitonio
• C: Ethan Pocic
• RG: Wyatt Teller
• RT: Dawand Jones

Dalvin Tomlinson sacks Cowboys' Dak Prescott to set defense up

The tone of the first Cowboys series was set by their first two plays. The first play was a hold to put them first and 21 at their own 23.

Then, on the next play, defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson blew up the middle and sacked Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott for a seven-yard loss.

Dallas would punt, which Jaelon Darden returned 28 yards to the Cowboys 45.

Cleveland Browns starting defense vs. Dallas Cowboys

Here's the Browns' starting defense against the Cowboys:

• DE: Za’Darius Smith
• DT: Dalvin Tomlinson
• DT: Maurice Hurst II
• DE: Myles Garrett
• LB: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah
• LB: Jordan Hicks
• Nickel: Greg Newsome III
• S: Grant Delpit
• CB: Denzel Ward
• CB: Martin Emerson Jr
• S: Juan Thornhill

Cleveland Browns open on defense after deferring the coin toss

The Browns have won the opening coin toss of the season. They deferred to the second half, giving the Cowboys the ball to open the game.

Cleveland Browns to start James Hudson III at left tackle; Jack Conklin inactive

James Hudson III will start at left tackle for the Browns when they open the season against the Dallas Cowboys. Jack Conklin, meanwhile, will wait to make his game return.

Hudson will start in place of the injured Jedrick Wills Jr., ending the mystery that has surrounded the position for the duration of the preseason. He was the default choice when the Browns elected to have Conklin inactive against Dallas as he continues to recover from his own knee injury.

Dawand Jones will start at right tackle, which is where he's lined up throughout the preseason. Germain Ifedi, elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster on Saturday, will be the backup at both tackle spots.

The opener will mark Hudson's first career start at left tackle in the NFL. He did start for two seasons at the University of Cincinnati before he was drafted in the fourth round by the Browns in 2021.

Hudson's become the Browns' No. 1 answer at tackle when an injury arises. Despite making 15 starts over the last three season over 46 regular-season or playoff games, he's never been seen as the long-term starter going into a season.

Cleveland Browns make DTR inactive, No. 3 QB vs. Dallas Cowboys

Dorian Thompson-Robinson will be the No. 3 quarterback for the Browns, who have made him inactive for the opener. Jameis Winston will be Deshaun Watson's backup.

The other inactive players for the Browns will be cornerbacks Kahlef Hailassie and Myles Harden, defensive end Isaiah McGuire, guard Javion Cohen and offensive tackles Jedrick Wills Jr. and James Hudson III.

When do the Cleveland Browns play today?

Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m., with this being the NFL's featured game in that time slot.

Who is announcing the Cowboys vs. Browns game? Tom Brady's broadcast career begins in Cleveland

Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady makes his broadcasting debut as the TV analyst for the game on Fox.

What channel is Browns vs. Cowboys: How to watch the Cleveland-Dallas game on TV, streaming

• TV channel: Fox WJW-TV (Channel 8)
• Stream: FoxSports.com/live and NFL+
• Announcers: Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play), Tom Brady (analyst), Erin Andrews (sideline reporter) and Tom Rinaldi (sideline reporter).

How to listen to the Cleveland Browns vs. Dallas Cowboys game on the radio, stream

• The Cleveland Browns Radio Network will carry the game, with Andrew Siciliano (play-by-play), Nathan Zegura (analyst) and Je'Rod Cherry (sideline reporter) on the call. Among the affiliates in the Akron-Canton area are WAKR-AM 1590, WONE-FM 97.5, WHBC-AM 1480, WQKT-FM 104.5, WKRK-FM 92.3, WKNR-AM 850 and WNCX-FM 98.5.
• The Cleveland Browns Radio Network's call can also be streamed at Cleveland Browns.com, as well as the Browns' mobile app. It's also available on Sirius XM radio , with channel 228 carrying the Browns' feed.
• The Browns also have a Spanish-language broadcast, with Rafael “Rafa” Hernández-Brito (play-by-play) and Octavio Sequera (analyst) on the call. Games will be streamed on La Mega Cleveland , as well as heard on WNZN-FM 89.1 in Lorain and WVKO-FM 103.1 in Columbus.
• The game will be carried nationally by Compass Media . Kevin Ray (play-by-play) and Steve Beuerlein (analyst) will be on the call.

Andrew Siciliano makes full-time debut as Browns radio announcer

With the long-time voice of the Browns, Jim Donovan , having to retire from that role last month to focus on his health, this marks Andrew Siciliano's first game as the full-time radio play-by-play announcer for the franchise. Siciliano was among several announcers to fill in for Donovan in the past when he dealt with health issues.

How to buy Cowboys vs Browns tickets

Tickets for Sunday's game on StubHub can be purchased on StubHub from $2 before fees.

Browns vs Cowboys weather

It's a moderate late summer day in Cleveland, with the temperature at kickoff expected to be 69 degrees, according to the National Weather Service . There is supposed to be light wind, with no rain in the forecast.

Browns vs. Cowboys injury report

• Browns: LT Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), out; RT Jack Conklin (knee), questionable
• Cowboys: TE John Stephens (hamstring), out

Cleveland Browns record last season

Cleveland is trying to build off last season's 11-6 regular season and AFC wild card berth, where they lost at the Houston Texans. They're also trying to get a full season out of quarterback Deshaun Watson for the first time since he was acquired by the Browns in 2022.

Dallas Cowboys record last season

The Cowboys were 12-5 in the regular season last year, winning the NFC East, but lost in the NFC wild card game to the Green Bay Packers.

Cleveland Browns predictions

So what should we expect from the Browns this season? Click here to see what our writers project as their record and playoff chances.

CB Mike Ford Jr., OT Germain Ifedi elevated from practice squad to roster

The Browns elevated reinforcements to the offensive line and the secondary for the opener. Offensive tackle Germain Ifedi and cornerback Mike Ford Jr. were both elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster.

Ford was added to the practice squad last week after being released by the Houston Texans. He played for the Browns a year ago, primarily as a special teams ace, but also multiple games at cornerback.

Ifedi, a former first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks, provides the Browns with more depth at tackle with Jedrick Wills Jr. out and Jack Conklin questionable. Ifedi started at left tackle in the preseason finale at Seattle, while also working on the interior at guard during training camp.

Browns vs. Cowboys betting odds

• Provided by BetMGM.com ; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 11 a.m. ET Saturday.
• Moneyline (ML): Browns -135 (bet $135 to win $100) | Cowboys +115 (bet $100 to win $115)
• Against the spread: Browns -2.5 (-110) | Cowboys -2.5 (-110)
• Over/Under (O/U): 41 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Dallas Cowboys scores in all-time series vs. Cleveland Browns

Today marks the 30th all-time regular-season meeting and 33rd meeting overall between the Browns and the Cowboys, but just the sixth since Cleveland rejoined the NFL in 1999. Here's a look at the series between the Browns and Cowboys.

• Series record (regular season and playoffs): Browns leads 18-14
• Series record (regular season): Browns lead 16-13
• Playoff record: Browns lead 2-1
• Series in Cleveland (regular season and playoffs): Browns lead 10-6
• Series record in Cleveland (regular season): Browns lead 9-5
• Series record in Cleveland (playoffs): Tied 1-1
• Series record in Dallas (regular season and playoffs):Tied 8-8
• Series record in Dallas (regular season): Cowboys lead 8-7
• Series record in Dallas (playoffs): Browns lead 1-0
• Last meeting: Browns won 49-38 in Arlington, Texas, on Oct. 4, 2020
• Series streak: Browns have won one

Cleveland Browns 2024 active roster

• QUARTERBACKS (3): Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston
• RUNNING BACK (3): Jerome Ford, D'Onta Foreman, Pierre Strong Jr.
• WIDE RECEIVER (6): Amari Cooper, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Jamari Thrash, Cedric Tillman, Jaelon Darden
• TIGHT ENDS (2): Jordan Akins, David Njoku
• OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (10): Joel Bitonio, Jack Conklin, Javion Cohen, Nick Harris, James Hudson III, Dawand Jones, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, Jedrick Wills Jr., Zak Zinter
• DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (9): Myles Garrett, Shelby Harris, Maurice Hurst II, Quenton Jefferson, Isaiah McGuire, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Za’Darius Smith, Dalvin Tomlinson, Alex Wright
• LINEBACKERS (6): Devin Bush, Mohamoud Diabate, Tony Fields II, Jordan Hicks, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Nathaniel Watson
• DEFENSIVE BACKS (11): D’Anthony Bell, Grant Delpit, Martin Emerson Jr., Kahlef Hailassie, Myles Harden, Ronnie Hickman, Rodney McLeod, Cameron Mitchell, Greg Newsome II, Juan Thornhill, Denzel Ward
• SPECIALISTS (3): Corey Bojorques, Dustin Hopkins, Charley Hughlett

Cleveland Browns 2024 schedule

• Sunday, Sept. 8: Home vs. Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 p.m., FOX
• Sunday, Sept. 15: At Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 p.m., CBS
• Sunday, Sept. 22: Home vs. New York Giants, 1 p.m., FOX
• Sunday, Sept. 29: At Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m., CBS
• Sunday, Oct. 6: At Washington Commanders, 1 p.m., FOX
• Sunday, Oct. 13: At Philadelphia Eagles, 1 p.m., FOX
• Sunday, Oct. 20: Home vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m., CBS
• Sunday, Oct. 27: Home vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m., CBS
• Sunday, Nov. 3: Home vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m., CBS
• Sunday, Nov. 10: BYE WEEK
• Sunday, Nov. 17: At New Orleans Saints, 1 p.m., FOX
• Thursday, Nov. 21: Home vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, 8:20 p.m., Amazon Prime
• Monday, Dec. 2: At Denver Broncos, 8:20 p.m., ESPN
• Sunday, Dec. 8: At Pittsburgh Steelers, 1 p.m., CBS
• Sunday, Dec. 15: Home vs. Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m., CBS
• Thursday, Dec. 19: At Cincinnati Bengals, 8:15 p.m., Amazon Prime
• Sunday, Dec. 29: Home vs. Miami Dolphins, 8:20 p.m., NBC
• Saturday, Jan. 4 OR Sunday, Jan. 5: At Baltimore Ravens, TBA, TV TBA

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns drop season opener vs. Dallas Cowboys in big loss where offense struggled