Despite having won 12 games in each of the previous three seasons, the Dallas Cowboys had a 1-3 record in their first games as head coach Mike McCarthy’s team. In Week 1, they are likewise marginal underdogs against the Browns because of Cleveland’s strong defense.
The Browns-Cowboys game on Sunday might be the most exciting of the week. Both clubs advanced to the postseason in 2023, but neither will have their star rusher from the previous campaign. Both have teams regarded as some of the greatest in the NFL.
Last season, Dallas scored the highest points per game (29.9) of any team. Dak Prescott of the Cowboys threw more touchdown passes than any other quarterback, and CeeDee Lamb of the team had the most receptions (135) of any wide receiver. Statistics like these would normally be sufficient to prevent being labeled as the underdog, but against
With an average of 371.6 yards per game in 2023, the Cowboys offensive was seventh in the league; however, the Browns defense gave up a league-low 270.2 yards per game the previous season. With 258.6 passing yards per game, Dallas was third in the league, but Cleveland allowed a league-low 164.7 yards via the air last season.
The Browns’ 11th-ranked run defense might be their weak point. In 2023, Cleveland gave up 105.5 yards per game on average to ball-carriers. Naturally, nobody anticipates much from the Cowboys run game now that 29-year-old Ezekiel Elliott is back, maybe serving as the team’s main back following a dismal season in New England.
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz gets to run it back in 2024 with players like All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett and defensive backs Martin Emerson Jr. and Denzel Ward, unlike Dallas, which will be missing cornerback DaRon Bland for at least six weeks.
Based on data from The 33rd Team, all three were instrumental in the team’s 2023 success and are among the league leaders in at least one metric.
A statistic called EPA (Expected Points Added) per drive is used to assess a team’s performance in relation to expectations. The EPA increases as an offense draws closer to the end zone. Stated differently, defensive players can thwart EPA by preventing points from being scored by the offensive on any given drive.
Emerson, Garrett, and Ward all received EPA scores in the top 15 during the previous season, according to the website. Along with 49 sacks (15 more than the previous season), that helped the Browns qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2003.
Put another way, the Cowboys will be quite busy this weekend when they visit Cleveland Browns Stadium.
