After a long offseason, the Dallas Cowboys started the 2024 season with a win over the Cleveland Browns. What was expected to be a close matchup between two playoff teams from a season ago ended up as a 33-17 convincing win for Dallas. being a 33-17 convincing win for Dallas.
A lot of questions circled the Cowboys heading into Week 1. How the defense would look early on in Mike Zimmer's system, how Tyler Guyton would fare against Myles Garrett and what rust, if any, would Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have after Lamb only just returned to practice, were some of the most burning questions.
Now, Cowboys fans have some answers. Overreactions always follow the first game of the season, so we'll try our best not to get too excited. If that isn't enough foreshadowing, here are three major observations from Dallas' Week 1 win.
3. Caelen Carson can definitely handle a significant role
The news of DaRon Bland suffering a stress fracture in his foot knocked the excitement for Dallas' secondary out of Cowboys Nation. It's not often confidence is given to a rookie fifth-round cornerback, but Caelen Carson earned it in training camp and preseason.
Coming out of Wake Forest, Carson was expected to take some time to develop. He missed time in 2021 and 2022 due to injuries, playing in 36 games throughout his collegiate career.
The Browns' unquestioned top weapon is former Cowboys wideout Amari Cooper. Known as one of the best route-runners in the league with sticky hands, one would think that a rookie fifth-rounder would get exposed. Cleveland certainly tried to expose Carson, but they failed spectacularly.
Cooper primarily lined up on the right side of the formation, which matched him up with Carson. The seven-time 1000-yard receiver was limited to two catches for 19 yards on nine targets. It's safe to say Cooper was more or less erased from the game by the "Seatbelt."
The play recognition from Carson was very impressive. It enabled him to jump up and play physically on the ball. He knocked down two passes and continued to make the windows tight for an already-struggling and pressured Deshaun Watson to thread the ball in.
It did not happen, but there were two plays where Caelen had an opportunity to intercept the ball. The hope is that he can continue the dominant play he had on Sunday, and come down with passes in his catch radius.
It's important not to give Carson too many flowers after one game. However, having a great performance against one of the most consistent wideouts in the league is very encouraging. With potentially four more games as a starter while Bland recovers from surgery, Cowboys fans should be more comfortable for next week's home opener against the New Orleans Saints.
2. The Cowboys' RB room is a true committee
The Cowboys' running back room looked thin following Tony Pollard's departure to Tennessee. Expected to be led by Rico Dowdle and potentially Deuce Vaughn, Dallas brought back Ezekiel Elliott on a one-year deal and signed vet Dalvin Cook to the practice squad.
Week 1 was regarded as a tough matchup for the Cowboys' rushing attack as the Browns have one of the best front seven units in the league. With a rejuvenated Ezekiel Elliott, it was expected that Zeke and Dowdle would split the lion's share of snaps, with a sprinkle of Vaughn in on schemed-up plays.
In his first three years, Dowdle was utilized on special teams and as a power back to complement the speedy Pollard. Now, according to head coach Mike McCarthy, he is expected to take a more significant role in the offense thanks to his improvement as a runner and in pass-protection.
On Sunday, fans got a glimpse of how the running back usage will look throughout the season. Zeke did get most of the carries with 10 and the lone touchdown run, but Dowdle was not far behind with eight carries. CeeDee Lamb was sprinkled in with three carries, and Deuce Vaughn only got one carry.
While most of the carries were split, it's critical to note that it was Zeke who started the game and appeared to get most of the red zone snaps. How that changes week to week and if Dowdle slowly takes more of a role as the season goes on will be something to monitor.
The run game did not have a ton of success, but it was serviceable against a vaunted Browns defensive line. There were some flashes, like Zeke hurdling Denzel Ward on the first offensive play of the game, and Dowdle picking up blitzers to give Dak Prescott more time with the ball.
The improvement in pass-blocking is notable, as the passing game is the clear priority of the offense. However, we are curious to see how the run game plays against a weaker defense in New Orleans.
Regardless, expect the Cowboys backfield to be split based on the hot hand. So far, Zeke is that guy, but with a lot of wear and tear on his body, who knows how long he will last. Dowdle should see more snaps as the veteran gets worn down throughout the season.
1. Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe are the real deal
The most important storyline going into Sunday (after Prescott signed his four-year extension) was how the offensive line looked right out of the gate. Specifically, how rookies Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe hold up against a stout Browns defensive line.
The team's third-round pick, Beebe had a difficult task at center dealing with seasoned veterans Shelby Harris and Dalvin Tomlinson. However, first-round pick Tyler Guyton lined up against arguably the best pass rusher in the league in Myles Garrett at left tackle.
Considering that Guyton and Beebe are both rookies that started in Week 1, and the competition they were up against, you can't help but be excited about how the duo will develop over the season and in the years to come.
Guyton and Beebe played 36-pass-blocking snaps, per The 33rd Team. Guyton gave up two pressures while Beebe pitched a shutout. It was what fans were hoping to happen, but not what was expected.
The offensive line was not as dominant in the run game, but it still did a serviceable job. Elliott ran behind Beebe a couple of times on inside runs, leading to the veteran racking up 40 rushing yards on 10 carries.
While Guyton did not make any eye-popping plays, he didn't allow any either. Preventing the reigning Defensive Player of the Year from wrecking the game alone is a big feat for Guyton. He got caught off balance on numerous occasions, but he used his length and strength to recover and protect Prescott's blindside.
Next week against the Saints, Beebe will be up against a duo of experienced run stuffers in Nathan Shephard and Khalen Saunders, as well as a young promising lineman in Bryan Bresee. The power of these linemen will test the strength of Beebe, especially on run plays.
Guyton does not catch a break as he will lock horns with Cameron Jordan. He is one of the best power edge rushers in the league although he had a career-worst season last year. When head coach Dennis Allen wants to switch around the defense, Guyton will see the likes of Carl Granderson or Chase Young.
