CLEVELAND – Dak Prescott threw a touchdown pass just hours after signing a four-year, $240 million contract with Dallas, and the Cowboys defense made Deshaun Watson’s return a tough one, beating the Cleveland Browns 33-17 in their opener on Sunday.
With his contract, Prescott becomes the first player to earn an average of $60 million per season and ends months of speculation about his future with the Cowboys, who have won 12 games each of the last three years under him.
Earlier this week, Prescott, who is coming off his best season and entering the final year of his contract, said he wants to be the quarterback to finally end his team’s Super Bowl drought. He will get the chance.
He completed 19 of 32 passes over a distance of 159 meters and took it easy for the most part in the second half.
Prescott threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks in the first quarter, and the Cowboys took a 27-3 lead early in the third quarter on KaVontae Turpin’s 60-yard punt return touchdown.
Brandon Aubrey kicked field goals of 57, 50, 46 and 40 yards for Dallas.
Ezekiel Elliott scored a 3-yard touchdown run for the Cowboys, who signed Prescott just two weeks after giving wide receiver CeeDee Lamb a four-year, $136 million contract.
Watson played for the first time since breaking a bone in his right shoulder in November. Cleveland’s quarterback did not play in the preseason and the Browns’ new-look offense has not looked particularly good under his direction.
Watson was sacked six times, intercepted twice and the 28-year-old was not at his best. He threw several balls too far, held the ball too long on some plays and rarely looked relaxed when the Cowboys covered his receivers.
He completed 24 of 45 passes for 169 yards in just his 13th game for Cleveland since signing a fully guaranteed $230 million contract in 2022.
At halftime, the Browns trailed by 17 points, had only one first down and were behind 216-54.
On Dallas’ first drive for the win, Prescott showed excellent ball skills as he passed to Lamb for a 34-yard pass down the right sideline.
On the next play, Prescott was nearly intercepted, but then he threw his first touchdown pass of the season to Cooks, who ran past safety Juan Thornhill, who was caught flat-footed and then made an unchallenged catch in the end zone.
Elliott played sparingly for New England last season before the Cowboys re-signed the two-time rushing champion in April after releasing him as a cost-cutting measure. The 28-year-old stormed in and gave the Cowboys a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.
The Browns took a 3-0 lead on a 51-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins. Hopkins has completed all nine of his 50-yard kicks since Cleveland acquired him in a trade before last season.
Aubrey appeared to tie Justin Tucker’s NFL record with a 66-yard field goal in the final seconds of the first half, but the goal was disallowed as the Cowboys called a delay of game despite strong protests from coach Mike McCarthy.
In his sophomore season at Notre Dame, Aubrey scored a 66-yard run in the preseason game against Las Vegas.
Browns star end Myles Garrett surprised fans by appearing at a pregame tailgate party at the Muni Lot, the team’s notoriously loud parking and party area east of the stadium.
The reigning AP Defensive Player of the Year led a group of fans in chanting “Here we go Brownies.” Garrett was joined by Cavaliers All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.
Cowboys: TE Jake Ferguson limped off in the third inning with a left knee injury after being tackled on a short pass. … LB Eric Kendricks went out briefly to get fluids but finished the game with two sacks and an interception.
Browns: TE David Njoku left the field in the third quarter with an ankle injury. Njoku, who led Cleveland in receptions and TDs last season, was injured on a 29-yard catch. … LBs Tony Fields II (ankle) and Mohamoud Diabate (hip) were both injured.
Cowboys: Host New Orleans next Sunday.
Browns: Next Sunday in Jacksonville.
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