Dallas Cowboys vs Cleveland Browns Prediction, Preview and Odds - 09/08/2024

Game Time: 4:25 pm ET, Sunday, September 8, 2024

Venue:  Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH

Where to Watch:  FOX

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Cowboys +2.5, Browns -2.5; Over/Under:  40.5 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Cowboys +2.5, Browns -2.5; Over/Under:  41 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Cowboys +2.5, Browns -2.5; Over/Under:  40.5 points

Dallas Cowboys:  0-0 (NFC East)

Cleveland Browns:  0-0 (AFC North)

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Dallas Cowboys:  N/A

Cleveland Browns:  N/A

The Cowboys finished last season with a 12-5 record overall and they were 5-1 in their division games too. They had an 8-0 record in their home games and had a 4-5 record in their road games where they will be in this game. Last season, their offense was averaging 29.9 points per game and their defense was allowing an average of 18.5 points per game. Their offense was also averaging 371.6 yards per game and their defense was allowing an average of 299.7 yards per game. Dak Prescott led the team in passing yards with 4516, Tony Pollard led the team in rushing yards with 1005, and CeeDee Lamb led the team in receiving yards with 1749.

The Browns finished last season with an 11-6 record overall and they were 3-3 in their division games too. They had an 8-1 record in their home games and had a 3-5 record in their road games, but they will be at home in this game. Last season, their offense was averaging 23.3 points per game and their defense was allowing an average of 21.3 points per game. Their offense was also averaging 335.9 yards per game and their defense was allowing an average of 270.2 yards per game. Joe Flacco led the team in passing yards with 1616, Jerome Ford led the team in rushing yards with 813, and Amari Cooper led the team in receiving yards with 1250.

The current betting odds have the Browns listed as a 2.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Browns finished last season with an 11-6 record overall and even though they didn't win the AFC North, they did make the playoffs in an impressive year in which they had to start 4 different quarterbacks throughout the year. They dealt with a lot of adversity and came out of it nicely, now they will be looking to put together a solid season with Watson back healthy and leading the offense. Meanwhile, the Cowboys were great last season with their 12-5 record overall which won them the NFC East, but they were a disappointment in the playoffs. They were also terrible in their road games last season, going 4-5 on the road compared to their 8-0 home record. There are a lot of changes for this Cowboys team too as they brought back Ezekiel Elliott while letting Tony Pollard go, and Dak Prescott is coming back for another season even though there was speculation that he might be done in Dallas. They had a great offense last season, but their defense were the real stars and they are going to look very different with a new DC now. Dan Quinn has departed to coach the Washington Commanders this season so this defense is going to look different as he was the one who turned them around last season. The Browns are playing with something to prove this season and this is the best time to take them at the beginning of the season when most of the players are healthy. They can take advantage of the changes made to this Cowboys team in this 1st game since the Cowboys weren't a strong road team last season. The best way to place a bet here is on the Browns to cover the spread in this game. 

Cowboys Browns Prediction:  Our NFL Pick for Sunday, September 8, 2024 (4:25 pm ET start time) is Browns 24 Cowboys 17.

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Dallas Cowboys: 13-7 ATS in the first half of their last 20 games. 14-6 ATS in the first quarter of their last 20 games. 13-7 to the first half over in their last 20 games. 

Cleveland Browns: 5-16 ATS in the first quarter of their last 21 games. 4-9 ATS in the fourth quarter of their last 13 games. 14-8 to the over in their last 22 games. 

Dallas Cowboys:  D. Clark (LB) Injured - Knee. I. Mukuamu (SAF) Injured - Groin. J. Stephens (TE) Injured - Hamstring. M. Smith (DT) Injured - Achilles. J. Thomas (SAF) Injured - Groin. M. Kneeland (DE) Injured - Knee.

Cleveland Browns:  D. Tomlinson (DT) Injured - Knee. J. Conklin (T) Injured - Knee. Q. Jefferson (DT) Injured - Achilles. J. Hicks (LB) Injured - Calf. J. Jeudy (WR) Injured - Knee. J. Wills (T) Injured - Knee. M. Hurst (DT) Injured - Hamstring. J. Owusu-Koramoah (LB) Injured - Hand. A. Wright (DE) Injured - Elbow. D. Bell (WR) Injured - Quad. N. Watson (LB) Injured - Quad.

"He's a difference maker. He makes their offense different... They have a brand of football they stick to. He's a multidimensional player... So when he's in there, it's different." - Mike McCarthy on facing Deshaun Watson coming into this season opener. 

“I think it goes back to the previous point about their defense, and this is true of a lot of teams, a lot of different sides of the ball in the NFL. Week one is a feeling-out period, certainly, as you see a new scheme on tape. Now we go into it thinking certain things about how we’re going to play. I know they’re doing the same, but exactly how it all looks in week one, I think is an unknown.” - Kevin Stefanski on the Cowboys new defense coming into this NFL season.

WR Tolbert, Jalen

WR Cooks, Brandin 

WR Lamb, CeeDee

TE Ferguson, Jake 

QB Prescott, Dak

RB Elliott, Ezekiel 

FB Luepke, Hunter

WR Cooper, Amari 

WR Moore, Elijah 

WR Jeudy, Jerry

TE Njoku, David 

QB Watson, Deshaun

RB Ford, Jerome

Passing: N/A

Rushing: N/A

Receiving: N/A

Touchdowns: N/A

Passing: N/A

Rushing: N/A

Receiving: N/A

Touchdowns: N/A

Coaches:

Dallas Cowboys: Mike McCarthy (5th season)

Cleveland Browns: Kevin Stefanski (5th season)