Sept. 9 – Just hours after agreeing to the most expensive contract in NFL history, Dak Prescott threw for 179 yards and a touchdown against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday to lead the offensively depleted Cleveland Browns to a 33-17 win.
Prescott, who agreed to a four-year, $240 million extension, completed 19 of 32 passes but wasn’t required to do much more. Dallas held Cleveland to just one field goal in the first half, took a 20-3 lead and kept the home team in control from then on. The Browns gained only 230 yards on 70 carries for the game.
Deshaun Watson was largely ineffective until the Cowboys took a 24-point lead in the third quarter, and finished the day with 24 of 45 passing for 169 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. Cleveland managed only 93 yards and six sacks, two of which came from Eric Kendricks and DeMarcus Lawrence.
The Browns scored first on Dustin Hopkins’ 51-yard field goal less than 5 1/2 minutes into the game, but Dallas scored the rest of the game. Prescott threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandin Cooks to give the Cowboys the lead, increasing their lead to 27 points.
Ezekiel Elliott scored from 3 yards out to make the score 14–3 with 5:15 left in the first half. Kicker Brandon Oubre made field goals of 57 and 40 yards in the final 2:06 of the first half to make the score 20–3 at halftime.
Kavonte Turpin returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown with 12:59 left in the third quarter, increasing the Cowboys’ lead to 27–3. On Cleveland’s next possession, Watson found Jerry Jeudy for a 6-yard score.
With 11 minutes and 51 seconds left in the game, Oubre made field goals of 50 and 46 yards, increasing the score to 33–10. Jerome Ford’s 2-yard touchdown run with 29 seconds remaining gave the Browns a big lead late.
The game was somewhat loose, with each team taking 11 penalties. Neither offense gained 300 yards.
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