Dallas Cowboys

Three key players need to perform exceptionally well for the Cowboys to secure a Week 1 win.

It is difficult to believe that the Dallas Cowboys and Cleveland Browns will play in Week 1 of the NFL.

After a long off-season, Dallas will face one of the toughest defenses in the league, and winning this game will not be easy.

The Browns are a formidable opponent, and Dallas will be up against it on the road. However, winning this season opener will not be easy.

This won’t be easy for Dallas, as the defense is led by Myles Garrett and Denzel Ward, while the offense is led by former Cowboy Amari Cooper.

To win it, they’ll need their top players to produce above expectations.

The Cowboys’ success in Week 1 will be largely attributed to these three players stepping up.

Let’s discuss those three now and what they can do to help Dallas win on Sunday.

Ezekiel Elliott: Sledgehammer If the Cowboys are going to win this game, Ezekiel Elliott, the returning franchise cornerstone from Ohio, needs to have a huge day in Cleveland.

The pass defense of the Browns is precisely what we know makes them so formidable.

CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott won’t be let to go wild by them. Indeed, you should anticipate a somewhat boring match from that explosive pair.

Elliott’s performance will set the tone for how well the Cowboys running backs perform in this game, which may go either way.

Cleveland’s rushing defense finished the previous season ranked 12th, which is decent but not outstanding.

Before slamming it home in the fourth quarter, Elliott will need to wear down their rushing defense over the course of the first three quarters by gaining yards on the ground and on screen passes.

The 29-year-old’s return to the Cowboys will be a significant test as the NFL community watches to see how much more in him he has left.

DeMarcus Lawrence: Counteroffense Reserve Tackles Once more, the Cowboys’ Week 1 offense cannot be the only factor in their game plan.

That is not going to work. If this defense hopes to stay up with Cleveland’s defense, they will need to come up with some plays of their own.

Let’s introduce DeMarcus Lawrence, who will have a fantastic chance to cause mayhem in this encounter.

The seasoned pass-rusher will face an ailing offensive line, particularly at the tackle position.

At left tackle for the Browns, All-Pro Jedrick Wills is doubtful to participate, while right tackle Jack Conklin is also out.

This not only makes the Browns vulnerable to Dallas’ pass rush, but it also guarantees that Lawrence will get more opportunities due of Micah Parsons’ increased attention.

Cleveland likely relies on Wills and Conklin, along with the rare double-team, to manage Parsons in a scenario where both players are active. Right now? To do that would be foolish of them.

The Browns’ backup tackles will be working hard to limit Parsons, which should give Lawrence lots of one-on-one opportunities.

If Dallas hopes to stop the Cleveland attack, he has to step up in such situations.

Operation Contain Cooper / Trevon Diggs

In this Cowboys Week 1 game, All-Pro Cornerback Trevon Diggs is being put in the furnace after a year of rehabilitation following an ACL tear.

Amari Cooper, his former teammate, will be facing off against the interception machine himself.

Diggs will essentially be playing defense against a player who, in his first week back, finished the previous season with 1,250 receiving yards.

The importance of this face-off cannot be emphasized because the Cowboys defense will want to outperform the Browns team in this contest.

Diggs will be playing with fifth-round rookie Caelen Carson instead of DaRon Bland.

It goes without saying that the veteran is under pressure to step up.

On Sunday, this will be his secondary, and he needs to play accordingly.

Though harsh as it may be, there’s not much room for rust here.

Diggs needs to be prepared to face the task of holding Cooper and Jerry Jeudy in check for the entire four quarters.

Diggs has a challenging assignment ahead of him, but one that he should be able to handle.

 

LEAVE A RESPONSE

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *