Cleveland Browns New Offense Unidentifiable In Blowout Loss To Cowboys

The Browns offense looks uninspiring, sputters in 33-17 loss to Dallas in 2024 season opener

Sep 8, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons (11) pressures Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

With four minutes to go in the third quarter with the Browns trailing 27-10, head coach Kevin Stefanski kept the offense on the field for a fourth-and-six from their own 49-yardline. Cleveland was looking for anything to keep breathe some life into a game that they were getting physically dominated in up until that point.

Deshaun Watson took the snap, felt the pocket breaking down and rolled to his right rolled looking to make a play downfield. As he approached the line of scrimmage he directed some blockers and looked to scramble, when out of seemingly nowhere came Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown to wrap him up for a sack for a loss of three.

As Watson got to his feet and walked to the sideline he spiked the ball to the turf in frustration. If a football could talk, it would have spoken for the entire Browns fan base. The entire stadium was frustrated. The choruses of boos throughout the contest made that abundantly clear.

The fancy new offense the Browns had talked about all offseason was no where to be seen on Sunday. Instead it was the same quick trigger, dink-and-dunk style concepts that the Browns have shown in the month of practice leading up to the season. It lacked the Ken Dorsey calling-cards like pre-snap motion – a staple throughout training camp – and the vertical passing attack that was part of Buffalo's offense the last two years.

Things didn't seem so uninspiring at first. Cleveland moved the ball 23 yards on six plays to open the game, to set up Dustin Hopkins for a 51-yard field goal that put it on the board first. Things quickly went haywire from there though as each of the next four drives that followed ended in a three-and-out. Then came Watson's first interception of the game on a ball tipped near the line of scrimmage by Cowboys star Micah Parsons. The offense followed it up with yet another three-and-out before the team went to the half.

After the first quarter the Browns had mustered just one first down, were 0-for-3 on third down and had gained only 30 yards. Watson, meanwhile, had completed four passes for 23 yards. By the half those numbers grew worse as they still had only converted the one first down – from the opening drive of the game – were 0-for-6 on third down and had just 54 yards of total offense to show for their efforts. Watson went to the break 7-of-15 for 36 yards.

That aforementioned third quarter touchdown drive saw Cleveland finally convert two third downs. eclipse the 100 total yard mark for the game and close the gap on Dallas for a moment. It was more like a whimper than a rallying cry.

As droves of fans hit the exits early in the fourth quarter they left wondering what happened to the offense described as "juicy" at one point during the offseason by David Njoku. The offense that was supposedly a "perfect fit" for Watson's unique skillset.

The Browns signal caller finished the game 24-of-45 for 169 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. And similar to his first two seasons in Cleveland, he looked indecisive and uncomfortable. That wouldn't be

Some of that falls on the offensive line, which was called for numerous procedural penalties throughout the game. The majority of them came via procedural miscues from the group. A lack of meaningful reps together throughout the preseason will do that.

Stefanski called Week 1 a "feeling out process." Maybe that's all this season opening face plant was from the Browns. Or maybe it's a sign of greater flaws in this death star. It's troubling to think what the future holds for this team if it's the latter.