CLEVELAND — Football is officially back in Cleveland!
The Cleveland Browns are set to host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 8, in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Season.
Kickoff from Huntington Bank Field is set for 4:25 p.m.
What follows is everything you need to know about the Browns’ Week 1 matchup:
Game info, how to watch on TV, betting line
- Date: Sunday, Sept. 8
- Time: 4:25 p.m.
- Location: Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, Ohio
- TV channel: FOX (Channel 8)
- Radio: ESPN 850, 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX
- Betting line: -2.5 Browns
- Over-under point total: 42
- Tickets: Ticketmaster
Preview
When the Cleveland Browns take the field on Sunday, all eyes will be on quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is returning to the field for the first time since suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Baltimore last November.
After limited playing time in his first two seasons due to an 11-game suspension and last year's injuries, Watson is facing a lot of pressure as he takes the helm of the Browns offense.
The Browns did give Watson another weapon by adding WR Jerry Jeudy to their roster in the offseason. Watson will have plenty of options in the passing game with Jeudy, Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore at wide receiver along with Pro Bowl TE David Njoku.
The Browns will likely have to rely heavily on that passing game in the early going as star RB Nick Chubb starts the season on the PUP list, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the year. For now, the Browns will turn to Jerome Ford, D'Onta Foreman and Pierre Strong Jr. to carry the load.
The Cowboys come into Cleveland with high expectations for this season after finishing last season 12-5. Like the Browns, Dallas fell in the wild-card round of the playoffs, losing to the Green Bay Packers.
Most recently, the Cowboys have been in the news after wideout CeeDee Lamb's monthlong holdout ended with him signing a $136 million, four-year contract with the team. With Lamb's return, the Browns' top-rated defense, with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, will be tested.
Dallas QB Dak Prescott is poised for a standout season once again. In 2023, Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes with 36 and ranked third in passing yards with 4,516. However, Prescott is in the final year of his contract and his future with the Cowboys after this season is uncertain. The two sides are reportedly still negotiating.
On the other side of the ball, the Browns will also have to devise a plan to slow down Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons, who finished last season with 14 sacks and 33 QB hits. That could prove difficult with left tackle Jedrick Wills ruled out for Sunday, while right tackle Jack Conklin remains questionable. Both are coming back from season-ending knee injuries.
Starting the season with a win over the Cowboys could prove that the Browns are real contenders this year.