Cowboys at Browns stock report: DeMarvion Overshown, Ezekiel Elliott lead way up
Sunday was a busy day for the Dallas Cowboys as they took care of business with their franchise quarterback, and then in the season opener against the Cleveland Browns.
With the opener now in the rearview mirror and contract matters tended to. the season is now in full swing and the Cowboys are undefeated after one week. They looked like a complete and total team, and as a result, we have nothing but positive things to say.
This is the place for us to do that, the weekly stock report. Every single week we will assess the game that was by way of the stock report and hand out three different types. Up and down are obvious, but occasionally we will have “static stock” which is when a player is neither obviously good or bad but needs mentioning.
As noted we have 13 positive arrows to hand out.
Let us begin.
Stock Up: Dak Prescott
It was not the biggest performance of his career by any stretch, but Dak Prescott certainly looked like a verifiable franchise quarterback which is what the Cowboys paid him to be. He was firm and decisive and did not get frazzled by an incredibly stout Cleveland front. In fact, the first touchdown of the season came when the Browns sent the house at him.
Prescott was methodical in his approach, and while the stats were a bit more reserved given the stout Browns defense, kudos to him for leading the way.
Stock Up: CeeDee Lamb
You cannot convince me that he is not the most dangerous player in the NFL with the football in his hands. He is unreal.
That Lamb was so smooth and effortless without any work in the offseason or at training camp is such a testament to how talented he is. Things cooled off for him, and the offense overall, in the second half, but he looks exactly like we would expect.
Stock Up: Brandin Cooks
It would go quite the long way for the Cowboys offense, especially if Jake Ferguson has to miss any bit of time, for Brandin Cooks to turn into a legitimate weapon. We may be getting close to that.
This was the aforementioned all-out blitz from Cleveland and Cooks clearly has the trust built up with Prescott to have a ball thrown his way in that kind of danger. He has a touchdown in four straight regular season games and does appear to be coming along as an important weapon in the overall machine.
Stock Up: Ezekiel Elliott
You can count me among those who did not, and may not still, believe that bringing Ezekiel Elliott back was the best possible decision. But I’d be lying if I said he did not look solid.
Interestingly the Cowboys lived up to what they said in that they almost equally split carries between him and Rico Dowdle, but it was Elliott who got the score.
All told Zeke finished the game with 10 carries. It was only the second time that the Cowboys have won a game with him specifically getting 10 or fewer carries.
Welcome back, 21. I mean, 15.
Stock Up: Micah Parsons
This really might be the Defensive Player of the Year season. When Micah Parsons is on, it is as if things are not contests but decisions. He made one that he wanted to against Cleveland on many occasions.
The interesting thing is that this felt sort of like an average day at the office for Parsons which speaks to how incredible he has turned out to be.
Stock Up: DeMarcus Lawrence
If you are someone who cares about sacks with DeMarcus Lawrence then Sunday was really your day. He delivered in a significant manner.
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Lawrence had his most productive day from a pressure percentage standpoint in almost four total years. He is continually finding the fountain of youth and is a forever underrated part of this overall defensive scheme and group.
Stock Up: Eric Kendricks
We snickered when Eric Kendricks was the “big” free agent who the Cowboys signed, but maybe they were onto something. What an incredible debut. He was everywhere, including on the receiving end of a tip drill (shout out Micah Parsons) that he turned into an interception.
Kendricks perfectly executed the defense in his first game running Mike Zimmer’s setup. It was wonderful to see him play with such authority.
Stock Up: DeMarvion Overshown
We are often guilty of getting too excited when a player shows promise and then being disappointed when they do not deliver. That doesn’t look like it is going to happen with DeMarvion Overshown.
Making his NFL debut after how he was injured in the preseason last year, DeMarvion Overshown stole the show on Sunday. His closing speed on the sack posted above was absolutely incredible. He is an extremely unique weapon for Mike Zimmer to use among the many others that the defense boasts.
The Cowboys have made do at linebacker for so many years that having someone of this quality is very exciting. Hopefully the trend continues.
Stock Up: Trevon Diggs
In his first game back since tearing his ACL, Trevon Diggs recorded another interception. Water is wet and all of that jazz.
The interception came when the game was well in hand, but it counts just the same and speaks to Diggs continually being in the right place at the right time. He appears to be in proper form and even had some physical tackles before the interception came.
Stock Up: Brandon Aubrey
What do we even say anymore? This 57-yard field goal was so casual.
Near the end of the first half it seemed like we were going to get a 66-yarder, and then even 71-yard attempt from Aubrey. Unfortunately this did not wind up happening, but tell me you did not think he was going to nail it. Aubrey is the gift that keeps on giving.
Stock Up: KaVontae Turpin
The Cowboys had a punt return touchdown in the first week of the season for only the second time ever on Sunday, and the last time it happened (1992) a dynasty was born.
KaVontae Turpin clearly just sent us down a prosperous path!
In all seriousness, we have seen Turpin come so close so many times to taking one to the house. With the new dynamic kickoff it seemed like he would finally do so in 2024, amazingly the first time he drew blood was on a punt return.
Turpin is a very unique weapon that can really change games. He had an inexcusable drop on offense early in the game, but on special teams very few can do what he can.
Stock Up: Mike Zimmer
The Zimmer hire was extremely questionable to me when it happened, and while we are only game in (against a very poor offense), I have checked to see how much a pound of crow goes for at my local grocery store.
It seems as if Zimmer has really connected to the defense and that he has taken himself to an entirely new level. Again, the Cleveland offense and Deshaun Watson are not good, but they utterly suffocated them.
Taking over after Dan Quinn was always going to be very difficult. Zimmer may wind up doing a very fine job of it.
Stock Up: Mike McCarthy
It is not cool or vogue to say that Mike McCarthy is good at his job, but we watched the Dallas Cowboys dismantle the Cleveland Browns in just about every sense on Sunday.
This was the first time that the Cowboys played a game following what felt like one of the more toxic and chaotic offseasons that we have seen from the club in recent memory.
The franchise quarterback was in a contract year and literally only had the situation resolved just a few hours before the season started. His top wide receiver held out for literally every single offseason activity and all of training camp before getting taken care of. The owner/general manager constantly stirred the pot and made unnecessary headlines. McCarthy himself is in a contract year despite delivering success (albeit in the regular season) that the franchise hasn’t seen in decades. All in the span of six months!
And yet some how, some way, the Cowboys came prepared to answer the call once again in Cleveland. What if it isn’t some how or some way? What if that is the Mike McCarthy of it all?
The dude earned his props and then some. Great job, Mike.