Quick Observations For Every NFL Team From Week One

Cleveland Browns – The Browns still haven’t won a game

I understand this is more of a fact than an observation, but let me explain to you what I mean with this. The Browns came into this game with as good a roster as they have had in several years and they were hungry for a W after an 0-16 campaign, especially against a team that had beaten them in 14 of their last 16 meetings. Over the course of the game the Steelers turned the ball over six times and basically handed the Browns the victory. Big Ben threw three picks in the first half, but none of them ended in points for Cleveland. Up 21-7 in the middle of the fourth quarter, they capitalized off a fumble recovery at the PIT one-yard line and having the ball at midfield almost off a punt. Having driven the ball down the field close to field goal range with less than half a minute left, Tyrod tossed an ill-advised pick to send them to overtime. After a series of three-and-outs and a missed Steelers field goal, Genard Avery’s strip-sack set them up for a 45-yard game-winner themselves, but they saw it blocked by T.J. Watt. I know it officially is a tie, but this was a moral loss for Cleveland, which could have kick-started a new chapter of their franchise’s history.

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Dallas Cowboys – Nobody on the outside is ready to win in the passing game

Putting the ball into the hands of Zeke just 18 times simply won’t get it done. The Cowboys need to establish the running game, even without All-Pro center Travis Frederick, to set up opportunities to win on play-action. When Dallas is forced into obvious passing situations, there simply are no receivers, who can win consistently and Dak Prescott is not the type of guy, who will throw them open against man-coverage. On the final two drives of the game the Cowboys had opportunities to move the ball down the field by pushing it outside the numbers, but they counted on Deonte Thompson to make plays. Allen Hurns, Terrance Williams and rookie Michael Gallup all only caught one pass, while Cole Beasley kind of kept them alive by catching seven short passes out of the slot and turning most of them into first downs. The Cowboys better get this ground game going or this could be a long season.