Perhaps the most impactful move by the Dallas Cowboys this offseason was the reunion of Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator. Zimmer’s return to the franchise began with a bang as his defense dominated the Cleveland Browns in Dallas’ 33-17 season opener.

After so many starters and key backups missed the entire preseason, this was our first look at Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Trevon Diggs and others since Dan Quinn’s departure. They certainly didn’t miss a beat, as Parsons and Lawrence combined for three sacks and Diggs had an interception in his first game since Week 2 of 2023. Veteran CB Jourdan Lewis also had a strong game, making several key stops.

Several new faces also shined in their Cowboys debuts. LB Eric Kendricks, who likely wouldn’t even be there if he hadn’t had such a long history with Zimmer in Minnesota, had two sacks and an interception in a standout afternoon. DeMarvion Overshown showed he was worth the wait after missing his rookie year, making impactful plays all over the field. Rookie CB Caelen Carson came close to forcing a turnover a couple of times and generally held his own.

Overall, the Dallas defense looked like a well-coached unit. They played with passion and rarely looked out of position. If it weren’t for a few missed opportunities to bring down Browns QB DeShaun Watson in the backfield, the game would have been even more one-sided. Watson was able to get out of a few potential sacks and keep driving, but it wasn’t nearly enough to turn the tide.

Many will be quick to point to Cleveland’s battered offensive line and Watson’s lack of playing time over the past three years as reasons for their ineptitude. It’s not unfair; the Browns were without both of their starting offensive tackles. Watson, who has played in just six games over the past two years after missing all of 2021 with personal issues, is clearly a mess at this point. This was far from the best caliber of offense the Cowboys will face this season.

But dominating another NFL team is never easy, especially when playing the away team. The Cowboys entered this game as underdogs and came out with one of the most lopsided scores of Week 1. And with their own offense generating just 35 more yards than Cleveland’s, Dallas’ defense made the difference by stifling drives before they could score.

Brandon Aubrey’s four field goals all came after Dallas’ offense was set up with short fields from a three-and-out, two failed fourth-down conversions and an interception. The Cowboys never went further than 17 yards on any of those drives, but Aubrey was still within reach thanks to the defense that held Cleveland back. That accounted for 12 of Dallas’ 33 points.

Once again, the biggest tests for Mike Zimmer’s team will come. One of them is on the road at the New Orleans Saints, who just scored 47 points against the Panthers. But we’ve often criticized the Cowboys for stooping to the level of their opponents, and that certainly didn’t happen on Sunday, at least not on Zimmer’s side of the ball. It sent a message that Dan Quinn wasn’t taking Dallas’ defensive prowess to Washington and that they should maintain a strong presence for the Cowboys in 2024.