CLEVELAND – A Dallas Cowboys team energized by Dak Prescott’s contract extension jumped out to an early lead against the Cleveland Browns in their season opener.

Thanks to the contributions of a Prescott-led offense, a defense that racked up sacks and a special teams unit that scored touchdowns, the Cowboys never lost their footing, even as Cleveland’s defensive front reminded the league just how much firepower it can unleash.

Dallas won 33-17, the second straight year the season started with a blowout. But a 16-point win over the most economical defense of 2023 will and should mean more than Dallas’ Week 1 upset of the New York Giants last year.

The Cowboys will have to defeat playoff-caliber opponents in unfamiliar territory if they want to finally end their decades-long playoff drought.

With such ambitious goals in mind, the Cowboys have agreed to pay Prescott $60 million per year for his contract extension. It is in that spirit that the Cowboys will view their victory over the Browns.

Prescott recovered well from a penalty and a first series heavy on sacks, finding receiver CeeDee Lamb down the right sideline for 34 yards on Dallas’ second drive, and connecting on the way to a 21-yard touchdown with receiver Brandin Cooks on the left sideline.

The Browns’ defensive line found Prescott regularly, as the Cowboys started two rookie offensive linemen, including first-round left tackle Tyler Guyton. But between sacks by Dalvin Tomlinson, Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith, Prescott connected with targets in the seams and along the sidelines, completing 19 of 32 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown.

Running back Ezekiel Elliott contributed 49 yards and scored a touchdown in his return after a year in New England.

And perhaps the most consistent game-changing weapon for the Cowboys: kicker Brandon Aubrey hit field goals from 57, 50, 46 and 40 yards, in addition to his three successful extra-point attempts.

The Browns struggled to find success against Dallas’ defense, which was recently overseen by Mike Zimmer. Cleveland had just one first down in the first half, compared to the Cowboys’ 13, as the Browns played without one of their starting offensive tackles and without running back Nick Chubb, who remains on the unable to perform list as he recovers from surgeries for torn anterior cruciate and median cruciate ligaments.

The Browns found rhythm on a third-quarter drive that saw Watson hit tight end David Njoku and receivers Jerry Jeudy and Amari Cooper for double figures before eventually throwing to Jeudy, the receiver, for the first touchdown in a Cleveland uniform.

But constant pressure didn’t help a Browns team hoping to better utilize Watson’s run-pass option ability and drop-back passes in the debut of offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey (while head coach Kevin Stefanski continues to call plays). Watson had some throws that showed potential, but too often threw out of bounds or behind receivers, sometimes seemingly on different pages than his receivers running option routes.

Watson finished the day completing 24 of 45 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown, collecting six sacks, a fumble (left guard Joel Bitonio picked off the ball) and two intercepted passes, including a fourth-quarter pass that sailed through the hands of Jeudy and into the diving grasp of cornerback Trevon Diggs as he returned from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Watson and Cooper were particularly mismatched, missing a deep connection in the final five minutes of the clock, their last miss on a day that saw them go 2-of-9.

The Cowboys offense faltered more often in the second half, having to settle for two field goals and three points. But Dallas didn’t give up the ball, which is what a team with a reliable kicker and a tough defense needed.

The Cowboys play their first home game next week against the New Orleans Saints, who increased their lead to 47-10 against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Browns visit the Jacksonville Jaguars, who blew a lead this week against the Miami Dolphins.