Ranking the 4 toughest non-divisional quarterbacks Browns face in 2024
By Randy Gurzi
2. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Nicknamed America's Team due to their popularity, the Dallas Cowboys are often shown in front of a national audience, which is why this contest could lead to a Prime Time outing for the Browns. If that's the case, it should be an interesting game — as it was the last time these two played one another.
On Oct. 4, 2020, the Browns headed to AT&T Stadium to take on Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. Cleveland fell behind 14-7 in the first quarter — thanks to a 20-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to Amari Cooper who is now in Cleveland — but then they exploded.
The Browns scored 34 unanswered points to head into the fourth quarter with a 41-14 lead. Dallas fought back as they scored 24 in a row to make it 41-38 before Odell Beckham, Jr. put it away with an exciting 50-yard touchdown run. The final score was 49-38 in one of the most thrilling wins for the Browns, who were 11-5 that year.
As impressive as that win was for Cleveland, it was hard not to praise Prescott for what he did. The polarizing QB was the best player on the field that day, completing 41-of-58 passes for 502 yards with four touchdowns. Compare that to the 19-of-30 for 165 yards and two touchdowns for Baker Mayfield and it's just one of many examples of why QB wins is a bogus stat.
Prescott has been one of the best signal-callers in the NFL since being selected in the fourth round out of Mississippi State in 2016. He's led Dallas to a 73-41 record when he starts and has 29,459 yards with 202 touchdowns against 74 picks. He doesn't run as much as he did prior to suffering a broken ankle in 2020 but has 1,884 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground in his career.
If he played for any other team, he would be mentioned in the same breath as some of the best in the league. But since he's on a team that fans love to hate, he suffers the slings and arrows that come with wearing the star. But make no mistake, the Browns defenders know he can pick a team apart if they're not on top of their game.