Chalk Talk
The battle between Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas and Pro Bowl outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware should be one for the ages on Sunday. Thomas made the Pro Bowl as just a rookie last season and will have his hands full with Ware, who had 14½ sacks in 2007. The second-year tackle has experience blocking difficult pass-rushing 3-4 outside linebackers, though, facing the likes of Pittsburgh's James Harrison, Baltimore's Terrell Suggs and New England's Mike Vrabel in his 2007 rookie season.
Connections
The connections are many . . . Cowboys starting right cornerback Anthony Henry spent the first four years in the league with the Browns, who selected him in the fourth-round of the draft . . . Browns running backs coach Anthony Lynn helped the Cowboys and Julius Jones to an NFC sixth-ranked rushing attack in 2006, spending the previous season with the Cowboys, too . . . Cowboys defensive line coach Todd Grantham was the Browns defensive coordinator the past three seasons . . . Browns tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts spent two years playing with the Cowboys (1991-92) . . . Browns offensive assistant Frank Verducci was the Cowboys offensive line coach in 2002 . . . Browns assistant offensive line coach Mike Sullivan was a Cowboys' sixth-round pick in 1991, and spent one season with the team . . . Cleveland strength and conditioning coach Tom Myslinski was a fourth-round pick of the Cowboys in 1992, but didn't play with them until returning in 1999 for one season . . . Cleveland wide receivers coach Wes Chandler got his NFL coaching start with the Cowboys (2000-02) after nine seasons coaching in NFL Europe . . . Cowboys secondary coach Dave Campo spent two seasons as the Browns defensive coordinator (2003-04) after his three seasons with the Cowboys as the head coach.
Miscellaneous
A win against the Browns would give the Cowboys back-to-back season opening victories for the first time since the 1998 and 1999 seasons The Browns owned the Cowboys in the 1960s winning 11 out of the first 12 meetings The Cowboys are just 3-10 when traveling to Cleveland to play the Browns While with the Dolphins, linebacker Zach Thomas posted a season-high 20 tackles in a game against the Browns in 2004.
