Category: CeeDee Lamb

Cowboys’ Lamb on Dak Prescott: ‘I cannot wait to have him back’

CeeDee Lamb spoke with USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday and mad it clear that he can’t wait for the return of Dak Prescott.

The connection between CeeDee Lamb and Dak Prescott began shortly after the former Oklahoma Sooner was selected No. 17 overall in the 2020 NFL draft. Prescott sent Lamb a text last summer, and the rookie was seen working out on a newly installed football field at his new quarterback’s home.

The duo got off to a great start as Lamb was on pace for a 1,300-yard rookie campaign before Prescott went down with a season-ending ankle injury. Lamb finished with 935 yards and five touchdowns, establishing himself as the NFL’s most lethal weapon from the slot. However, there’s no telling what his numbers could have been with Prescott throwing him the ball for a full season.

Lamb sat down with Jori Epstein of USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday and expressed how he’s itching to get back to work with the Cowboys QB1.

“It’s no secret we want Dak back,” Lamb said. “I trust that the guys in the office are definitely going to make the right decision. They know how much Dak means to us and how much we lean on him.

“I cannot wait to have him back.”

Prescott was on fire before his injury. He led the NFL with 1,856 passing yards (371.2 per game) and became the first quarterback in league history with three consecutive games of 450 yards or more. Never one to lay down, Prescott has made tremendous progress in the last few months, which Lamb also acknowledged on Wednesday.

“He came back from his second surgery about two months ago so he’s walking around, rehabbing, doing everything right,” Lamb said. “It’s great to see, especially when you seen him go down. You saw the look in his eyes and you saw how sad he was and how much this game meant to him.

“Just to see him smiling again, happy again, being with his guys is a great deal.”

Prescott’s longer-term future will dominate the headlines this offseason. He played on a franchise tag that paid him $31.4 million in 2020, which will balloon to $37.7 million in 2021 if a second tag is applied. The smarter decision financially with a reduced salary cap due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will be to lock Prescott up for the foreseeable future, which Lamb is hoping for.

“I hope he’s coming back 2021 and for the long haul,” Lamb said. “I’m excited.”

With Prescott back under center, the trio of Lamb, Amari Cooper, and Michael Gallup will likely establish itself as the league’s best.

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Slot Machine: Cowboys CeeDee Lamb dominated the inside in rookie campaign

CeeDee Lamb had and impressive rookie season. In particular, he was the best in the NFL from the slot.

The Dallas Cowboys hit on several picks in the 2020 NFL draft. Cornerback Trevon Diggs, defensive tackle Neville Gallimore, and center Tyler Biadasz all contributed significantly and showed promise as building blocks for the future. However, one rookie outshined them all, and that was wide receiver CeeDee Lamb who was selected No. 17 overall.

Joining Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup to form a dynamic trio of pass catchers for Dak Prescott, Lamb didn’t waste any time setting the expectations high for himself after being named the top receiver in Cowboys training camp back in August by the staff writers for the team’s website. While Cooper and Gallup did work on the outside, Lamb was dominant in the slot in 2020.

The former Oklahoma Sooner led all receivers in 20+ yard receptions from the slot according to Pro Football Focus. It didn’t stop there though, as his 69 receptions and 877 yards from the slot were the most by a rookie receiver since 2006.

Lamb finished just shy of the 1,000-yard plateau with 935 and added five scores. What makes his stat line more impressive is that he only played five games with Prescott. While he had him on the field, Lamb was on pace for 93 receptions and 1,385 yards.

He ended up second in receptions, third in yards, and fourth in touchdowns for all rookie receivers. Lamb would also put his name in the record books as well. His 74 receptions broke the team’s rookie record of 46 in 1965 by Hall of Famer Bob Hayes and he became the first receiver in league history with five or more receptions in his first six games.

The Cowboys finished a disappointing 6-10 in 2020, mostly due to a rash of injuries on both sides of the ball. Lamb recently made an appearance on  NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” and stated he expects the Cowboys to be better in 2021 in terms of preparation and health.

Lamb has already shown he’s going to be one of the league’s best at the receiver position for the foreseeable future, and the fact that he’s only one year into his career means a lot of sleepless nights for defensive coordinators around the NFL are on the horizon.

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4 milestones, landmarks Cowboys players could reach Week 17

Ezekiel Elliott, Dalton Schultz, Jaylon Smith and CeeDee Lamb all have individual milestones in front of them on Sunday. A 55-year old mark could be taken down (sort of).

The fate of the 2020 Dallas Cowboys doesn’t lie in their hands alone. No, they’ll need help that might not be coming in order to make the playoffs. What they can control, however, is their own performance in Week 17 against the New York Giants.

Football is a team game of individual matchups. Players need to win their one-on-ones on every play in order to contribute to the greater good of the entire team. So even though statistics don’t directly correlate to wins, it’s still something when players reach certain milestones. Here’s a look at four of them within reach on the day.

Cowboys News: Elliott’s future safe, young defenders rising stock, Eagles rivalry

Moving on from Ezekiel Elliott will be difficult considering his deal and finding a trade partner. Youth movement on defense has impressed.

The Dallas Cowboys moving on from Ezekiel Elliott would be difficult when looking at his deal and finding a willing trade partner if they wanted to go that route, which is highly unlikely. Trevon Diggs, Neville Gallimore, and Donovan Wilson have all shown flashes of being building blocks for the Cowboys defense going forward.

Texas native Andy Dalton loves playing with the Cowboys and would consider a return, but is focused on beating the rival Philadelphia Eagles this Sunday. Former defensive backs coach Kris Richard’s name has come up as a possible Mike Nolan replacement, but looking at how his time in Dallas ended, that might not be the smartest route to go. Is the Cowboy’s current two-game win streak due to better play or simply catching all the right breaks at the right time? That and much more is covered in this edition of the news and notes.

The story of CeeDee Lamb and his black sheep quarterbacks

A look at Dallas Cowboys rookie wideout CeeDee Lamb with and without Dak Prescott.

To say that Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s statistical resume has hit a snag would be a bit of an understatement. Early in the season, the part of it in which he was paired up with quarterback Dak Prescott, he was the standard bearer among rookies. Since Week 6, his numbers have been outclassed by Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, leaving some to forget just how good he can be.

Transitioning to the NFL is no easy feat, and while Lamb made it look effortless to start off his career, it turns out the situation a player lands in is nearly as important as the talent they bring to the table. Through five games, the Oklahoma product was tearing through the league. He was on pace for 93 catches, 1386 yards and six touchdowns. And while his production has slowed, the Cowboys Pro Football Focus Twitter account wants people to know how good he’s been from the slot this year in the aggregate.

That is all well and good of course, but the current trend is alarming. Lamb’s first five games accounted for 123 more yards than he’s had in the eight played since. His yards per catch has been cut off at the legs, making him seem like a plodding and pedestrian possession receiver, averaging just a yard more per reception than Jason Witten did in Dallas last year.

The problem is obvious: the quarterback play. Lamb is now stuck playing with players willing to check down at a moment’s notice instead of letting the play develop. The coaching staff is attempting to get him the ball, but it’s often on screen passes that are immediately snuffed out. He’s also not without fault, dropping six passes on the season according to Pro Football Reference, including a Hail Mary at the end of a half, which would have been spectacular, but counts against him nonetheless.

There’s still three games to rebound, though the offensive performances even with Andy Dalton under center have been largely underwhelming. Luckily for all involved, a career is not written in a year, and assuming that the Cowboys brass gets its stuff together and finally gets a deal for Prescott in place, there’s no limit to the kind of career Lamb can put together.

 

 

Cowboys News: McCarthy analytics scorecard, Elliott’s true rank, Dalton projection

DeMarcus Lawrence is expected to play despite battling an illness. Jerry Jones calls Ezekiel Elliot team’s best player despite struggles.

The Dallas Cowboy’s top pass rusher, DeMarcus Lawrence, is expected to play on Sunday despite missing practice time due to an illness. Ezekiel Elliott has had his fair share of struggles in 2020 but that didn’t stop team owner Jerry Jones from calling the two-time rushing champion the team’s best player when he joined 105.3 the Fan on Friday.

Mike McCarthy didn’t let things like injuries stop him from giving an honest assessment of his coaching performance so far in 2020. The Cowboys have been much improved on defense over the last two games. If they can continue that and get Elliott and the running game going, which has been the Viking’s formula during their current win streak, they could get their first road win of the season on Sunday.

The Cowboy’s most important defensive player, CeeDee Lamb versus Justin Jefferson, and predictions for Cowboys-Vikings and more are covered in this edition of the news and notes.

LOOK: Lamb’s super catch sets up Dallas Special as Dak catches 1st TD

The Dallas Cowboys take the lead on a receiving touchdown by quarterback Dak Prescott against the New York Giants.

The Dallas Cowboys were nearly caught napping the previous drive when the New York Giants attempted a fake field goal, that would have resulted in a touchdown had they not been cheating. So quarterback Dak Prescott took matters into his own hands, literally, by catching the first touchdown pass of his career to give the Cowboys the lead heading into the half.

The Dallas offense moved 75 yards down the field in just 35 seconds, the majority of it on the back of rookie wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb had two catches for 47 yards, the second of which drew a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty.

The piece de la resistance belonged to wide receiver Cedrick Wilson and Prescott. What began with a handoff to running back Ezekiel Elliott looked to be a reverse, with Prescott leaking out behind the helpless linebacker.

For now, at least, the Dallas Cowboys didn’t wait until the second half to take a lead, heading into half time up by four points, 24-20 over the visiting New York Giants.

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Cowboys News: Players Twitter searching themselves, getting mad again

Griffen responds to criticism, injury updates on Tank and Tyron, coaching decisions, playoff odds and a uniform that is dead may never die.

Jeff Cavanaugh of 105.3 Fan tweeted Dallas Cowboys defensive end Everson Griffen hasn’t played well in the first two games. The veteran responded in a series of profanity-laced tweets of his own that set to Cowboys fan base on fire. Tyron Smith is currently suffering from neck stingers, and DeMarcus Lawrence also has some ailments he’s working through, but Jerry Jones isn’t concerned about it.

After rookie WR CeeDee Lamb caught five passes on six targets in his NFL debut, he took it up a notch vs the Atlanta Falcons. Former Cowboys guard Ron Leary was close to being back with the team, but the deal fell through. How the Cowboys are expected to have more fans at home games, and why the decision to go for a two-point conversion early was the right call and more are covered in the news and notes.

Cowboys’ Everson Griffen Goes Nuclear Over Criticism, ‘You F**king Joking Me’ :: TMZ

In recent years the Cowboys, like all NFL teams, have had their fair share of players who search for themselves on social media, or perhaps have instigating followers who look to tag them whenever they are mentioned. Jeff Cavanaugh of 105.3 The Fan put out a tweet saying defensive end Everson Griffen hasn’t played well in the Cowboys first two games. The 11-year veteran was not pleased and fired back viciously.

His point is a solid one, that he’s just rounding into shape and that the pandemic is the reason he and many are starting slowly. How that means the assessment of his early play is wrong though is up for debate.

Jones says Smith suffering from neck stingers, not worried about Lawrence :: Cowboys Wire

The Cowboys injury list, unfortunately, is increasing ay a rapid pace. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told the media on Tuesday that Tyron Smith, who is dealing with neck stingers, was held out of the Cowboys Week 2 matchup to make sure he’s available down the road. While DeMarcus Lawrence, who played just 33 snaps last week, is fine physically but “has some nicks”.

Dissecting 4 huge decisions by Mike McCarthy, Dan Quinn in Week 2 win :: Cowboys Wire

Why did the Cowboys go for 2 down 9 points against the Falcons? It’s all about knowing the future :: ESPN

It’s been debated since Sunday. Should the Cowboys have kicked the extra and then went for a two-point conversion later? Or did they handle it right by going for two first? ESPN’s Brian Burke explains why the latter was the right choice.

2020 Cowboys rookie report: CeeDee Lamb busts out in Week 2 win :: Blogging The Boys

After a solid five catches on six targets in his NFL debut, CeeDee Lamb was the Cowboys top receiver in Week 2 with his 106-yard performance.

Cowboys Playoff Tracker: How the win over Atlanta improves Cowboys’ playoff chances :: Blogging The Boys

Since playoff realignment in 2002, 88 teams have started 0-3 with only three making the postseason. The Cowboys win Sunday not only got them to 1-1 on the season but greatly increased their playoff chances.

Ron Leary to Cowboys not happening after contract snafu:: Heavy

The Cowboys worked out veteran guard Ron Leary last weekend in hopes of reunion due to their offensive line injuries. However, late Monday night, the potential fell through

Cowboys WR Trio Makes Key Plays in Comeback Win vs Falcons :: Inside The Star

In an improbable comeback win vs the Atlanta Falcons, the Cowboys three-headed monster at wide receiver of Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb were all key contributors in making that possible.

5 Bucks: McCarthy Too Risky; Dak is Real & More :: Dallas Cowboys

NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks raves about Dak Prescott, encourages Mike McCarthy to cut back on taking risks, and gives his thoughts on several areas the Cowboys need to improve on.

Cowboys expected to allow more fans at next home game at AT&T Stadium :: Dallas Morning News

COVID-19 restrictions only allowed 21,000 fans at the Cowboys home opener. However, that number is expected to increase going forward.

Goodbye, Seaform Green. We hardly knew thee. :: Cowboys Wire

An ode to the uniform combination that never was.

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YAC of Lamb: Cowboys open 2nd half with impressive TD drive on Prescott keeper

The Dallas Cowboys refuse to give up, as they continue to try and work themselves back into the game. Stymied each time they scored in the first half, the Cowboys found themselves down 29-10 at halftime, but with the first possession of the third …

The Dallas Cowboys refuse to give up, as they continue to try and work themselves back into the game. Stymied each time they scored in the first half, the Cowboys found themselves down 29-10 at halftime, but with the first possession of the third quarter have inched themselves closer.

After a big play over the middle to rookie WR CeeDee Lamb, quarterback Dak Prescott finished the drive off with a QB keeper around the left side of the line to bring the score to 29-17.

On a free play when Prescott had drawn the Atlanta Falcons offsides on 3rd-and-6, Prescott found the rookie open over the middle. Lamb turned on the jets and raced up field to get Dallas inside the Falcons’ red zone.

A few players later, Prescott found himself in goal-to-go and raced it in himself.

The Cowboys have buried themselves with turnovers, a lack of pressure and shotty coverage, but their will still has them within striking distance with a lot of time remaining on the clock.

Dallas drove the field 74 yards in just over two minutes.

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Rookie WR Tracker: Cowboys’ Lamb tops classmates in Week 1

A look at Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and his rookie competition’s performance league wide in Week 1.

The 2020 NFL Draft was chalk-full of wide receivers. Seriously, teams were swimming in an ocean filled with them. 35 wide receivers were drafted this past April with a record 13 taken in the first two rounds. There was considerable debate about who was top of the class back in April and that won’t subside anytime soon, but fans of the Dallas Cowboys are certainly hoping that at the end of the day, it’s none other than CeeDee Lamb.

With so many rookie receivers getting into the mix right away, it’s nearly impossible for the average fan to keep track of who’s done what. But, given that the Cowboys Wire is as invested in Lamb as anyone, here’s a tracker that will be updated and tweaked weekly. Numbers courtesy of Pro Football Reference.

Just 18 rookie wide outs caught a pass in Week 1, and only 10 saw more than two targets. Lamb does in fact lead the way among his peers in terms of receptions and targets but his advanced metrics leave a bit to be desired. According to Football Outsiders, he ranks No. 42 among all pass catchers in terms of DYAR and DVOA, tools to measure performance through opponent-adjusted efficiency instead of gross totals.

Needless to say, it’s a promising start to what should be a long and fruitful career in Dallas, and seeing Lamb and Denver Broncos wide receiver Jerry Jeudy on top of the list is no surprise and given their draft slots will provide plenty of fodder for fans to argue about for years to come. In fact, it’s reminiscent of the debate that raged on in the previous decade between Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant.

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