CeeDee Lamb did not pretend the Dallas Cowboys have earned their place in the NFC East race. Asked about the division before Monday’s game in Philadelphia, the receiver said: “Very fortunate that everybody else is playing pretty bad. Pretty bad. But overall, just everything is still in front of us.” He added: “We still have an opportunity to do what we want to do, and that’s to get in the tournament, and it starts on Monday.”
He is right about the standings. The New York Giants lead the division at 3-2-1. The Cowboys and Eagles are both 2-4, and the Washington Commanders are 1-4-1. Dallas has lost two straight, scoring 16 points against Tampa Bay and 13 at Green Bay after putting up at least 31 points in three of its first four games. “Very shocking,” Lamb said. “Knowing who we have on this offense, all on the same field, we know we deserve to be averaging 30. So let’s get back into that.”
“I’m always going to be on his side”
Lamb was asked about the criticism of George Pickens and cut the question short. “I don’t think about the criticism. I hate to cut you off, but I don’t think about it,” he said. “And I hang around GP more than pretty much anybody in this building, and I’m always going to be on his side.” He said Pickens “come in here ready to work every opportunity. It don’t seem to bother him.”
He also said the offense has to do more for Pickens. “We do got to do a better job of getting him involved,” Lamb said. “We know the type of player he is. We know the excitement he brings to this offense. So just getting him more involved early on, and the rest is going to take care of itself.” Pickens had six catches for 73 yards on 11 targets at Green Bay and has 33 catches for 428 yards and one touchdown this season. Lamb had nine catches for 70 yards on 18 targets in that game and leads the team with 48 catches, 577 yards and four touchdowns.
“It’s all over the tape”
Lamb said the problem has been blitzes. “We leave explosives out there on the field just about every week. I hate to say that, but I mean, you look at it on film, it’s all over the tape,” he said. “Everybody else feel like if they blitz us, they’re going to have a better chance at winning the game. I don’t believe that, but lately they’ve been having a lot of success doing that.” He took some of the blame. “I’ve had my fair share of mess-ups too,” he said, and added that the offense is thinking too much. “One of the worst things that you can do on a football field is overthink,” he said. “The guy in front of you, he’s not thinking. He’s ready to see ball, go get ball.”
He said head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s message about the outside noise has been to keep it “in house.” “When we’re winning, you guys are going to be our biggest advocates. When we’re losing, we’re going to hear about it,” Lamb said. “To me, I don’t take it personal.”
Pickens: “I’m doing what they tell me to do”
Pickens kept his answers short. Asked what he can do to get involved earlier in games, he said: “Well, I’m doing what they tell me to do.” Asked about his shoulder, he said it is “pretty good,” and he said it will not affect him on Monday. Asked whether this week feels special, he answered: “No. Hate to break it to you.”
He said the offense needs more balance after Dak Prescott threw 54 passes at Green Bay and Javonte Williams ran 11 times. “From the start of the season, that’s one thing we need,” Pickens said. “You kind of want to be a balanced offense, just for the defense to not know what you’re doing.” Asked about offensive coordinator Klayton Adams saying he likes it when Pickens talks a little trash, he said: “Yeah, most definitely. Just definitely bringing the edge to the offense.”
Prescott: “Determined, and I would hope urgent”
Prescott described the team’s mood as “determined, and I would hope urgent.” He said losing two games “that we didn’t expect to drop” makes the climb “that much harder.” He also said the offensive line is “taking a lot of ownership” of the running game, and explained why some runs became passes at Green Bay: certain looks from the defense mean “the run’s not good. And if that’s the case, I’m going to kill it to the pass.”
He said he expects Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to blitz more than usual, “more particularly because we haven’t handled it the way that we should.” He said he did not need to ask Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who came from the Eagles, for help: “This is kind of a defense that we practice against.” And he said he enjoys playing in Philadelphia: “It’s one of the few opportunities that you get that you feel truly on the road. There’s nothing better than hearing them quiet and getting them to boo their team.”
Prescott also said he had messaged Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who is dealing with blood clots after the team’s trip to London. “I just messaged Jalen just saying he was in my prayers and to get himself healthy,” Prescott said. “That’s a life or death type situation.” The Cowboys play the Eagles on Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET, which is 3:15 a.m. Tuesday in Cairo.
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