The Dallas Cowboys walked out of AT&T Stadium on Sunday with their first win of the season, but it wasn’t just the dramatic 40-37 overtime escape against the New York Giants that had fans buzzing.
It was the performance of CeeDee Lamb, the All-Pro receiver who entered the night under scrutiny after a frustrating opener, only to respond in a way that underscored his status as Dallas’ most indispensable weapon.
Lamb finished with nine catches for 112 yards, marking his fourth consecutive 100-yard game dating back to last season.
The streak is now the longest active run in the NFL, and it places him in rare company: he is one of only two players in the past decade to record multiple four-game streaks of 100 or more yards.
For a Cowboys offense that looked disjointed against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, this was the rebound they desperately needed.
Quarterback Dak Prescott, who threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns, didn’t hide his appreciation for Lamb’s ability to bounce back.
“Last week was last week,” Prescott said after the game. “That wasn’t the beginning that he was proud of, and he made sure he took the necessary steps to get himself focused.
“He went up there and was just CeeDee, made a couple of amazing catches. That’s credit to his resilience, his character, and how much this team believes in him.”
It wasn’t smooth sailing from the beginning. Lamb dropped another pass in the first half, just as he had in Week 1, and the Cowboys offense sputtered through stretches of the opening two quarters.
By halftime, Dallas trailed and questions lingered about whether the offense could find any consistency.
The answer came in the second half. Lamb found his rhythm, hauling in difficult catches to extend drives and shift momentum.
His connection with Prescott proved decisive as the Cowboys piled up 27 points after the break, erasing mistakes from earlier in the game and putting the pressure squarely on New York’s defense.
Lamb himself credited the turnaround to the team regaining its composure.
“We just had to take a step back and just take a breath,” he said. “We wasn’t ourselves, we wasn’t moving the ball, we wasn’t running the ball. Once we locked in, we started making plays.”
Pickens makes his mark
Lamb wasn’t alone in lifting the offense. Newcomer George Pickens, acquired in a summer trade, produced his breakout moment as a Cowboy.
He caught five passes for 68 yards and scored his first touchdown with Dallas, a 6-yard strike that gave the Cowboys the lead with under a minute to play.
Pickens also drew multiple defensive pass interference calls, flipping field position in key moments. Lamb was quick to praise his teammate.
“Yeah, you started to understand how much of a demon he really is. He took over the game. He’s electric. You give him an opportunity, he drew like five PI’s [pass interference penalties],” Lamb said.
Pickens called the experience the happiest he has ever felt on a game day. “Super excited, super happy. It’s definitely that time,” he said. “It was great getting coach Brian Schottenheimer‘s first win.
“I got my first touchdown, new on the team. He’s a first-year head coach, got his first win, so I feel like it’s definitely a good day.”
A much-needed step forward
The Cowboys now sit at 1-1, having scored 60 points in their opening two games. While the offense still shows signs of inconsistency, Sunday’s performance proved that when Lamb is locked in, Dallas has a chance to compete with anyone.
The task doesn’t get any easier with a trip to face the Chicago Bears in Week 3. Chicago’s secondary has been shaky to start the year, giving Lamb another opportunity to extend his streak and assert himself as one of the league’s most reliable playmakers.
For the Cowboys, the equation is simple: as Prescott and Lamb go, so goes the offense. Week 1 was a reminder of how quickly things can unravel when their connection is off. Week 2 was proof that when it clicks, it’s among the most dangerous in football.
Sunday wasn’t perfect, but it may have been exactly what Dallas needed, a gritty, high-scoring win powered by their star receiver rediscovering his rhythm.
If the Cowboys have real ambitions of chasing a title this season, CeeDee Lamb will be central to it. And against the Giants, he showed he’s ready to shoulder that responsibility.
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