FRISCO, Texas -- When the Dallas Cowboys have won football games at any point during their run of three consecutive 12-win seasons since 2021, 2023 First Team All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has typically been one of the driving factors of that success.
Lamb did the opposite of that on Sunday in Dallas' 28-25 home loss against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3. A fumble in the red zone, demonstrative conversations with teammates and coaches and drops all contributed to a chaotic day that culminated with him skipping out on his postgame media availability.
Now, Lamb is owning up to all of it.
"Obviously I've got to be truthful to myself, and I played a part in that loss," Lamb said on Tuesday. "A big part, honestly. Nor did body language nor attitude, approaching the situation, help the situation or the outcome of the game."
He also vowed he will be different going forward.
"I'm aware of what I was doing for sure," Lamb said. ... "Very detrimental. I'll make up for it. ... As for me and my performance, I expect a lot out of myself, more than anyone could put on me. Quite honestly, I failed myself and obviously I failed the team just as far as producing and being that game-breaker player and obviously a guy that they can lean on. I kind of let the game get to my head a little bit. But in the same sense, I know what I can do. I know what I bring to the table. I know what I can do on that field. With that being said, going forward, it shall be different."
Lamb's red zone fumble cost Dallas a chance to trim their deficit to 14-10 early in the second quarter and just before halftime, he lost his cool after a holding penalty by first-round rookie left tackle Tyler Guyton nullified an end zone pass interference penalty he drew. After a made field goal trimmed the lead to 14-6, Lamb was seen yelling in a conversation involving quarterback Dak Prescott and right guard Zack Martin. A false start penalty and no catches in the Cowboys' almost-comeback after scoring touchdowns on their final three drives in the fourth quarter capped a four-catch, 67-yard performance.
"Absolutely myself and then my ability to contribute to the offense, knowing what I can do," Lamb said when asked where his frustration stemmed from. "It all paid a huge part. Can't blame nobody. Got to start with the man in the mirror. And I'm a huge believer in that. Now I'm watching that game, kind of pissed me off. But I did that. I can't get mad at nobody else. I've learned."
The Cowboys signed Lamb to a four-year, $136 million contract extension in late August to be different -- in a game-winning way. So far in 2024 it's been a struggle as he has totaled 13 catches for 218 yards and one touchdown on 24 targets.
What Dallas hopes is for Lamb to channel that passion into production like he did a year ago. After an outburst in which he said he didn't know what the Cowboys' offensive identity was following a 42-10 embarrassment on "Sunday Night Football" against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, Lamb dominated the rest of the season. He led the league in targets (146), catches (108), receiving yards (1,391) and receiving touchdowns (11) from Weeks 6-18. His final season totals included NFL bests in targets (181) and catches (135) while ranking second in the league in receiving yards (1,749) and third in receiving touchdowns (12). His 2023 catches and receiving yards marks both stand as new Cowboys' single-season records after surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin's 1995 totals in each respective category.
CeeDee Lamb 2023 season
| Weeks 1-5 | Weeks 6-18 | |
|---|---|---|
Targets/Game | 7.0 | 12.2* |
Rec/Game | 5.4 | 9.0* |
Rec YPG | 71.6 | 115.9* |
Rec TD | 1 | 11* |
* Led NFL in span
** Cowboys lost 42-10 on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 5, which led Lamb to demand the football publicly
Off to a 1-2 start involving consecutive home losses in which the offense looked lifeless, save for the fourth quarter of Week 3 against the Ravens in which the Cowboys scored touchdowns on their final three possessions after going uptempo, Lamb knows the time for him to get on the same page with Prescott is ASAP.
"We understand urgency," Lamb said. "That's between us, we talk about it every day, every night. Our relationship, if anything gotten stronger, don't let what's out there fool you. We're brothers to the end. We know that we all we got, and I tip my hat off to him. I got the utmost respect for him, and I look at him as a brother. So that with that being said, everything is gonna come out: the energy, the passion, the love, the fight. You're going to make up in the end. No craziness now."
The craziness won't be impacting Lamb's role as Dallas' top target going forward, something Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy confirmed on Tuesday.
"CeeDee is a primary focal point for us game planning, and it'll be a primary focal point for the defense," McCarthy said. "That's why you play the game. We'll continue to do what we have done with him. There's always little things you're looking to build on, certain routes and so forth. ... We've just got to continue to move him around, and he'll get his opportunities"
Cowboys public relations officials opted not to have Prescott share his thoughts on where things stand currently, choosing to make his next media availability be postgame on Thursday after facing the New York Giants on "Thursday Night Football" to kick off Week 4.
Fortunately for Dallas, both Prescott and Lamb have been Giants killers with the Cowboys winning Prescott's last 12 starts against New York, tied for the fourth-longest winning streak by a quarterback against a single opponent since 1950. Lamb is averaging 90.3 career receiving yards per game against the Giants, the third-most in NFL history (minimum five games played), trailing only Mike Evans' 109.2 average and Marques Colston's 91.2 average.
"Granted, it [Week 3 vs. the Ravens] was a bad game on my end. I fully take accountability in that," Lamb said. "I have no shame in that. So with that being said, I will be better in the future and it's going to be fun."
Will the fun involve a bounce back similar to the 2023 heater Lamb went on last season?
"I plan on doing that again," Lamb said with smile.
