The Dallas Cowboys lost much more than just a game on Sunday. They also had to be without star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for most of the contest, as he rolled his ankle early in the game and wasn't able to return.
Lamb, who was diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain, reportedly dodged a big bullet. The injury wasn't as serious as initially thought, but he will still undergo more testing to determine the extent and course of action.
Nevertheless, this may have been a tough lesson for Brian Schottenheimer. Essentially, the first-year head coach put his player in harm's way by having him take the ball out of the backfield when their running game has been good this season.
The Cowboys Need to Trust The Running Game
Lamb got a handoff and scrambled to the right sideline. Then, Noah Pewell stepped on his foot as he tackled him. And while that could've happened after a reception, the risk of injury is much greater for players taking snaps out of the backfield.
Of course, some trickery is always good for the offense, but there was no need to put Lamb in that position when you had other speedsters there for the job. More than that, Javonte Wiliams is averaging 4.5 yards per carry this season, and he averaged 7.6 yards per attempt against the Chicago Bears.
The Cowboys put up a decent 121 rushing yards despite trailing for the entire game, and they're currently No. 11 in the league at 125 rushing yards per game. They need to commit to the run to take pressure off Dak Prescott's shoulders, and they finally have the personnel to do so.
George Pickens Needs More Targets
Also, the Cowboys need to feed their other star pass-catcher. Lamb has proven to be more than capable of handling double-digit targets in every single game, but there's no need to force-feed him the ball when George Pickens is also roaming free.
Through three games, the former Pittsburgh Steelers star has logged 22 targets, and he has yet to see more than nine targets in a game. Lamb had eleven more targets than him in the first two games of the season.
Pickens is an extension candidate, and the only way to determine whether he's worth the money and putting up with his antics will be to actually use him. This is still Lamb's team, but there's no need to wear him out like this.