It’s a question many Dallas Cowboys fans have probably asked themselves over the last few weeks, but especially Sunday night. Why is CeeDee Lamb still playing?
It doesn’t take a team doctor to recognize that the Cowboys star wide receiver is playing through significant pain in his right shoulder. He sprained his AC joint in early November but hasn’t missed a game. On Sunday, he became the first player in franchise history to record 100 yards in the first half of consecutive games.
“My shoulder is outta whack, I’m not gonna even lie to you,” said Lamb, still in noticeable pain in the postgame locker room. “I’m just out there battling and doing what I do. It’s not fun.”
The Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention before Sunday night’s game kicked off. So, why play through the pain?
“I love this game that much,” Lamb said. “I’m literally willing to put my body out there on the line for my guys.”
oh my ceedee#ProBowlVote | @_CeeDeeThree
📺: #TBvsDAL on NBC
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/2OrRX7kBOX— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 23, 2024
Lamb was then asked about those who questioned his love for the game during his contract holdout over the summer.
“I feel like now I’ve kinda went way past the narrative of the money situation,” he responded. “I do it for the money, of course, but it’s way more than that. … I’m living my dream. For anyone that’s thinking that I’m (only) playing for the money is kind of insane.”
Lamb now has 6,727 career scrimmage yards, which passes the legendary Jerry Rice (6,653) for the fourth-most scrimmage yards by an NFL wide receiver in the first five seasons of their career.
“He’s a warrior,” Cowboys QB Cooper Rush said of Lamb. “That guy is as tough as they come. He’s out there, moving him around, throwing it to him or handing it to him. It felt really good to get him down the field tonight. He’s been doing a lot of shorter stuff, throwing screens, yards-after-catch and tonight he showed what he can do down the field, too.”
Aubrey’s chance
Brandon Aubrey has been one of the best players this season for the Cowboys. In this lost season that will end in two weeks, Aubrey setting the NFL record for longest field goal in history is one thing many fans want to see.
Midway through the fourth quarter, there was an opportunity on the table. The Cowboys were on the opposing 48-yard line, facing a fourth-and-6. They led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-17 with about eight minutes left in regulation. Instead of trotting Aubrey out to attempt a 66-yard field goal in the comfortable confines of AT&T Stadium, a kick that would have tied Justin Tucker’s record set in 2021, head coach Mike McCarthy opted to punt.
“When you’re playing with somebody else’s money you take that kick,” McCarthy said. “That was the right decision. I had a lot of faith in our defense.”
record-setting field goal for brandon 🫡#ProBowlVote | @Brandon_Aubrey
📺: #TBvsDAL on NBC
📲: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/LvklCbYJ1e pic.twitter.com/p4jW8pTsSj— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) December 23, 2024
McCarthy’s right. Punting was the correct decision in that situation, and it has nothing to do with a lack of faith in Aubrey. McCarthy sent Aubrey out to try a 70-yarder last week in Carolina. Aubrey’s kick was short and wide left, but the conditions were much tougher than what they would have been against the Bucs. The Cowboys believe Aubrey can make that kick, but Sunday’s decision was about situational awareness.
The best-case scenario if Aubrey tried the kick was that he would make it. It would give the Cowboys a 29-17 lead, so what was a two-score game would remain a two-score game. If Aubrey missed, though, the Bucs would get the ball in Cowboys territory. It would practically gift the Bucs three points, at minimum, which would then require just one defensive stop by Tampa Bay and then a chance to win the game.
Instead, the Cowboys punted and forced the Bucs to start at their own 9-yard line. They drove down the field but Jourdan Lewis ended the drive with an interception. Aubrey may still get a shot someday to set the record, but it’ll likely come in a situation where it would be the last play of the half or the game, where the downside of the miss is eliminated.
Still, for good measure, Aubrey now holds the NFL record for most field goals of at least 50 yards when he hit two from 58 and another from 53 to give him 14 for the season. That total places him one ahead of Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn, who has made 13 kicks from that distance this season.
Catch up on the Sunday night game
Machota: The Cowboys were eliminated before they took the field Sunday, but the way they played and what was said after the game told us a lot about what they have to play for in the final two weeks.
Yousuf: Six players took on huge roles in the win against Tampa Bay. Three are under contract for 2025 and three are on expiring deals. Dallas should do what it can to make sure all of them are part of the long-term plan.
Playoff picture: The Cowboys are out, but take a look at how things are coming together in the playoff race.
Dak update
During the Sunday Night Football broadcast, NBC’s Melissa Stark provided an update on Dak Prescott’s recovery from season-ending hamstring surgery. Prescott told her before the game that he got off crutches last week and is about a month away from starting to run. She added that Prescott is adamant that he will be completely ready for offseason workouts in April.
(Top photo of CeeDee Lamb: Tim Heitman / Imagn Images)
