The Dallas Cowboys lost again on Sunday, and this time it was much worse because it came at the hands of the lowly Chicago Bears. They didn’t just lose, either … they got demolished 31-17. And they didn’t just get demolished … their best and most important player was injured. And he wasn’t just injured. He’s expected to be out for about a month.
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CeeDee Lamb’s ankle was rolled up early in the loss. And despite trying to tough it out for a play in the second quarter, he was ruled out shortly thereafter.
The All-Pro said he felt confident he’d be healthy enough to play in Week 4, but ensuing reports have already ruled him out for that matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The most recent reporting suggests that Lamb has suffered a high-ankle sprain—the worst type of ankle sprain—and that he will be out even longer. Perhaps three to four weeks.
The Cowboys won’t put him on injured reserve in case he recovers sooner than expected. But Dallas will be without Lamb for at least Weeks 4 and 5.
It’s another negative for a team that’s had little else but setbacks this season, apart from Brandon Aubrey. Of course, All-World Cowboys hater Stephen A. Smith wasn’t going to keep quiet about it. And he’s putting the blame for Lamb’s injury squarely on the Cowboys as a team.
“You don’t take a CeeDee Lamb against Chicago, and line him up in the backfield in the first quarter, and give him the ball on a running play,” Stephen A. started his banter session.
“When you’re in the backfield… You gotta get past that front seven. You’ve got mammoth defensive linemen and speedy and hardcore linebackers coming your way. That’s entirely different than a receiver who primarily has to deal with a secondary filled with safeties and cornerbacks,” the analyst added.
As Smith correctly points out, there’s a “difference between getting hit from those cats” and getting hit by the 300-pounders in the front seven.
Lamb is also not in the bulky Deebo Samuel “wide-back” mold, where he should be asked to line up in the backfield. He’s tall and slim, which is not a great combination for someone looking to get through an NFL defensive line.
“You don’t put a slim, tall figure like CeeDee Lamb in that kind of position. That’s what the Dallas Cowboys did. I blame them for the high ankle sprain that CeeDee Lamb has. That’s now reportedly going to keep him out for at least three to four weeks. I BLAME THEM! I BLAME THEM! YOU DON’T DO THAT! But that is what they did, and as a result, it’s compromised them in a very severe way.”
Losing their best offensive playmaker is going to make it tough for Dallas to make the playoffs, as they had been relying on their offense to keep them in games through the first three weeks. They currently rank 10th in points and fourth in yards on that side of the ball, but they’ve also given up the sixth-most points and the third-most yards on defense.
Even so, they still have a real shot to upset the uppity Green Bay Packers in Week 4. The matchup is set to take place in Dallas at Jerry World, and they have every incentive to beat Micah Parsons the first time they see him on his new team. After that emotional game, though, things could go downhill fast for Dallas.
