Dak Prescott makes comments on CeeDee Lamb that his Cowboys teammates need to take to heart
The Dallas Cowboys offense hasn't been nearly as efficient as we thought it would be in 2024.That starts with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who have self-admittedly not been on the same page through seven weeks of the season and are aiming to come back strong against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8.Earlier this […]
The Dallas Cowboys offense hasn't been nearly as efficient as we thought it would be in 2024.
That starts with Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, who have self-admittedly not been on the same page through seven weeks of the season and are aiming to come back strong against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8.
Earlier this week, Lamb talked about how the Cowboys duo made the most out of the bye week and revealed he expects them to bounce back after the bye. His quarterback shares the sentiment and expects the team's adjustments to pay off soon.
"I mean, obviously, you have to look at camp, and you think about that," Prescott told reporters. "You can call it an excuse or whatever, but it just goes into being consistent, whether it be my read or his route, then communication up front, but communication there. When you haven't had that time in camp, you've got to be able to communicate through things, which obviously some of these meetings have been adjusted to make sure that those happen a little bit more in-depth."
Now granted, it's not only that they're not on the same page but also that defenses are zeroing in on Lamb and the reality is, no one is making them pay for it. Jalen Tolbert has had some moments here and there, including a clutch game-winning touchdown catch in Pittsburgh, but hasn't quite been a reliable, consistent target. Brandin Cooks is currently on Injured Reserve but the same could be said about his use on offense.
"For sure, that's a credit (to Lamb) first and foremost, when you go put up a year like that, as we did, teams aren't going to come out there and let you beat them with your fastball," Prescott said. "So, they're doing a great job of putting a lot of people on (Lamb), doubling him. You look at that last game, and on third down, he was doubled every single time. Credit to them, and that's where other guys have to step up, other guys have to win, and they've got to seek that opportunity to make those plays and give, obviously, myself, them, and this whole offense more confidence in what they can do."
That last bit is something Prescott's teammates need to take to heart. Having Lamb doubled up means there have to be big one-on-one opportunities elsewhere. But players gotta execute and Mike McCarthy has to make the most of it through play-calling.
Perhaps the most important player that should step up is tight end Jake Ferguson, who is off to a slow start this season after being heralded as one of the top breakout candidates around the league. Last year, he was one of the most clutch performers for the Cowboys. Now, he needs to get on the same page as his quarterback, just like Lamb.
"You talk about me and CeeDee's connection," Prescott noted. "Jake and I feel the same way; we need to get that going as well."
Ferguson's importance goes beyond yardage production. He's someone the Cowboys look at as a leader.
"I mean, this guy's a leader of the team," Prescott said about Ferguson. "You're talking about a guy that came in and, whether it was a couple of years ago sharing reps to then taking it over last year. He's simply a leader of this team. When you talk about being physical, aggression, communicating, he's a guy that you can turn to, and he's going to do that."
Following the loss to the 49ers in 2023, the Cowboys felt like they needed to be much more physical. Otherwise, other teams would just go bully ball on them and blow them right out of the water. That's when Ferguson really to began to shine, with his most epic performance happening against the Seattle Seahawks, not backing down to the likes of Jamal Adams and Co.
"I know after last year, playing this team that we're about to play, you know, it felt like we got bullied, and we said we're going to come out of this game, and we need some aggressors, and he was the guy that we turned to," Prescott added. "He took on that responsibility very proudly and has just used it and stepped forward each and every day."
