Give Cowboys star CeeDee Lamb credit for stepping up to reporters after the dismal Week 11 “Monday Night Football” loss to the Texans.
The 34-10 final score was tough enough to swallow, but the larger issue was the same recurring theme that has overshadowed Dallas in big games this season: From the opening kickoff, it felt inevitable that the Cowboys would lose, fighting not for victory but merely to stay within striking distance.
Lamb hauled in eight catches for 93 yards from backup quarterback Cooper Rush, who once again seemed outmatched in relief of Dak Prescott. Prescott, sidelined for the year with a hamstring injury, hasn’t had a stellar season himself, but without him, the Cowboys appear to be going through the motions.
At 3-7, with an 0-5 record at home, the Cowboys’ season is all but over.
After the game, Lamb summarized the situation with two blunt words: “It sucks.”
Cowboys Playing Out the String
For weeks, fans and analysts have already shifted their focus from the chaos of 2024 to what changes could come in 2025. That won’t be an easy transition, given the team’s hefty long-term contracts, including Prescott’s four-year, $240 million deal—the largest in NFL history—and Lamb’s $135 million extension, the second-largest among wide receivers.
Lamb didn’t stop at two words during his postgame interview at his locker, however.
“To be honest, it’s not so much about coping, it’s about moving on to the next one,” Lamb explained. “You can’t dwell on it. What’s in the past is in the past. We’ll look at the film, make the corrections, and we’ve got to go out there and play a whole lot better. If we get into the end zone, it’s a completely different conversation.”
That’s fair, but it applies to all 32 NFL teams—more touchdowns will always change the narrative. What’s particularly frustrating with this Cowboys squad is that, for years, they dominated as the big brother knocking around weaker opponents. They were 36-15 over the last three seasons, after all.
Now, they’ve become the weaker team.
“Obviously, everyone is looking to embarrass us,” Lamb admitted. “They’ve got the opportunity now. And when they do, they’re trying to put us out. We’ve had so much regular-season success over the last three years, and now it’s coming back to bite us.”
