Even CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, two great young receivers for the Dallas Cowboys, were on the sidelines for their first series. This decision alluded to their most recent game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The move, a response to undisclosed disciplinary issues, was decided by offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
Schottenheimer told each player individually that he would be benched earlier in the week. He made it clear that the policy change was a consequence of an ongoing dialogue about failing to uphold obligations. Even with the early loss, both players greatly impacted games after getting back on the field. The moment CeeDee Lamb sprinted back onto the field for the Cowboys’ second series, you could feel everything change. On the very next play, George Pickens was by being a valuable option.
Lamb finished the game with five catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Pickens had a standout performance, tying his career high with nine catches and accumulating 144 receiving yards, including a 37-yard touchdown from quarterback Dak Prescott.
“There were some things that were missed, so had a conversation with those guys and that was easy,” – Brian Schottenheimer
Though they were both benching at first, both players proved the power of resilience on the field. Prescott expressed admiration for their energy and capacity to play off of one another throughout games. Most importantly, their return ignited the offense, showcasing how important they are to the team’s offensive dynamics.
“But you look at the energy those guys play with, they literally jump-started the offense when they got back in,” – Brian Schottenheimer
Lamb has had an All-American type season so far. He has 40 receptions for 557 yards. Even after missing three games while nursing a high ankle sprain, he managed to connect for two touchdowns. At the same time, Pickens is leading the Cowboys in receiving with 58 catches for 908 yards and seven touchdowns.
When OTI further inquired about the benching, Mr. Lamb refused to go into detail saying, “I’m not going in depth on that.” We see in this statement an emphasis on process issues, that is team dynamics over the individual interactions.
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