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Redemption is that much sweeter on the national stage.
It certainly was for Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb during his team’s 23-16 victory over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Dallas’ No. 1 option in the aerial attack appeared well on his way to a nightmare game with a terrible drop during the first half but put his team on his back in crunch time to change his entire storyline.
Lamb dropped a perfectly placed deep ball from Cooper Rush that could have been a touchdown in the ugliest play of a first half that featured just nine combined points.
Michael Gehlken @GehlkenNFL
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had too many drops last season by his own standards. It’s a prolonged problem.
Jordan Raanan @JordanRaanan
That is as bad a drop as you can have in the NFL by CeeDee Lamb.
It was back-and-forth from there until the Cowboys marched 89 yards on 11 plays for a touchdown to take the lead for good in the fourth quarter. Lamb caught four passes on the drive, including the most important two on a fourth-down conversion and a beautiful one-handed snag for the score.
His redemption arc earned plenty of praise on social media:
Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
CEEDEE LAMB WHAT A CATCH 😱🔥
LeBron James @KingJames
OMG CEEDEE 🐑!!!!!!!!! WOW
Hailey Sutton @_HaileySutton
THE CEEDEE LAMB REDEMPTION
Joe Trahan @JoeTrahan
I think he made up for the drop.
Master @MasterTes
That’s the CeeDee Lamb I wanna see. Run through that MF
Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow
HOLY HELL… WHAT. A. CATCH.
Reggie Bullock @ReggieBullock35
Ommggggg lamb
Royce O’Neale @BucketsONeale00
Sheesh ceedee lamb 🤧
Yahoo Fantasy Sports @YahooFantasy
CEEDEE!!!!! pic.twitter.com/myvPfJE5Bw
Master @MasterTes
Best Cowboys drive of the season. CeeDee Lamb showing why he has WR1 talent
FOX Sports: NFL @NFLonFOX
ceedee lamb fantasy owners rn pic.twitter.com/70TMcVEuN1
Michael Fabiano @Michael_Fabiano
That’s my WR1! Way to make up for the bad drop.
Monday’s win wasn’t a one-man show for the Cowboys, as Ezekiel Elliott scored a touchdown, Tony Pollard ran for 105 yards and the defense sacked Daniel Jones five times, but the wide receiver stood out when it mattered most.
Dallas is now 2-1 as a result with both wins coming with Rush at quarterback as a replacement for the injured Dak Prescott. Rush also won his only start last season, although ESPN’s Lisa Salters said on the broadcast that Prescott could return for the next game against the Washington Commanders after the stitches were removed from his thumb.
Whether it is Prescott or Rush under center, the quarterback’s job will be much easier if the Lamb who showed up in the fourth quarter against New York is there to lead the offense in another NFC East showdown with Washington.