Why did the Cowboys go away from CeeDee Lamb in the second and third quarters after getting off to such a fast start against the Dolphins? – Fred London/Morristown, TN
Nick Eatman: They asked Dak the same question after the game and he mentioned that it appeared the Dolphins made some quick adjustments to their scheme and tried to limit the ball to CeeDee. But honestly, I always thought that's the reason guys like this line up in the slot. When you play every position and go in motion like they do, it's hard to take a receiver out of the game. Wouldn't the Cowboys find a way to limit Tyreek Hill from getting nine catches if that was the case? So I have a hard time thinking they absolutely took him out of the game plan. Sometimes, I do think Dak is so trusting of all receivers and therefore he just goes to the read and lets the coverage dictate the ball. I think in a game like that when you have to score points, and after the first quarter we saw, the ball needed to go to Lamb more and more and it just didn't happen.
Kurt: That's probably the biggest question coming out of that loss in Miami, and rightfully so. Lamb had four catches for 93 yards in the first quarter alone, which was the seventh most in the opening frame in franchise history. His effort also included a 49-yard touchdown catch that gave the Cowboys an early lead with a 9-yard carry thrown in for good measure as well. And then … poof! Nothing for the next two quarters. I thought maybe Miami changed its coverage after being torched so early and often, but Lamb himself said they weren't do anything different. So was Mike McCarthy simply trying to keep the Dolphins off-balance by getting more players involved? Did Dak Prescott not like the looks he was getting? Who knows? But as we've seen time and time again – and as the fourth quarter of that same game confirmed – the Cowboys offense is better when Lamb gets the ball. To not do so when needing a victory in a big game on the road just doesn't make sense. Or as Lamb said, "Very weird."
