The Dallas Cowboys have been extremely banged up on the offensive side of the ball this season, but they haven't cooled off one bit despite having to rely on backups for the last month. They still flaunt the NFL's best offense even without having CeeDee Lamb, who's missed the last three games with a high-ankle sprain suffered in Week 3.
Following Lamb's long-awaited return to practice this week, Brian Schottenheimer was asked what he needed to see from the All-Pro wide receiver for him to play this Sunday.
"If he's breathing," Schottenheimer said tongue in cheek.
Obviously, Lamb needed a clean week of practice to get the green light. He started with a limited tag on Wednesday and Thursday before being labeled a full participant on Friday and removed from the injury report entirely. If it wasn't official before, it certainly is now: Lamb is breathing and will play in Week 7.
Cowboys will officially have CeeDee Lamb vs. the Commanders in Week 7
Everyone knows the Cowboys are a better team when Lamb is in the lineup, but his absence may have been a blessing in disguise for the offense.
For starters, it allowed Dak Prescott and George Pickens to get on the same page. Not that they weren't before Lamb's injury, but it served as a strong barometer of how much room they have to improve. While Prescott can be more accurate on 50/50 balls, Pickens was dominant without Lamb, catching 19 passes for 359 yards and four touchdowns.
Schottenheimer now knows that he can move Pickens around depending on the formation. That had been a criticism of Pickens in the past.
Lamb's absence also allowed other players to enter the spotlight. While Jalen Tolbert didn't do much with that opportunity, second-year man Ryan Flournoy stepped up to the tune of 11 catches for 158 yards. Even with KaVontae Turpin expected to rejoin Lamb in the lineup, Schottenheimer would be smart to keep Flournoy part of the game plan even if he's far down the target pecking order.
At the end of the day, Lamb's return will reopen the entire playbook. That is a terrifying thought for the Commanders and future Cowboys opponents because the offense didn't skip a beat without Lamb commanding significant attention from defenses.
Expect No. 88 to shine in his return.