The Dallas Cowboys’ recent injury bug has added to the list of struggles that could crash their playoff dreams. They are 1-2, and their offense is facing serious tests without playmakers. Star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and key offensive guard Tyler Booker are both sidelined with high ankle injuries. 

The clock is ticking toward a key game against the Green Bay Packers, and every choice now counts more than ever. But the Cowboys’ head coach Brian Schottenheimer isn’t letting worries dictate his roster decisions. 

Schottenheimer made it clear, no moves to put CeeDee Lamb or Tyler Booker on injured reserve (IR) yet. “No, I still think we’re not forced to do anything right now,” he said. Both players are expected to miss multiple games and will probably be limited in practice. But Schottenheimer’s stance indicates the team is holding out hope for their returns without the IR designation.

The head coach knows injuries hurt; no doubt there. But he is adamant that injuries must never be used as an excuse. “We’re good enough to beat the Packers without CeeDee and Book and the guys we could be missing,” Schottenheimer said. 

“But the only way you do that is if you play well and execute, and if you don’t, you put yourself in a tough spot. So, we have to do that, and that starts with today’s practice,” the head coach added. With Lamb sidelined, players like George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, and standout tight end Jake Ferguson will have to step into bigger roles. 

Not just the offense, even the Cowboys’ defense has struggled mightily, ranking near the bottom in allowing yards per play. The loss of Micah Parsons still reverberates. Schottenheimer admitted the defense isn’t meeting standards but remained noncommittal on how much Parsons’ absence alone accounts for the drop-off. 

“I would say we have not been playing to the standard we want to play to,” Schottenheimer said. “But if we had Micah, you can’t predict that we would be playing any better and you can’t predict we’d be playing any better, any worse. Are you 3-0? Are you 0-3? You don’t know. Those are projections. Again, we’re focused on the things we need to get better at.” 

The defense needs a shake-up, and Schottenheimer is tackling that quietly behind the scenes with scheme simplifications and personnel adjustments. On offense, the burden to outscore opponents grows heavier as the defense falters, putting increased pressure on one specific player.

Jerry Jones pushes Pickens into the spotlight

Jerry Jones has sent a clear message this week: George Pickens, acquired from the Steelers, must step up now. With Lamb’s injury throwing a wrench into Dallas’ aerial attack, Pickens is expected to be Dak Prescott’s go-to guy. 

In recent games, Pickens logged 13 passes on 22 targets for 166 yards, showing flashes but now facing the pressure to consistently deliver at a higher volume. As Lamb recovers, Pickens’ opportunity grows, but so does the weight on his shoulders.

Jerry, in his appearance on 105.3 The Fan, highlighted the challenge ahead. “Lamb is quite a challenge, especially playing this Green Bay team, an outstanding Green Bay team. So, Lamb is going to present quite a challenge for us and gonna have guys like Pickens, those guys, step up for us,” Jones said. 

Pickens has shown potential with some highlight-worthy plays, including a memorable one-handed catch against the Chicago Bears. But now the narrative shifts from potential to performance under pressure. With fans and analysts watching closely, his ability to fill Lamb’s void could define the Cowboys’ offensive trajectory over the critical next few games.