On Sunday, things spiraled fast for the Cowboys. First, CeeDee Lamb went down with a brutal ankle injury. Dallas looked rattled early but managed to steady itself before halftime. Still, they were trailing 24-14 against the Bears and clinging to hope. But the second half would tell a different story.

Right after the half, Dallas sputtered and punted away its first drive. Chicago didn’t blink, answering with another touchdown to stretch it to 31-14. However, Dak Prescott found a rhythm. He led a drive that had some juice and finally looked ready to swing momentum. Then came the backbreaker. He hit George Pickens, who had been thrust into the WR1 role after Lamb’s injury. But the ball slipped right through his hands and straight into a Bears defender’s arms. Just like that, the energy was gone, and no one took it harder than Pickens.

On the sidelines, cameras zoomed in on the young wideout. His anger was raw and visible. He slammed his helmet onto the turf again and again while teammates tried to reel him back in. Pickens wasn’t having it. The mistake consumed him, and the frustration poured out in a way that was impossible to miss.

It was a nightmare sequence for him. Dallas traded for Pickens this offseason because of his reliable hands and his knack for winning contested throws. That’s exactly why the Cowboys trusted him to fill Lamb’s shoes. But in that moment, he fell short, and you could tell he knew it better than anyone else.

Now the spotlight only burns brighter. If Lamb is sidelined, Dallas will lean on George Pickens even more. He already showed he can find the end zone with a touchdown grab earlier in the game. However, they’ll need consistency, not just flashes of performance.

How CeeDee Lamb’s injury doomed the Cowboys?

The Cowboys’ WR1 looked sharp early until disaster struck midway through the first quarter. Lamb caught a pass from Dak Prescott, but while striding downfield, his left ankle got caught under a defender. Trainers rushed him into the medical tent and confirmed an ankle injury. Lamb gave it one more shot a drive later, even running one of his trademark crisp routes. But he pulled himself after a single snap, spending the rest of the game glued to the sideline.

Of course, that wasn’t the only reason Dallas crumbled in the Windy City. Still, losing a top-five receiver in the league made the hill steeper. Without him, Prescott had to spread the ball around. He completed 31 of his 40 attempts (overall in Week 3), and it looked like vintage Dak. But let’s not forget that the consistency faded as the Bears tightened up defensively.

Soon, Lamb’s absence became obvious. Prescott leaned heavily on tight end Jake Ferguson, who once again drew double-digit looks. And George Pickens, the shiny offseason addition, had mixed results. He was targeted nine times, catching five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. His 13.6 yards per catch showed his explosiveness, but he wasn’t the focal point that Lamb usually was.

In the end, Dallas simply couldn’t slow Caleb Williams, Luther Burden, and Rome Odunze. Chicago’s offense carved them up, and the defense couldn’t answer. Now, the Cowboys face bigger questions heading into Week 4, with uncertainty clouding both their passing game and their playoff hopes.