Dallas Cowboys‘ wide receiver CeeDee Lamb went down early in Sunday night’s 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears, and the silence from the team was deafening. After hours of speculation, Jerry Jones finally stepped forward with an update.

​While speaking to reporters, Jones made it clear that the Cowboys may have avoided the worst-case scenario with CeeDee Lamb’s injury. However, the outlook remains uncertain. Team doctors believe the ankle issue isn’t as serious as it could have been, but Jones cautioned, “Let’s just keep our fingers crossed.”

The wide receiver injured his ankle early, tried to return briefly, but wasn’t cleared to continue. Though he was walking on the sideline, the Cowboys held him out as a precaution.

The injury occurred in the first quarter on a rushing play when the 26-year-old WR’s left leg got awkwardly caught during a tackle. At the time, the Cowboys were trailing 7-0 but managed to score on that drive, cutting the deficit to 7-3.

Lamb left the field immediately and was treated by trainers on the sideline. He sat out the next 14 snaps and was seen without shoes or socks as medical staff worked on his ankle.

Though he was able to walk and even came back for one play in the second quarter, but the Cowboys didn’t want to take any chances and kept him out.

The offense struggled without him, and though they tied the game 14-14 before halftime, the Bears took over in the second half. Caleb Williams led a strong third-quarter drive, and Dallas couldn’t respond. Two late interceptions sealed the loss.

Without him, Dallas was short on receivers. Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin had to step up alongside George Pickens.

Pickens can make big plays, but he doesn’t have Lamb’s sharp route-running. Tolbert is still getting comfortable in the offense, and Turpin’s increased role might lead to some changes in how the Cowboys line up moving forward.

With Lamb out, the focus quickly shifted to how his absence would affect the team’s rhythm and game plan.

Lamb injury clouds Cowboys’ offense

After the game, owner Jerry Jones spoke to reporters and sounded hopeful about Lamb’s injury. “You see the difference he can make in a ball game,” Jones said, pointing to Lamb’s impact on both short and deep throws.
The young wide receiver’s absence clearly shook up the offense.

He has been the go-to guy for Dallas, catching 16 of 24 passes for 222 yards in the first two games. But Lamb hasn’t scored yet this season.

NFL, American Football Herren, USA Pro Bowl-NFC at AFC Feb 4, 2024 Orlando, FL, USA NFC wide receiver CeeDee Lamb 88 of the Dallas Cowboys before the 2024 Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium. Orlando Camping World Stadium FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xNathanxRayxSeebeckx 20240204_mcd_fo8_23Following the game, the 26-year-old told reporters he expects to play next week against the Packers.

However, sports injury analyst Dr. Deepak Chona reviewed video of the incident and suggested it resembled a mild high ankle sprain. “Most do cause missed time but his ability to walk on it right away suggests lower severity. [Average two weeks] for mild cases,” Chona posted.

With Dallas sitting at 1-2 and searching for offensive consistency, Lamb’s recovery timeline could be critical.

Early tests didn’t show any serious damage to Lamb’s ankle, but even a minor sprain could keep him off the field for a few games.