After a 20-24 loss during their season opener against Philadelphia, the Cowboys caught their flight and reached home on Friday morning. By then, most of their fanbase had dissected their performance, especially the offense. For instance, the good news was that the offensive line gave up no sacks on QB Dak Prescott. But there was bad news too. Dallas scored zero points in the second half, and that resulted in the four-point loss.

Then there was WR CeeDee Lamb, who dropped three passes from Prescott. “That’s terrible. I can’t point the finger at anybody else. I take full accountability,” the player said after the game. And as a penance for the mistakes he made the night before, he was seen catching balls from the JUGS machine. But truth be told, the team depends on him and Prescott. No wonder David Moore of the ‘D Magazine’ wrote:

“This team must get the most out of Lamb and Dak Prescott to win. The team’s two biggest stars can’t afford to have a bad game, a reality that hits home even harder now that another star has been subtracted from the equation.”

Micah Parsons is out of the equation, and that leaves the Cowboys with one less elite player. That reduces it to Prescott, Lamb, and Tyler Smith. But it is the former two who can deliver consistently and have a big-play impact. That’s a big responsibility because the team currently doesn’t have the kind of talent they need in order to compensate for seven catches on 13 targets from their connection.

Coming to Prescott, he threw 34 times in the game against the Eagles. Some time later in the season, there might be a demand that he throw 40 times or more. That means he will have to make several quick decisions, which will, of course, be scrutinized later on. A missed opportunity on his end could lead to a win or a loss.

But Prescott, for one, remains confident that Lamb will come through. As the QB noted last week, “There’s throws out there that I want back. But it’s game 1, and he’s a guy that makes those plays. He’s going to make those plays. I’m not going to get down on him. I’m not going to lose confidence by any means. And he will make those plays.” While they are hyped up to go against the Giants in Week 2, Lamb wants to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistakes in the upcoming game.

CeeDee Lamb’s response: accountability and rebound

On Friday, which is a player’s off day, Lamb was seen throwing footballs off the Jugs machine. That made HC Brian Schottenheimer happy. “That’s the kind of stuff that gets me fired up and that’s why he was voted a captain and will do great thing for us the rest of the year,” he said about his player. This work ethic underscores why Dallas invested $136 million in Lamb, expecting not just talent but relentless dedication. And it’s something the coaching staff is all in for.

Lamb already has four Pro Bowl nods and four straight seasons of 1,100+ yards campaigns. Skill isn’t a question. He just needs to bring back that execution that makes him one of the best receivers in the league. That’s the reason Cowboys legend Michael Irvin defended Lamb after the season opener.

“I saw the pain in CeeDee’s face because I know what it means to him right then and right there. – he’ll spend the rest of the year trying to make up for that in his own heart, in his own mind, in his own spirit. He felt that and he will serve us all year long.” Moving forward, Lamb’s production and mental toughness will be vital in a season where every play between Prescott and him matters. Dallas is set to go up against the Giants on Sunday, September 14. With little margin for error, with every snap scrutinized, how Lamb and Prescott respond could define Dallas’ playoff prospects. What do you think?