The Dallas Cowboys’ three-game winning streak came crashing down in a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 14. To make matters worse in the process, they also lost star wideout CeeDee Lamb to a concussion. And now, as Dallas prepares for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 15, the obvious question is: Will Lamb be back? Turns out, there’s reason to feel optimistic.

According to The Athletic’s Jon Machota, Lamb has officially cleared concussion protocol. He practiced fully yesterday and is now expected to suit up on Sunday against the Vikings.

“The process has been cool,” the wideout said. “Obviously it’s been a lot of eye work and eye discipline and trying to, I guess, frustrate myself essentially to see if I have any more residuals of the concussion and if I had any type of symptoms. As for me now, it’s been heavy on rest, to be honest. Doing everything, me knowing my requirements, kind of getting ahead of everything, especially with the extra 2-3 days that we had off, I feel like that was big.”

Lamb suffered the injury in the second half when his helmet slammed into the turf out of bounds while he was trying to haul in a leaping end-zone throw from Dak Prescott. The moment he hit the ground, Lamb showed a fencing response with his arms extended, and Prescott sprinted over to check on him. Lamb was taken to the medical tent for evaluation and was later ruled out.

Before exiting, he was in the middle of a monster night. The receiver caught six catches for 121 yards, and he tied Tony Hill for the second-most 100-yard games in Cowboys history with 26, with the Hall of Famer, Michael Irvin, sitting ahead with 47. Fast forward to now, and thanks to a 10-day recovery time, Lamb is set to return. And let’s just say his quick turnaround doesn’t faze Prescott a bit.

“Zero concern,” Dak said. “Obviously there was some urgency to get him help then, but then actually when I got over there, he was almost right back to it. I was like, ‘You good?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah.’ He was back at it Monday, doing light stuff and working out. From there, I was positive in the way that he would respond, and he’s been great.”

The Cowboys still have George Pickens, Ryan Flournoy, KaVontae Turpin, and Jonathan Mingo in the receiver room, but they clearly needed Lamb back. After all, Dallas is trying to keep its playoff hopes alive at 6-6-1.

Can the Cowboys still make the playoffs?

No one outside the Cowboys’ building ever thought a team with the worst defense in the league would even be in the playoff conversation. And while the postseason is still a long shot, it’s not completely off the table. Which naturally brings up the question: can the Cowboys actually sneak in? Earlier this month, Jerry Jones said their best path is winning the NFC East.

On paper, that sounds simple enough. But in reality, it’s every bit as difficult as it sounds easy. To win the division, the Cowboys need to dethrone the Philadelphia Eagles, who are currently at the top with 8-5. And for that, Dak Prescott’s squad needs to win down the stretch. Not one, not two, and not even three. All of them.

But that’s where things get complicated. Dallas had built real momentum with a three-game winning streak, but the Week 14 loss to the Lions crushed a huge chunk of their playoff chances. The only…well, a couple of good breaks? The Eagles and the Chicago Bears also lost last week. That keeps the door cracked open. Now the Cowboys don’t just have to win their final four games… they also need the Eagles to drop at least two of their last four.

Top Stories

Forced to Leave FOX, Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Says ESPN Is Like ‘U.S. Government’ & Clearly Distinguishes the Two Networks

FOX Issues Strict Ban on Terry Bradshaw But NFL Legend Defies It to Join Popular Morning Show

What Happened to T.J. Watt? Why Is He Hospitalized? Steelers Announce Latest News on LB Before Dolphins Game

Cowboys Legend Troy Aikman Makes Unretirement Announcement After Airing FOX’s Dirty Laundry

Cam Newton Reveals Exactly Why 32 NFL Teams Blacklisted Him as Panthers Legend Announces Retirement Status

If that happens, the math becomes simple: Dallas wins out + Philly loses twice = the Cowboys take the division. Voilà. Playoffs. Sounds straightforward on paper, but this is the same team that went from fielding a bottom-tier defense to suddenly looking like one of the league’s hottest. Everything’s still on the table. Stay tuned for Cowboys vs. Vikings.