2023 NFL Week 9: Top Takeaways for Every Team from Sunday's Games
In Week 9, we didn't see a shift in the balance of power within the AFC, but one team will soon rise in the standings behind its budding rookie quarterback.
Early Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs showed exactly why they're the best team in the AFC, and the Miami Dolphins still have a lot to prove.
The Houston Texans selected the second quarterback in this year's draft, C.J. Stroud, which seems to have worked out in their favor. After Stroud lit up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a thrilling 39-37 win, he should be the midseason favorite to win Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Meanwhile, the Baltimore Ravens have established themselves as one of the elite teams across the league. They throttled an NFC division leader.
In another nail-biting finish, the Minnesota Vikings may have realized they found the right guy to fill in for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski and Moe Moton will help you catch up on all the action from Sunday's games with their thoughts on each team.
Miami Dolphins "at" Kansas City Chiefs (International Series)
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Chiefs Defense Will Keep Them Atop AFC Hierarchy
Last week, Patrick Mahomes didn't fare well in his flu game, and the Kansas City Chiefs lost 24-9 to the Denver Broncos, which stirred up concerns about the reigning champions.
Through eight weeks, the Chiefs ranked 12th in scoring. Yet on Sunday in Germany, they knocked off the Miami Dolphins, who have the No. 1 offense in scoring and total yards. In the end, safety Bryan Cook's 59-yard fumble recovery made a huge difference in the outcome. The Chiefs left Frankfurt Stadium with a 21-14 victory.
As of Sunday, Kansas City has its lowest-scoring offense during Mahomes' years as a full-time starter, but they also have the highest-ranked scoring defense (second) in that span.
Against the Dolphins, Mahomes threw for a season-low 185 yards. Consequently, skeptics will have lingering questions about the lack of firepower in Kansas City's aerial attack, but the Chiefs' stingy defense will allow them to maintain a stronghold on the top spot in the AFC.
Kansas City has held two of the top four teams in the AFC (the Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars) to 14 or fewer points.
Dolphins Need Signature Win to Gain Respect Among AFC Contenders
Before Kansas City and Miami kicked off in Germany, many wondered if we would see a power shift in the AFC. The Dolphins field a track-meet scoring offense that beats up on lesser opponents, but they don't have a win against a team with a winning record.
The Dolphins lost by double digits to the Buffalo Bills (48-20) and Philadelphia Eagles (31-17). On Sunday, they fell behind the Chiefs 21-0 by halftime but rallied in the second half only to fall short.
While it's a bit strong to call the Dolphins frauds because of their elite offense and 6-3 record, Miami needs a big win over a playoff contender for anyone to consider them a serious threat in the postseason.
Seattle Seahawks at Baltimore Ravens
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Baltimore Ravens Find New Feature Back in Keaton Mitchell
Today's Baltimore Ravens aren't the same squad those around the league grew accustomed to watching when Gregg Roman served as the offensive coordinator.
The constant battering of defenses with a strong ground-and-pound attack and quarterback Lamar Jackson creating chunk plays with his legs isn't the same approach applied by current coordinator Todd Monken. Instead, more spread formations, unlocking some of Lamar Jackson's potential as a passer and leaning more on the skill positions away from the backfield took precedent.
Part of the changeover was forced by injuries at running back. The Ravens have been devastated by injuries, particularly with the team's expected lead back J.K. Dobbins suffering a torn Achilles in Week 1. Gus Edwards is a hammer. But he's not an every-down back. Baltimore looks to have found a wonderful complement in undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell.
Mitchell entered Sunday's contest against the Seattle Seahawks without a single carry. He exploded for 138 yards on nine carries. The first-year ball-carrier is a smaller option. He measured 5'8" and 178 pounds at the NFL combine. So, he won't be asked to carry the ball 20 times per game. But he can be a weapon and showed exactly why against the Seahawks.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Mitchell gained +108 rushing yards over expected, which is the most by a back in almost three years. The performance shouldn't be entirely surprising. At East Carolina, Mitchell showed excellent quickness and vision. He ran for 2,585 yards and 23 touchdowns during the previous two seasons. Now, the Ravens can capitalize on the rookie's obvious skill set.
Seahawks Have a Kenneth Walker III Problem
At the team's core, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll wants a squad that runs the ball well and plays good fundamentally sound defense. Despite all of the weapons Seattle features among its skill positions, this is exactly who Carroll wants to be. The Seahawks aren't nearly as effective if they don't feature a back capable of holding up his end of the bargain, though.
The Ravens held Kenneth Walker III to 16 yards on nine carries. Normally, this type of effort could be chalked up to playing a very good defense. In this instance, a trend is developing.
Against good defenses, the second-year ball-carrier struggled. He's averaged 3.5 yards per carry against the likes of the Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns and Ravens. But the issue runs deeper.
According to data analyst Arjun Menon, Walker is the lead's worst back at following the designed play and finding the proper hole. Some backs are skilled when it comes to creating something out of nothing. Conversely, Walker is creating nothing when something could be available.
Second-round rookie Zach Charbonnet wasn't much better. He averaged 2.0 yards per carry against the Ravens. Even so, maybe Carroll and his staff should start looking at utilizing Charbonnet a little more since he's yet to crack 10 carries in any game this season.
Minnesota Vikings at Atlanta Falcons
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Joshua Dobbs Should Be Vikings' Starting QB for the Rest of the Season
On Sunday, rookie fifth-round quarterback Jaren Hall started the game against the Atlanta Falcons but suffered a concussion early in the first quarter. Dobbs, whom the Minnesota Vikings acquired from the Arizona Cardinals before the October 31 trade deadline, took over for the remainder of the contest.
Dobbs completed 20 out of 30 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns; he also rushed for 66 yards and a score. Under short notice, with only one week on the team, he put together an impressive performance, leading the Vikings to a 31-28 victory.
In eight starts with the Cardinals, Dobbs averaged 196.1 passing yards per contest, but in Minnesota, he has Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson and a budding wideout in Jordan Addison. If star wide receiver Justin Jefferson returns from a hamstring injury at some point this season, Dobbs will have a strong pass-catching group.
Dobbs seems like a suitable fill-in starter to help guide the Vikings into the playoffs.
Falcons Must Get Bijan Robinson More Involved in Their Game Plan
Before the Atlanta Falcons' Week 7 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, running back Bijan Robinson dealt with headaches and only logged one carry for three yards. Last week, he recorded 11 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. On Sunday, the rookie running back registered 11 carries for 51 yards.
After Robinson battled an illness weeks ago, head coach Arthur Smith said the running back "will be fine." If that's the case, the Falcons have no excuses for why they haven't fed him the ball on the ground and in the short passing game.
Robinson hasn't logged more than 19 rush attempts in a contest this season, in part because he shares touches with Tyler Allgeier. With that said, if he's healthy, the Falcons should feature him in the offense, especially with a game-manager like Taylor Heinicke in for Desmond Ridder (benched).
In Sunday's 31-28 loss to the Vikings, Robinson averaged 4.6 yards per carry while Allgeier averaged 3.3 yards per carry with one more rush attempt.
Atlanta doesn't have a high-powered passing attack, and head coach Arthur Smith leaned on the ground game early in the season. The Falcons need to get back to their bread-and-butter rushing attack to get back into the win column.
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Los Angeles Rams at Green Bay Packers
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RB Aaron Jones, not QB Jordan Love, Drives the Green Bay Packers Offense
The Green Bay Packers are a different offense when Aaron Jones is running well. Jordan Love is a different quarterback when Jones is readily available.
Unfortunately, the 28-year-old back had been dealing with a hamstring injury. He clearly wasn't himself until Sunday's 20-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Through Jones' first four appearances, he managed a total of 29 carries. He took on a full load with 20 carries for 73 yards and a score against the Rams.
As a team, the Packers ran the ball well. Jones, AJ Dillion and Emanuel Wilson combined for 156 rushing yards. The effort helped Green Bay break its four-game losing streak. The streak included seven interceptions from Love. A growing realization that Love may not be the Packers' quarterback of the future slowly took root as the season progressed. He's completed less than 60 percent of his passes in five of eight games this season.
With a strong ground game, Love looked more comfortable. Granted, the Rams' pass defense can be found among the league's bottom half. However, the quarterback posted a season-high with a 76.9 completion percentage. More importantly, he didn't commit a single turnover (though he fumbled once). Love also benefited from the play-action passing game by being able to push the ball downfield more.
According to ESPN Stats & Info (via Rob Demovsky), the Packers quarterback completed 75 percent of his passes when the ball traveled 10 or more yards downfield. He held the league's worst percentage entering the contest.
Clearly, Green Bay is a better team when Jones and the running game is leading the way. He should be the focal point to help Love as the season progresses.
Ram QB Matthew Stafford May Not Be Back Anytime Soon
The Los Angeles Rams aren't sure when their starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, will return to the lineup.
The team played it close to the vest whether Stafford would play when leading up to Sunday's contest against the Packers. Ultimately, the 35-year-old veteran didn't after suffering a thumb injury on his throwing hand during the previous week's contest.
After the Rams' latest loss—their third straight—McVay told reporters that Stafford is "making good progress" gripping the football, but "it wasn't anywhere to where we thought he would be able to go for us."
Stafford may not be in the lineup until some point beyond Week 11. Los Angeles' head coach also said that his quarterback could "hopefully" return after the team's upcoming bye.
Without Stafford, the Rams offense didn't have any juice. Backup-turned-spot starter Brett Rypien completed 46.4 percent of his passes, while the running game managed 68 total yards, with 19 from the quarterback. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua were largely neutralized with five total catches.
Basically, the Rams' season may be lost without Stafford returning sooner rather than later.
Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns
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Do the Cleveland Browns Have Enough on Offense?
The Cleveland Browns did exactly what they should have done Sunday by dominating the NFL's worst team, the Arizona Cardinals. In doing so, the Browns' standout defense was once again on display by snapping the league's second-longest shutout streak (dating back to 2007) during the 27-0 affair. The unit absolutely dismantled the Cardinals and wrecked the debut of the fifth-round rookie quarterback Clayton Tune.
Even in such a lopsided victory, questions renewed about how good the Browns' offense will be as Cleveland attempts a playoff push.
As a unit already dealing with running back Nick Chubb's season-ending injury and quarterback Deshaun Watson dealing with a bum shoulder, the potential long-term loss of yet another starter occurred during the contest. Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. got rolled up from behind and needed to be carted off the field with an air-cast on his lower right leg. While trying not to jump to any conclusions, the whole team gathering around him before he left the field is never a good sign. If Wills does miss significant time, both of the Browns' bookends won't be on the field, since right tackle Jack Conklin suffered a torn ACL and MCL in Week 1.
Rookie Dawand Jones has been a revelation on the strong side. But Cleveland's offensive line depth will be tested. James Hudson stepped into the lineup for the injured Wills. With Hudson likely in the starting lineup, veteran Ty Nsekhe will become the Browns' primary swing tackle. But left tackle and the position's performance will be heavily scrutinized as the season progresses.
Furthermore, Watson made some quality throws, particularly when driving the ball further downfield. However, he continued to look deficient in the quick and rhythm passing games. He missed multiple throws that could have been completions. With all of the time he's missed, Cleveland is still searching for more efficient performances and far lest rust from its franchise signal-caller. The Browns should be thrilled with a 5-3 start considering how banged up the team is. They left Sunday's contest even more so. An NFL campaign is a war of attrition. It's far to question whether Cleveland has enough ammunition when facing better competition.
Rookie Clayton Tune Sacrificed to Vicious Browns Defense
The biggest news for the Cardinals coming out of Sunday is that the team is basically ready to place Kyler Murray into the lineup. The coaching staff just didn't want to do it against a superior defense in worse conditions than what Arizona enjoys at home.
CBS Sports' Aditi Kinkhabwala reported during the telecast that Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said Murray is completely healthy but the team wanted to get him more practice reps in Drew Petzing's offense.
Basically, the organization didn't want to run the risk of throwing Murray to the wolves, with Myles Garrett and his pack feasting on whomever lined up behind center. Cleveland sacked Tune seven different times, including three sacks by defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson. In total, the Cardinals managed 58 total yards, including 17 through the air. The run game was only marginally better with an average of 2.0 yards per carry.
But the window for Murray to return to the lineup closes after next week. So, he's clearly being set up to start next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium.
Tune didn't have a chance. The Cardinals didn't care. They chose to trade Joshus Dobbs at last week's deadline, then he just happened to lead the game-winning drive Sunday for the Minnesota Vikings. Arizona's plan hasn't changed: Get Murray onto the field, evaluate where the team stands with him at quarterback and look toward next offseason.
Washington Commanders at New England Patriots
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Sam Howell Can Bolster His Resume in Audition for Starting Job in 2024
Barring a strong run in the second half of the season, the Washington Commanders will select a quarterback early in the first round of next year's draft. Sam Howell may take a backseat to a rookie in a backup role, or he could start for a new team in 2024.
On Sunday, Howell threw for 325 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 20-17 win over the New England Patriots, his third game in which he's thrown for more than 300 yards.
In his second season, first term as a full-time starter, Howell has to clean up some aspects of his game such as his turnovers and tendency to hold onto the ball too long, but he's shown some playmaking abilities with his arm and legs.
For the season, Howell has thrown for 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 66.6 percent completion rate. If he continues to complete passes at that rate and cuts down on turnovers, the Commanders signal-caller could garner trade buzz among quarterback-needy teams in the offseason.
Patriots' 2023 Squad Is Bill Belichick's Worst-Coached Team
Typically, Bill Belichick-coached teams make few errors and capitalize on the opponent's miscues, but that's not the case this season.
New England went into Week 9 tied for the second-most penalties (54) and tied for sixth in turnovers (13). They have multiple turnovers in four out of nine games and a giveaway in six consecutive outings.
We saw a continuation of the Patriots' poor execution and penalty-ridden play in a 20-17 loss to the Commanders.
On Sunday, New England made an egregious mistake when linebacker Mack Wilson jumped offside before Washington punted the ball, which allowed the Commanders to burn a little more time off the clock when the Patriots trailed by a field goal late in the game.
Between the Patriots' high turnover and penalty rates, Belichick has an uncharacteristically sloppy and undisciplined Patriots club.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans
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C.J. Stroud Is Clearly the Front-Runner for Offensive Rookie of the Year
On Sunday, C.J. Stroud threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns in an electrifying 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He vaulted himself into the pole position for Offensive Rookie of the Year over Puka Nacua, Jordan Addison and Bijan Robinson.
If Stroud wins the award, you can look at Sunday's performance for several plays to put in his highlight reel. Against veteran defensive play-caller and head coach Todd Bowles' unit, the rookie signal-caller looked phenomenal in his best game of the campaign.
For the season, Stroud has thrown for 14 touchdowns and just one interception with a 62 percent completion rate.
Beyond the numbers, Stroud has also played a big role in the Texans' surprising 4-4 start to the season.
Buccaneers' Pass Defense Will Cost Them Several More Games This Year
As a rookie, Stroud looks a lot more impressive than Baker Mayfield has ever looked under center, so the latter will garner a ton of criticism even in a decent outing (21 of 30 passing for 265 yards and two touchdowns).
Nonetheless, the Buccaneers' pass defense has regressed in terms of total yards allowed from last year's unit.
Over the previous two offseasons, the Buccaneers re-signed their starting cornerbacks, Carlton Davis III and Jamel Dean. They field a solid defensive front with edge-rushers Shaquil Barrett and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka and defensive tackle Vita Vea.
Yet Tampa Bay ranked 26th in pressure rate (18.8 percent) and gave up the fifth-most passing yards through the first eight weeks of the season. On Sunday, Stroud shredded the unit in his best pro outing. To make matters worse, Dean exited the game with a concussion.
Bowles must do something to shore up his team's glaring defensive weaknesses through the air, or else we'll see the Buccaneers' playoff hopes fade in the next few weeks. In Week 10, Tampa Bay will face the Tennessee Titans who may have an ascending rookie signal-caller in Will Levis (four touchdowns and one interception in two starts).
Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints
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Taysom Hill Is the Answer to the Saints' Red-Zone Woes
Early in the season, the New Orleans Saints struggled to finish with touchdowns even when they advanced the ball deep in opponent territory. Through eight weeks, they ranked 27th in red-scoring (touchdown) percentage.
Since Week 7, Taysom Hill has registered five scores within the red zone, rushing for three touchdowns, catching a pass in the end zone and throwing a pass for a score.
Over the past two weeks, the Saints have featured Hill on the ground inside the 20-yard line. On Sunday, he caught a touchdown pass from Derek Carr and threw one to tight end Juwan Johnson.
Because of Hill's ability to run, throw and catch, he provides a valuable wrinkle to the Saints offense.
Bears Made the Right Move When They Sign TE Cole Kmet to an Extension
Aside from star tight ends, players at the position don't receive enough praise for their contributions. Cole Kmet isn't on the same level as Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews and George Kittle, but he's an ascending tight end who deserves a little more spotlight.
This past offseason, the Chicago Bears signed Kmet to a four-year, $50 million extension, which seems like a quality investment in a rising playmaker at the position.
This season, Kmet has a couple of two-touchdown performances, and he's on track for career highs in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns.
Despite an unstable quarterback situation with undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent in for Justin Fields (dislocated thumb), Kmet has shown why he's worth every dollar in his new deal.
Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers
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Colts' Kenny Moore II Makes Case For Future Contract Extension
During the Indianapolis Colts' three-game losing streak, opponents scored at least 37 points in each and averaging 353.3 yards per game. The Carolina Panthers managed just 275 yards during Indy's 27-13 win on Sunday, with the Colts forcing three turnovers and sacking rookie quarterback Bryce Young four times.
Seventh-year veteran Kenny Moore II proved to be the star.
Typically, a strong defensive performance against one of the league's worst teams doesn't signal much. For the Colts, this effort was necessary after being shredded by Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints. Also, Indianapolis showed its mettle without the NFL's leading tackler, Zaire Franklin, and top corner, JuJu Brents, in the lineup.
Young's scrambling served as the Panthers' only real threat. Otherwise, the Colts played sound defense and basically shut down a struggling offense. In this instance, the unit dug deep and won the game.
Moore came up big with two pick-sixes. He became the first in franchise history to do so. The initial interception came when Moore undercut a short outbreaking route and returned the pass 49 yards the other way. The second happened on a simple overthrow, where the veteran was in the right place at the right time to return it 66 yards for another score.
The cornerback's displeasure with his current contract extends back to last year when he orchestrated a "hold in" that didn't lead to anything of substance. He's still searching for a new deal today, and Sunday's performance is a prime example of what Moore means to the Colts. With inexperienced corners flanking Moore, he's been the steady presence. He scored one more touchdown Sunday than the offense did. The Colts are always open to paying their homegrown talents.
"Resilience. Consistency," Moore responded when asked by reporters about his historic day.
A bounce-back season by the team's nickel, with a game-winning performance over the Panthers, shows exactly why the Colts should hand him a new deal.
Did the Carolina Panthers Take the Wrong QB With This Year's No. 1 Pick?
Through nine weeks of the season with a 1-8 record, everyone watching the Carolina Panthers must be thinking the same thing: General manager Scott Fitterer and head coach Frank Reich picked the wrong guy. Carolina should have taken C.J. Stroud instead of Bryce Young after trading up to the No. 1 overall pick in April's draft.
Patience is always necessary when it comes to young quarterbacks. Each develops at a different rate. But the juxtaposition of what Young did Sunday when compared to Stroud is startling. On the same day that Stroud broke the single-game rookie record with 470 passing yards and led the Houston Texans to a last-minute victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Young looked out of sorts, threw three bad interceptions and didn't really display the natural feel for the position that made him the top pick.
Stroud is well on his way to being named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Panthers, meanwhile, are one of the league's worst teams yet again. To make matters worse, the first-round pick Carolina sent to the Chicago Bears to draft Young currently sits at No. 2 overall.
As sure as the sun rises, excuses will commence. They'll probably fall somewhere in line with the Panthers not having a good enough supporting cast, without acknowledging the Texans had a worse record last year, also hired a brand-new coaching staff and still have more wins today than last season.
From this point forward, the Panthers must do what's necessary to get the most out of Young. The organization does have a few winnable games ahead of it, with the Chicago Bears, Tennessee Titans and Buccaneers serving as three of their next four opponents. Two of those also feature rookie quarterbacks, and Young will get the chance to show out against Tampa Bay like Stroud did. If not, Carolina faces a long offseason.
New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders
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Raiders Can Salvage Their 2023 Season
On Sunday, the Las Vegas Raiders looked like a completely different team compared to the first half of the season.
In their first game with interim head coach Antonio Pierce taking over for Josh McDaniels, the Raiders scored a season-high 30 points in a win over the New York Giants. In addition to a strong offensive performance, Las Vegas recorded eight sacks.
At a glance, even with an untrained eye, you can see the Raiders' renewed vigor. Perhaps they're still in the honeymoon phase under their new lead skipper, but the team has a chance to salvage its season with a game against the New York Jets coming up.
Keep in mind that the Jets will have a short week following a Monday Night Football matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
If the Raiders put together back-to-back wins to reach .500, they could climb back into the AFC wild-card race in the second half of the campaign.
Giants' Painful Losses May Solve Their QB Problem in 2024
At 2-7, the Giants are headed for a basement finish in the final standings.
The Giants have lost six of their past seven games. Quarterback Daniel Jones left Sunday's contest with a knee injury after missing three games with a neck injury. Per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, the team fears that Jones tore his ACL. This week, Big Blue placed backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor (ribs) on injured reserve.
If an MRI confirms the Giants' fear about Jones' injury, they should roll with third-stringer Tommy DeVito for the remainder of the season.
With DeVito under center, Big Blue will likely finish with a top-five draft pick and have a shot to find its franchise signal-caller in a strong quarterback class.
Yes, the Giants signed Jones to a four-year, $160 million extension this past offseason, but they can sit their rookie quarterback next year or ease him into a starting role and then release Jones in 2025, which would allow them to save $30.5 million in cap space, per Over the Cap.
Giants fans must grit their teeth through a lost season, but it may pay off with a franchise-saving draft pick in 2024.
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
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Injuries Worrisome for Philadelphia Eagles Even After Big Rivalry Win
The Philadelphia Eagles will always be happy to beat the Dallas Cowboys. But the NFC East's best squad didn't emerge unscathed from the 28-23 victory.
For starters, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts suffered a knee injury but continued to play through the issue. He didn't miss a snap, completing 73.9 percent of his passes and throwing for a pair of touchdowns. Hurts' mobility was clearly hampered, but his toughness inspired his teammates.
"Fighter. Got much respect for Jalen," veteran defensive end Brandon Graham told reporters after the contest. "… Made me want to go even harder to get the win for him."
The Eagles must see if the injury will linger for Hurts. Others on the roster will certainly be affected after they left the field. Tight Dallas Goedert suffered a forearm injury, while middle linebacker Nakobe Dean exited the contest with a foot injury. Dean has been dinged this season. The Eagles will adjust with Zach Cunningham and Nicholas Morrow taking most of the snaps. Goedert will be harder to replace if he misses any time, because Jack Stoll ranks second among the team's tight ends with all of two receptions on the season.
At 8-1, the Eagles hold the league's best record. They entered the season as one of the favorites to play in Super LVIII. A primary reason why had to do with the squad's overall depth and how it could maintain a high level of play even with injuries. But key injuries can disrupt everything.
Philadelphia's bye week couldn't have come at a better time.
CeeDee Lamb's Performance Highlights Strengths, Weaknesses of Cowboys Roster
CeeDee Lamb officially made his claim as the best wide receiver in Dallas Cowboys history.
While the previous statement seems hyperbolic, his production speaks for itself. After Sunday's 11-catch, 191-yard performance, he tied Michael Irvin for the franchise lead with three games of 10 receptions and 150 or more yards, according to NFL on ESPN.
Obviously, Lamb hasn't created the same impact as "The Playmaker" once did on a two-time Super Bowl-winning squad. At the same time, Lamb is a dynamic threat and big-time weapon for quarterback Dak Prescott. He clearly needs help, though.
Dallas second and third receivers—Michael Gallup and Jalen Tolbert—managed five combined catches. To be fair, Tolbert did score once. However, it's clear the Cowboys haven't figured out how to properly use its wide receivers beyond Lamb. As an example, veteran Brandin Cooks, who is a seven-time 1,000-yard receiver, caught one pass.
Going into Sunday's contest, Lamb registered 46 catches. The rest of the wide receivers on the roster managed 49 total. The Cowboys have the talent among their skill positions. Head coach/offensive play-caller Mike McCarthy must find more ways to get the ball into the hands of others.
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