Things were ugly for the Dallas Cowboys against the Chicago Bears. Not only were they blown out on the road at Soldier Field, 31-14, but CeeDee Lamb suffered a nasty-looking ankle injury in the first quarter.
Lamb took a handoff out of the backfield and had his leg caught under a Bears defender on an awkward tackle that twisted and bent his lower leg. Lamb returned for one more snap, left the game, was evaluated, and did not return to action.
When Will CeeDee Lamb Return to the Field?
Lamb is highly confident in himself and his ability to heal quickly. Underdog NFL posted, “CeeDee Lamb (ankle) said he ‘absolutely’ feels like he can play in Week 4.”
Jon Machota posts, “Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the team doctors said CeeDee Lamb’s ankle injury is not as serious as it could’ve been. ‘Let’s just keep our fingers crossed.'”
However, optimism faded quickly after new reports came out on Monday. NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed that Lamb has suffered a high ankle sprain and will likely miss the Week 4 game against the Green Bay Packers.
“Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb suffered a high ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Bears that makes him unlikely to play Sunday night vs. the Packers, per sources,” Schefter wrote. “The Cowboys want to see how Lamb is doing the next 10-14 days before making further determinations about his status.”
Cowboys insider Todd Archer later confirmed that Lamb is likely to miss significant time. “Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb could miss 3-4 weeks with a high left ankle sprain suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Bears, according to a source,” wrote Archer on X.
NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed that Lamb will miss at least the next two games, but the Cowboys are not planning to place him on the injured reserve.
What Would Losing Lamb Mean to the Dallas Offense?
Lamb is considered one of the pillars of the Cowboys’ offense. He is quarterback Dak Prescott’s most reliable and dynamic target in the passing game.
Lamb’s skill set and role was expected to be complemented by the acquisition of wide receiver George Pickens in the summer trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
If Lamb is out for an extended period, Pickens becomes the de facto No. 1 receiver on the outside. That leaves Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin, and Ryan Flournoy as Prescott’s targets on the outside and in the slot.
The Cowboys’ running game has been less than terrible. Javonte Williams has rushed 43 times for 227 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboys’ next leading rusher is Miles Sanders, who has 18 carries for 109 yards and one touchdown.
However, while the Cowboys have beefed up their offensive line, their offense is predicated on establishing chunk plays and breaking open big plays, not grinding opponents down.
