For a long time, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was criticized for his attitude in games when things weren't going well. Some of that criticism was well deserved.
But it would be unfair if we didn't recognize how much that has changed in 2024, specially in a year in which quarterback Dak Prescott was knocked out for the season back in Week 9. Lamb has grown into one of the biggest leadership roles on the team.
On Thursday, he was asked about finding motivation at 5-8, with postseason chances at an all-time low following their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. For Lamb, the response was clear and direct.
"What you mean? Still, to win the game, regardless," Lamb told reporters ahead of Week 15. "At the end of the day, still got to win the game. That’s the motivation."
The Cowboys are not yet eliminated, at least not mathematically. Even if Dallas wins out and gets to nine victories, they'd have a tough time making it considering there are two Wild Card teams in the NFC already at nine wins minimum. There's a third at eight.
But the Cowboys don't even talk about that, says Lamb.
"We got to win out, so in order for anything else to happen—all the help that we need—we still have to do our part," Lamb said. "We just need to focus on one game at a time. We don't need to worry about anything else at this point. We need everybody to hone in on their job and handle their responsibilities, and then let everything else just fall into place."
Lamb is spot on here. While it's true the Cowboys would need a miracle to get into the postseason, that's the message the locker room should be listening to. One game at a time. It's all they can control, it's all they should focus on.
With that being said, Lamb's message is a reminder that players and coaches don't care about tanking nor should they. While that's true for players fighting for their jobs on a year to year basis, it's also true to stars such as CeeDee, who signed a $136 million deal this offseason.
They're football players. They're all about playing football. It's that simple. So expect the Cowboys to come out motivated regardless of their record and playoff chances. It is what it is. They gotta play ball. Lamb's stance should be applauded.
