During the Dallas Cowboys' home opener against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, a crucial miscommunication between star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and quarterback Dak Prescott was on full display. The confusion between the duo resulted in missed opportunities, including a misaligned slot fade route in the end zone during the second quarter. This misstep forced the Cowboys to settle for a 38-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey, instead of potentially scoring a touchdown. They eventually lost the game 44-19.
Jerry Jones, who manages and owns the Dallas Cowboys, was likely not pleased by the performance, especially given the team's expectations. Lamb, who led the NFL with 135 receptions in 2023, and Prescott, who topped the league with 36 passing touchdowns the same year, are key figures in the Cowboys’ aspiration for greatness.
The importance of on-field chemistry between a quarterback and his receiver cannot be overstated. CeeDee Lamb pinpointed the lack of practice time with Prescott during training camp as a significant factor behind their miscommunications. "It's all about getting on the same page as your quarterback being a receiver," Lamb acknowledged. "For me, it's just making sure that I'm available for him. Whatever I got to do to be open, I'm going to do that."
Prescott mirrored these sentiments, emphasizing the need for constant communication. "Just continuing to communicate each and every day that we're in here, whether it's the film, whether it's something at practice. Certain routes to make sure that some of those mistakes don't happen again," he said. Despite Prescott and Lamb's impressive 2023 statistics, which included 26 completions and 628 receiving yards on vertical routes, the duo's misalignments were evident against the Saints.
The Cowboys’ ground game fared no better. Ranking 25th in the NFL in rushing yards per game with an average of 85 yards and 26th in yards per attempt with an average of 3.7, the team's running backs Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, and Deuce Vaughn struggled to provide any significant spark. This lack of ground support placed additional pressure on Prescott to connect in the air, something that didn't go as planned last game.
In their match against the Saints, Prescott also threw an interception to Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu and failed to complete any of his three vertical route attempts to Lamb. Such statistics were uncharacteristic of the usually reliable Prescott-Lamb tandem. Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, however, believes in the promising offseason work put in by his players. "Our guys have done a really good job, especially away from here in the offseason, the summertime of spending that time together," McCarthy noted.
The Cowboys are set to face a formidable Baltimore Ravens defense next. Known for allowing the most passing yards per game at 257.0 and a 68.4% success rate on targets to the slot, the Ravens’ defense offers both a challenge and an opportunity. Lamb, who led the NFL in slot receiving yards in both 2022 and 2023, may find chances to exploit this vulnerability. Prescott remains hopeful that the duo can rectify their issues and capitalize on their chances. "We can hold some windows longer. I can anticipate a little bit better. I think once you get that going a little bit more, I think that’s just where the red zone will take off," he said.
Acknowledging the previous game’s shortcomings, Prescott admitted, "We were able to move the ball last week. Touchdowns were the problem." As the Cowboys focus on fine-tuning their execution, all eyes will be on how effectively Prescott and Lamb can synchronize their efforts against the Ravens.
CeeDee Lamb’s commitment to improving was clear. "That's just only the beginning. Everything that I've trained for in the offseason is going to come to life. I have no doubt about it," Lamb confidently stated. If the Cowboys can rectify their red-zone issues and enhance on-field communication, there remains hope that they can turn their season around.