It’s the kind of problem most offenses would love to have: Dak Prescott under center and two receivers who can tilt the field in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
That combination makes the Cowboys look simple on paper. Put the ball in their hands, let the stars work, move on. But the first week of the season offered a reminder that this is never that clean once defenses get a say.
Last week’s season-opening loss wasn’t a showcase for Lamb and Pickens as a tandem, but it did hint at something worth watching. The bigger question isn’t just how often Dallas targets them. It’s how it arranges them.
The basic logic is familiar. Defenses can’t truly commit to doubling both top pass-catchers at once.
If one gets extra attention, the other should have more room to operate. That becomes even more stressful when those two receivers are lined up close together and the defense has to sort out assignments right after the snap.
NFL Pro’s insights this week put a little more shape around that idea, with the usual caveat that the season is still just getting started and the sample is tiny.
When Lamb and Pickens were split on opposite sides of the formation, Dallas had 32 offensive plays. Nine of those ended in first downs, and the Cowboys averaged 4.6 yards per play.
When they were on the same side? Only three snaps, but Dallas converted all three for first downs and averaged 6.3 yards per play.
That’s not enough to make a sweeping declaration. Three plays is three plays.
There are too many moving parts to treat that as proof of anything on its own. Still, it’s enough to raise the question of whether the Cowboys should line them up together more often, even if only to gather more information.
Dallas leans heavily on 11 personnel, and Ryan Flournoy gives them a third receiver who can handle his own business. That matters, because if Lamb and Pickens start commanding heavy attention on one side, the other side of the formation should open up for someone else.
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