The Dallas Cowboys haven’t played a snap in 10 days, and the last time they did, it wasn’t pretty. A 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions stung more than just the scoreboard - it came with the added blow of losing CeeDee Lamb to a scary-looking head injury. Early in the third quarter, Lamb took a hard fall while trying to haul in a pass, slamming his head on the turf and leaving the game with what appeared to be a significant concussion.
Since then, all eyes in Dallas - and across the league - have been locked on Lamb’s status heading into a critical Week 15 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings. And after a week of uncertainty, the Cowboys finally got the news they were hoping for: Lamb has cleared concussion protocol and is on track to suit up Sunday night.
It’s a massive boost for a Cowboys team that’s still clinging to hope in the NFC East race, even if the wild-card path is looking like a long shot. Lamb was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, which was encouraging enough. But by Thursday, he was upgraded to full participation, and by Friday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer confirmed what fans had been waiting to hear - Lamb is good to go.
And he’s not just back - he’s returning in the middle of a tear.
Before the injury against Detroit, Lamb was cooking. He had already racked up 121 yards on just six catches - his highest total of the season - and he was doing it with the kind of smooth explosiveness that’s made him one of the league’s premier playmakers.
The injury came just over two minutes into the second half, and given the way he was slicing through the Lions’ secondary, it’s not a stretch to think he was on pace for something truly special. A 200-yard day?
It was on the table.
The week before, Lamb was just as electric. In the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day win over the Chiefs, he posted 112 yards and a touchdown on seven catches. That made it back-to-back 100-yard games for the All-Pro wideout, and now he’s eyeing a third straight - this time under the prime-time lights at AT&T Stadium.
But it won’t come easy. Minnesota’s pass defense has been one of the stingiest in the league this year, giving up just 172.3 passing yards per game - the fourth-best mark in the NFL. Their secondary has been disciplined, fast, and physical, and they’ve made life tough on opposing quarterbacks all season.
Still, having No. 88 back on the field changes everything for Dallas. Lamb isn’t just a go-to target - he’s a tone-setter, a matchup nightmare, and the kind of player who forces defenses to adjust their entire game plan. His presence alone opens things up for the rest of the offense, especially in a game where every inch will matter.
The stakes are clear. With the Eagles stumbling - losers of three straight - the door in the NFC East hasn’t completely closed.
But for the Cowboys to have any shot at sneaking through it, they’ll likely need to win out. That means four straight victories to close the regular season, and then hoping Philly drops a couple more along the way.
It starts Sunday night in Arlington. Kickoff between the Cowboys and Vikings is set for 8:20 p.m.
Eastern on NBC and Peacock. And for Dallas, the return of CeeDee Lamb couldn’t come at a better time.