Thanksgiving in America already guarantees one thing: the Dallas Cowboys will be on your TV with half the country watching. Add the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs as the opponent and you’ve got appointment television. Now throw in a motivated, borderline-vengeful CeeDee Lamb… and Kansas City’s secondary might want to call in sick.
After a nightmare performance against the Eagles (three official drops, including a soul-crushing would-be game-winner in the final minute of regulation), Lamb did what no superstar wants to do: he ducked the media and let the criticism rain down. Social-media detectives, talk shows, and even his own fans roasted No. 88 all week.
But Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer isn’t here for the redemption arc narrative; he’s scripting the revenge tour.
“He’s got that look in his eye that (he) means business,” Schottenheimer said Tuesday. “He’s ready to play. There will be plenty of balls going to 88 Thursday afternoon.”
Plenty? Try an avalanche.
Schottenheimer doubled down after Sunday’s win, basically telling the entire Chiefs defense to circle the jersey number in red Sharpie.
“When we start drawing up plays for Kansas City, I’ll give the room a little heads up: there will be a lot of them going to 88.”
Translation: CeeDee Lamb is getting force-fed until he either throws up 200 yards or the turkey is cold, whichever comes first.
It’s a plan that’s both thrilling and absolutely terrifying for Cowboys fans.
Thrilling because history says Lamb destroys teams after a bad game. Remember Week 1 when he also dropped four passes (TruMedia says three) against Philly? The very next week he torched the Giants for 9 catches, 112 yards, and was the main reason Dallas won in overtime. The man doesn’t sulk; he detonates.
Terrifying because we just watched Dak Prescott try the same “get CeeDee going early” strategy against the Eagles and it looked like a bad sequel. Eleven targets, multiple forced throws into coverage, and three heart-attack-inducing drops. Even when Lamb is “off,” he’s still dangerous (somehow) dangerous; he twisted his body like a gymnast for a 48-yard sideline grab that set up a touchdown and kept Dallas alive.
So yes, America, get ready for the CeeDee Lamb Experience on Thanksgiving: 15+ targets, double-moves against Trent McDuffie, slants against L’Jarius Sneed in the slot, 50/50 balls, screens, jet sweeps, maybe even a direct snap or two. Schottenheimer is emptying the playbook with one name on it.
George Pickens is on a historic tear right now and will still get his, but Thanksgiving in Dallas has always belonged to 88. And after last week, CeeDee Lamb isn’t just trying to bounce back.
He’s trying to remind the entire NFL why you never, ever poke the bear wearing the star.
Chiefs, you’ve been warned. Bring extra DBs and a lot of turkey. You’re going to need the energy.