All is not roses with the Dallas Cowboys as CeeDee Lamb has drop issues. Also, Dak Prescott will likely be without a key protector for Thursday’s game. But here are the bold predictions for the Cowboys’ must-win Thanksgiving tilt against the Chiefs.
The Cowboys (5-5-1) will play the 4:30 p.m. (EST) game against the Chiefs (6-5). Both teams are in desperate need of a victory to keep their playoff hopes alive. And both are coming off big comeback wins over previous two-loss teams. The Cowboys shocked the Eagles 24-21 while the Chiefs overcame the Colts, 23-20, in overtime.
Kansas City enters as the road favorite, but it sure looks like a toss-up game.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb will first 100-yard game since Week 8
It’s not like Lamb is no longer a standout weapon. But his yardage totals and lack of touchdowns have raised some eyebrows as George Pickens has soared into the spotlight. Lamb has totaled 74, 85, 66, and 75 yards in his last four games. That’s not bad, but he only has one touchdown.
Meanwhile, in that same stretch, Pickens has 82, 78, 79, 144, and 146. Also, Pickens has a pair of touchdowns. There has to be some market correction coming Lamb’s way.
One issue has been Lamb dropping the football. He has a career-high eight this season. But he’s simply too good for that to continue.
If nothing else, the situation with Lamb has drawn attention and scrutiny. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer said it’s no big deal, according to dallasnews.com.
“CeeDee is not a good player,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s an incredible player. I think the biggest thing for CeeDee is to know we love him. We trust him. The ball is going to keep coming his way.
“There are some weeks you have great games and other weeks where you’re like, ‘Hey, I didn’t play as good as I can play.’ But when we start drawing plays for Kansas City — I’ll give them a heads up — there will be a lot going to No. 88.”
And thus, Lamb will catch a lot of passes and easily move past the 100-yard mark. And that leads us to the next prediction.
WR George Pickens will get 75-plus yards and a long TD
As the Cowboys pepper Lamb with passes, the Chiefs will give Pickens one too many one-on-one looks. And Prescott will find him for a 40-plus-yard score. Want a good DFS bet? Pickens catching a 30-yard or better pass is a good one to consider.
Prescott had choice words, good ones, about Pickens’ abilities, according to dallascowboys.com.
“It's hard for me to say he exceeds my expectations,” said Prescott. “My expectations are limitless with that guy, and he'll tell you, he's not from here. I am sure you all read his article [in the Player's Tribune]. He's not from here. He's not from this planet.”
“I'm not gonna put limitations on him. … The guy loves the game, stays focused, and the communication, I know I've mentioned before, but [he talks] to other guys in the huddle about staying focused and to just keep doing what they're doing.”
And with Pickens and Lamb doing their things, the next prediction will fall into place.
QB Dak Prescott will throw for 300-plus yards and three scores
Seeing a pattern here? What this means is that the Chiefs will likely need 27 or more points to beat the Cowboys. And while that might have looked very doable a few weeks ago, the Cowboys’ defense has tightened things up.
Prescott will have a nice Thanksgiving dinner after dismantling the Chiefs’ defense.
Owner Jerry Jones is practically giddy about the new Cowboys, calling the win over the Eagles perhaps the biggest in the Prescott era, according to dallascowboys.com.
“They were the number one,” Jones said. “If we could show that what we are when we get in this kind of spot, I'm talking about with the return of players, when we get all of our guns out there at the same time. Then I think you saw a really balanced effort with anything. The defense carrying things. I wouldn't have dreamed that could come out my mouth here six games ago.”
Who will win the Thanksgiving showdown?
But how will the game go? Will the Chiefs be able to overcome this massive Cowboys’ offensive assault? Well, the Chiefs will make a game of it. But the Cowboys will find a way to win. Final score: Cowboys 27, Chiefs 24.
