Dallas Cowboys' Mike McCarthy Meets with ‘Frustrated’ CeeDee Lamb
The Dallas Cowboys have made sure to let the league know how "pissed off" they still are after back-to-back years of playoff losses to the San Francisco 49ers, but that motivational agenda is proving to be all talk after Sunday's brutal 42-10 loss at Levi's Stadium.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is the latest to use the "pissed off" approach -- three times in fact -- as he discussed the visible and understandable frustration that star receiver CeeDee Lamb had on the sideline during Sunday's beatdown.
"I had a great visit with CeeDee today," he said. "If he's not pissed off for not getting the ball, then I'm pissed off at him for not being pissed off. He's an impact player."
While "pissed off" tends to get thrown around a lot, it certainly should apply to how ever Cowboys player and coach should feel headed into Week 6. But this particularly applies to Lamb, who, in a game script that required the Cowboys and Dak Prescott to sling the rock while down multiple scores, still only managed to finish with four catches for a team-high 49 yards.
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) catches a pass against San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw (57) during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium.
© Darren Yamashita, USA TODAY
It should add to the frustration when considering that Lamb ended last season having torched the 49ers in the NFC Divisional on the same field. He finished that 19-12 playoff loss with a game-high 10 catches for 117 yards. No other Cowboy finished with more than 27 receiving yards in that game.
The cure to Lamb's frustration seems simple: get him the ball. Of course, that's easier said than done against a Niners defense that made it a point to send double teams his way in the secondary. But if Prescott is going to finish with three interceptions anyways like he did on Sunday, then some of those arrant throws should at least be headed toward the team's No. 1 receiver. What more did the Cowboys have to lose?
"Pissed off?" Add it to the Cowboys word jar that includes "embarrassed, humiliated and ashamed." But Dallas will be hoping its not adding "regret" to that group if a lack of Lamb targets yields more blowout losses.
Maybe McCarthy's visit with Lamb will help in this regard as the Cowboys prepare to take on the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Monday night.
