Man, talk about a head-scratcher. The Dallas Cowboys are sitting at a dismal 1-2 early in the 2026 season, and it’s not because their star quarterback Dak Prescott and electric receiver CeeDee Lamb aren’t doing their jobs. Nope, these two are playing at a ridiculous, nearly perfect level, but it is still somehow not enough. You’ve got to wonder what’s going on down in Arlington.
Prescott and Lamb: A Near-Perfect Partnership in a Losing Effort
Prescott and Lamb are legit performing like top-five players in the league at their positions. The Cowboys boast the No. 7 scoring offense, putting up a solid 29.3 points per game. Prescott is showing out with an eighth-place ranking in completion percentage at 69.5%, tied for fifth in passing touchdowns with 7, ninth in passer rating at 107.2, and fifth in expected points added per dropback at 0.28. And CeeDee? He’s sixth in catches with 20, fourth in receiving yards with 309, and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns with 3. What a start, right?
After suffering a high ankle sprain in a Week 3 loss back in 2025 that limited him to just three receiving touchdowns all of last season, Lamb is back. He’s healthy, and it shows. Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams put it best, saying Lamb “is just playing lights out. He is playing really, really confident. I love what we’re getting right now. He’s been outstanding.” This connection isn’t new, either. They’ve been building this high-level chemistry for seven seasons now, going back to 2020. At their 2023 peak, Lamb led the entire league in catches and receiving first downs, while Prescott led the NFL in passing touchdowns. This season, they’ve connected on 20 of 25 targets for 309 yards, three scores, and zero interceptions, all good for an NFL-best 157.8 passer rating. For context, a perfect passer rating is 158.3. They are within a point of being perfect. It doesn’t matter if there’s a blitz or not, these two are locked in, finding each other 13 times without a blitz and 12 times when the defense sends pressure. Prescott even surpassed Tony Romo for the franchise’s career passing touchdowns, which is a huge milestone. Yet, they’re 1-2.
The Defense Is Just Crushing Dallas’ Chances
So, if Prescott and Lamb are playing out of their minds, what’s the deal? It’s the defense, folks. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones traded away All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers a week before the 2025 season even began. Since then, the Cowboys’ defense has been an absolute mess, allowing an NFL-worst 29.7 points per game. This season? They’re giving up 27.3 points per game, which puts them at No. 25 in the league. You can’t ask for a better offensive performance, but you sure can ask for a defense that can stop someone.
It is a glaring issue, and it means that for all the incredible play Prescott and Lamb are putting out there, it just isn’t translating to wins. The question now for Dallas is, can they figure out this defensive nightmare before this season truly slips away?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply