On to Week 9:
Week 8 Summary
CeeDee Lamb Delivers a Superstar Performance
The Cowboys offense featured a few key shifts coming out of the bye week, including where CeeDee Lamb lined up. He played outside 38.5% of the time on Sunday, an increase from 26.6% in prior weeks, and he set single-game career highs with 12 receptions, 158 yards and two touchdowns. Lamb repeatedly crushed the Rams on slants against man coverage and made a textbook high-point grab for a 24-yard gain early in the fourth quarter.
D Magazine’s Dan Morse also noted how the Cowboys used motion at the snap more frequently than before, passed more and attacked further down the field. As a result, Lamb crossed 100 air yards for the first time this season. All are positive indicators for a renewed Dallas offense if those trends continue, arriving just in time for divisional games against the Eagles, Giants and Commanders in the next four weeks.
DeAndre Hopkins Thrives with Will Levis
With Ryan Tannehill sidelined with a right high ankle sprain, rookie quarterback Will Levis stepped in and flourished against what had been a stingy Falcons pass defense. His arm strength was on full display on two strikes of 40-plus air yards to Hopkins—both going for touchdowns. Levis connected with Hopkins for three touchdowns in total and hit Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for another.
His ball placement wasn’t perfect. Levis missed Treylon Burks wide on a 40-yard go ball, creating a 50-50 situation. He also threw slightly behind tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo, leading to a tough drop on what could’ve been a 20-yard completion with plenty of catch-and-run potential. There was enough in Levis’s game to be excited about, and he will be put to the test against a Steelers defensive unit with a stout pass rush but a beatable secondary on a short week.
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