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Todd Archer
CHICAGO — Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was limited to six plays in Sunday’s 31-14 loss to the Chicago Bears because of a left ankle injury, but he is optimistic about his chances of playing next week against the Green Bay Packers.
“For sure,” Lamb said when asked if it was something he could play through. “Absolutely.”
Lamb is set to undergo an MRI on Monday, a source told ESPN.
Lamb, who opened the season with consecutive 100-yard efforts, suffered the injury with 8:34 left in the first quarter on a carry as a running back when linebacker Noah Sewell landed on the back of Lamb’s legs, causing the ankle to twist. Lamb missed the next 14 snaps over two series. He returned for the first play of the second quarter and looked to be lumbering when he went in motion.
“I think that was kind of self-explanatory,” Lamb said. “I wasn’t even able to go, so, yeah, I was rushing in there a little bit there.”
He was officially ruled out to start the second half but said his condition improved as the game went along.
“This was like one of those protect me away from myself type of deals,” Lamb said. “Once I started feeling much better and then I started getting strength back in my ankle as far as mobility and being able to cut and like real dynamic movements, I was ready to go back out there, but [the medical staff] told me no.”
Lamb was not in a protective boot after the game, and he had only a small limp.
“There’s no doubt in my mind he would’ve gone out there hobbling around if we let him,” Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said. “Let’s just keep our fingers crossed. You see the difference he can make by not being out there for us today.”
After Lamb was hurt, the Cowboys had one touchdown drive — a 2-yard, one-handed catch by George Pickens. In the six full drives Lamb missed, the Cowboys had the clock run at the end of the half, two punts and three interceptions.
“It’s tough to win a game when you lose a player like CeeDee,” quarterback Dak Prescott said.
Lamb has missed only three games in his career, two coming at the end of last year because of a shoulder injury with the Cowboys eliminated from playoff contention.
“That’s the type of player and person I am,” Lamb said. “All about resilience and giving maximum effort every time out there and being a dominant factor. Once I felt like I wasn’t able to even be that today, it stung a little bit.”