Sooners in the NFL, Week 16

In an otherwise lousy season, rookie wideout CeeDee Lamb has helped lead the Dallas Cowboys to the edge of the NFL playoffs

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

When the Dallas Cowboys selected CeeDee Lamb with the 17th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, expectations weren’t sky-high for the former Sooners phenom, at least not immediately.

Lamb entered the picture in Dallas as the No. 3 option in the Dallas passing attack, behind Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. And when Dak Prescott went down for the season with a catastrophic ankle injury just five games into the season, Lamb’s odds to contend for Rookie of the Year didn’t exactly seem stellar.

However, despite the onslaught of adversity that the Cowboys have faced in Mike McCarthy’s first season at the helm, they somehow enter the final week of the season with a chance to win the NFC East. Despite a record of just 6-9, Dallas can secure a playoff bid with a victory over the Giants, in conjunction with a Washington loss to the Eagles.

The Cowboys’ resurgence is due in no small part to Lamb’s efforts, and he boasts a fighting chance to reach 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign. After 15 games, he's reeled in 69 catches for 892 yards and five scores, plus a kickoff return touchdown. 

Despite the fact that four different quarterbacks (Prescott, Andy Dalton, Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert) have earned starts for America’s Team in 2020, Lamb hasn’t let the attrition diminish his consistency. He’s recorded at least three catches in all but two games, and topped the 100-yard mark twice.

This week, Lamb snagged three passes for 65 yards, including a 52-yard touchdown, as Dallas bested Philadelphia 37-17.

Now, with just one week remaining in the regular season, he’ll look to help the Cowboys secure a playoff berth against a Giants secondary that he torched for 124 yards on eight receptions in Week 5.

Here’s how the Sooners did in Week 16 in the NFL:

Arizona Cardinals

(20-12 L, San Francisco)

QB Kyler Murray: Played all 68 snaps as a starter on offense. 8 rushes, 29 yards, 1 touchdown. Completed 27-of-36 passes for 406 yards, 2 touchdowns. 1 sack. 1 interception.

DE Jordan Phillips: Did not play.

DT Stacy McGee: Did not play.

Baltimore Ravens

(27-13 W, NY Giants)

TE Mark Andrews: Played 45 of 68 snaps as a backup on offense. 11 targets, 6 catches, 76 yards.

WR Marquise Brown: Played 43 of 68 snaps as a backup on offense. 4 targets, 4 catches, 15 yards, 1 touchdown.

OL Orlando Brown: Played all 68 snaps as a starter on offense and 7 snaps on special teams.

OL Ben Powers: Played all 66 snaps as a starter on offense and 5 snaps on special teams.

Cincinnati Bengals

(37-31 W, Texans)

RB Joe Mixon: Not Active.

RB Samaje Perine: Played 29 of 76 snaps on offense as a backup and 17 on special teams. 13 carries, 95 yards. 4 targets, 4 catches, 41 yards.

LB Jordan Evans: Not Active.

DE Amani Bledsoe: Played 19 of 52 snaps on defense as a backup.

K Austin Seibert: Played 16 snaps on special teams. Good on 7 extra points, 8 kickoffs and 3 field goals (35, 48, 36 yards).

Cleveland Browns

(23-16 L, NY Jets)

QB Baker Mayfield: Played all 81 snaps as a starter on offense. Completed 28-of-53 passes for 285 yards. 3 rushes for 6 yards, 1 touchdown. 4 sacks for a loss of 31 yards. 3 fumbles.

Dallas Cowboys

(37-17 W, Philadelphia)

WR CeeDee Lamb: Played 36 of 70 snaps as a starter on offense and 2 snaps on special teams. 5 targets, 3 catches, 65 yards, 1 touchdown. 1 carry, 19 yards, 1 touchdown. 2 punt returns, 6 yards.

DT Neville Gallimore: Played 31 of 73 snaps on defense as a starter. 2 tackles (1 solo).

TE Blake Bell: Played 30 of 70 snaps as a backup on offense and 11 snaps on special teams. 1 target, 1 catch, 7 yards.

S Steven Parker: Did not play.

Denver Broncos

(19-16 L, LA Chargers)

CB Parnell Motley: Played 15 of 57 snaps as a backup on defense. Made 2 tackles (2 solo), including one to save a touchdown.

Detroit Lions

(47-7 L, Tampa Bay)

RB Adrian Peterson: Played 6 of 53 snaps as a backup on offense. 4 carries, 10 yards.

Kansas City Chiefs

(17-14 W, Atlanta)

James Winchester: Played 7 snaps on special teams. Perfect on 7 deep snaps.

Los Angeles Chargers

(19-16 W, Denver)

LB Kenneth Murray: Played 74 of 77 snaps as a starter on defense and 6 snaps on special teams. Made 9 tackles (7 solo).

Los Angeles Rams

(20-9 L, Seattle)

OL Bobby Evans: Did not play.

LB Obo Okoronkwo: Played 10 of 63 snaps as a backup on defense and 14 on special teams.

Minnesota Vikings

(52-33 L, New Orleans)

OL Dru Samia: Played 4 snaps on special teams.

New York Giants

(27-13 L, Baltimore)

WR Sterling Shepard: Played 61 of 64 snaps as a starter on offense. 12 targets, 9 catches, 77 yards, 1 touchdown.

Philadelphia Eagles

(37-17 L, Dallas)

QB Jalen Hurts: Played all 73 snaps as a starter on offense. Completed 21-of-39 passes for 342 yards, 1 touchdown. 9 carries, 69 yards. 3 fumbles. 3 sacks for a loss of 16 yards.

San Francisco 49ers

(41-33 L, Dallas)

OL Trent Williams: Played 84 snaps as a starter on offense.

Washington Football Team

(20-13 L, Carolina)

WR Jeff Badet: Not Active.

P Tress Way: Played 6 snaps on special teams. Perfect on 3 placekick holds, punted 3 times, 51.3-yard average.