CeeDee Lamb Record Streaks Snapped; 'Not Enough Game Balls!' Jokes Dallas Cowboys Coach After Win

Receiver CeeDee Lamb saw a couple historic streaks come to an end Sunday, but still helped the Dallas Cowboys defeat the Carolina Panthers handily. And in observation of the records? Coach Mike McCarthy jokes there aren't enough game balls to go around.

A pair of historic streaks for receiver CeeDee Lamb were snapped in Week 11, but the star wideout -- pun intended -- still found a way to make an impact in a dominant 33-10 victory by the Dallas Cowboys over the Carolina Panthers. 

Lamb caught six passes for 38 yards Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, falling well short of extending two major streaks. In a Week 10 win over the New York Giants, Lamb became the first player in Cowboys history to post three consecutive games with 150+ receiving yards. 

Additionally, he made NFL history by becoming the first receiver ever with three games in a row with at least 10 catches and 150 receiving yards. Both of those streaks were snapped Sunday. 

QB Dak Prescott also fell short of his recent roll of fat numbers, though he did toss for two TDs. ... and put together, after the game, coach Mike McCarthy joked that the duo's numbers had to be tamped down because the Cowboys equipment managers were running out of footballs due to making them into ceremonial "game balls'' from all the records being set.

Receiver CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys crushed the Carolina Panthers in Week 11.  / USA Today

Even if it was a pedestrian game for Lamb, he still caught a five-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Prescott in the second quarter, part of a Dallas throttling of the lowly Panthers. 

What's more, Lamb topped 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive season, this time needing just 10 games to do it. The only receiver in Cowboys history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards quicker was Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, who needed just nine games to do so in 1995. Irvin finished that season with 1,603 receiving yards, which still stands as a single-season record for the Cowboys. With the benefit of a 17th game, Lamb has a chance to challenge that record, among others that Irvin holds, in 2023. 

In summary? “Got the job done,” Prescott said. “To say it was clean and to say that we did exactly what we wanted to do, I can’t say that. Got to go look at the film, but you’ll take the win any way we can get it. It was a good win.''

Prior to Sunday's game, the current No. 88 talked about the possibility of breaking some of the GOAT No. 88's records, acknowledging that he does indeed think about it. 

"A lot," Lamb said. "That's not necessarily my focus, but at the end of it all, that's definitely something that I try to be on top of."

CeeDee Chasing Irvin's Cowboys Records 'Not My Focus, But ...!'

For the time being, Lamb has climbed into second in receiving yards in the sport this season, now sitting on 1,013. However, A.J. Brown -- who has 1,005 receiving yards himself -- is likely to reclaim that spot Monday evening when the Philadelphia Eagles face off with the Kansas City Chiefs in a Super Bowl LVII rematch. 

Meanwhile, Tyreek Hill had another huge day for the Miami Dolphins Sunday, catching 10 passes for 146 yards and a touchdown in a 20-13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Hill now has a league-leading 1,222 receiving yards in 2023, putting him on pace to set a new NFL single-season record with 2,077 receiving yards. 

Hill and Brown are currently at the forefront of the Offensive Player of the Year race, and a case should be made that both should get consideration for NFL MVP. But while Hill and Brown are likely to earn two of the three First-Team All-Pro selections at receiver this season, Lamb has to be the favorite for the final slot right now, even after a sub-par - for him - performance in Week 11.