CeeDee Lamb Talks 'Concern'; Did Dallas Cowboys 'Check Out' In Lopsided Loss?

CeeDee Lamb's words? He was a rare source of optimism in a Dallas Cowboys locker room that endured a humiliating defeat at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers. But what about his actions?

Burn the tape. Delete the file. Heck, cover the camera. 

The Dallas Cowboys' September success was proven to be fool's gold against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, as the Pokes found themselves on the wrong end of a listless 42-10 shellacking at Levi's Stadium. Dallas (3-2) has met anything but gentle people in San Francisco, as they were held to a mere 197 yards in defeat. 

With the exception of meaningless regular season finales in 2016 and 2022, Sunday marked the first time that the Cowboys amassed less than 200 yards in a game started by Dak Prescott. ... with CeeDee Lamb responding with a combination of concern and confidence.

"We've got to be complete," Lamb said. "We can't go out there one week and look like a super team and then the next week (bleep) the bed. We've got to go out there and we've got to finish it out. We have 12 other games to compete in. ...''

The words are true. But - at the risk of over-evaluating - some sideline behavior over the last couple of weeks has been eyebrow-raising. Lamb appears displeased, understandably so. Body language looks bad. Prescott talked after the game about keeping the locker room together.

Are CeeDee's Cowboys "checking out''? Lamb was asked about the team's offensive "identity.''

"I don't know,'' he replied, and then a follow-up, asking whether the Cowboys should know after five games.

"I guess so,'' Lamb said. "I don't know.''

San Francisco (5-0) has been responsible for ending football season in North Texas in each of the last seasons. Considering the way they exposed the Cowboys on national television, the agonizingly brutal schedule ahead, and the looming return of the Mavericks and Stars, one could argue they did it a third time.

Even the most dedicated 49ers would've been frustrated if they were panning for optimism in the Dallas locker room. Lamb obliged, albeit armed with the rare case of grim hopefulness.

CeeDee Lamb (center, in white) held the worthless title of top Dallas receiver in Sunday's 42-10 loss / USA TODAY SPORTS

"I'm not concerned at all," Lamb declared after Dallas' first five-touchdown defeat since 2013, another infamous Sunday nighter (where they allowed 625 yards in New Orleans). "(San Francisco) beat us. They did all they needed to do, they performed well. (I) tip my hat off to them. They did a phenomenal job playing two-high. They schemed well. They got after the quarterback a little bit. We had plenty of three-and-outs."

Lamb, who carried the meaningless title of Sunday's top Dallas receiver (49 yards on four receptions) doesn't claim to have schematic answers for the blue jean jam at Levi's. He claims Dallas' best method of repeating the San Francisco beat is to simply "score touchdowns." He and the Cowboys were rarely in any position to do so on Sunday: with the exception of one 11-play, 78-yard trek that produced a KaVontae Turpin touchdown grab and a couple of half-ending kneels, every Dallas drive over the first half-hour ended in either a three-and-out or turnover. San Francisco built a 21-7 lead in that span. 

Mere numbers give Lamb hope at this point, as he reasons that the Cowboys have a dozen more chances to get right before accepting a playoff bid that seems anything but assured after this weekend.

The first act of that dozen will be another Californian prime time game as the Cowboys head south to battle the Los Angeles Chargers in next week's edition of "Monday Night Football" (7:15 p.m. CT, ESPN/ABC).