PHILADELPHIA -- Pro Bowl wide receiver CeeDee Lamb shouldered the blame for the Dallas Cowboys' season-opening, 24-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field.
"Man, that's terrible," he said in the locker room. "Honestly, I feel like I can't point no finger at anybody else."
Lamb had three drops, including two in the fourth quarter that prevented the Cowboys from pulling off an upset on the night the Eagles celebrated last season's Super Bowl championship.
During training camp, Lamb, who had seven drops last season, said one of the goals he had for 2025 was to go through the season without a drop. His first came in the second quarter and prevented the Cowboys from scoring a touchdown on three straight possessions to start the game, forcing them to eventually settle for a Brandon Aubrey field goal.
"It wasn't just those plays," quarterback Dak Prescott said. "There's throws out there that I want back. But it's Game 1, and he's a guy that makes those plays. He's going to make those plays. I'm not going to get down on him. I'm not going to lose confidence by any means. And he will make those plays."
Prescott did not shy away from going to Lamb. He had a game-high 13 targets. And when the game was on the line, Prescott looked his way.
With 2:40 to play, Lamb had his most crucial drop -- his third -- as the Cowboys were looking for a go-ahead score. Prescott perfectly placed a deep pass in Lamb's path, but it bounced out of his hands harmlessly, leaving Lamb shocked.
It was his first three-drop game since Week 13 last year against the New York Giants.
Had he made that catch, the Cowboys would have had the ball inside the Eagles' 20 and had not been stopped in the red zone in their two first-half attempts.
"I take full accountability and everything that's going to come with it," Lamb said. "As for me as a player, I've prayed for moments like that and for the ball to come my way, and for me not to come up with it, that stings a little bit."
After a defensive stop, the Cowboys faced fourth-and-3 from their 45 after the two-minute warning. Lining up in the slot, Lamb gained leverage on Cooper DeJean on a deep throw that was just out of his reach while diving. Though not counted as a drop, it's a catch Lamb, a three-time Pro Bowl player and in the second year of an extension that averages $34 million per season, expects to make.
"I don't worry about CeeDee Lamb," coach Brian Schottenheimer said. "CeeDee's going to be fine. A great player. Again, this was a team defeat, and we own that."
Lamb finished with seven catches for a game-high 110 yards. It was his 22nd career game with at least 100 receiving yards, tying Hall of Famer Bob Hayes for third most in franchise history. Only Hall of Famer Michael Irvin (47) and Tony Hill (26) have more in team history as receivers. It was his third 100-yard game of his career against the Eagles.
But it was the three that got away that bothered Lamb most, and he was not going to use a lack of preseason action as a factor.
"That ain't got nothing to do with what's going on right now," he said. "I need to catch the damn ball."