Archival photo: CeeDee Lamb carrying the football. Image from the approved Fan Stream Sports Media Library.

CeeDee Lamb doesn’t want the Dallas Cowboys mistaking a win in Philadelphia for permission to relax. With the Arizona Cardinals coming to AT&T Stadium on Sunday, the receiver is pointing to a matchup Dallas has repeatedly failed to handle.

Arizona has won the teams’ past four meetings and eight of their last nine. Lamb, who entered the NFL in 2020, hasn’t beaten the Cardinals. His concern isn’t just the record. It’s the energy Dallas has brought to those games.

“They’ve always had more energy,” Lamb said Thursday.

Respect The Opponent From The Start

Lamb said the Cowboys have approached Arizona too casually in previous meetings. His message this week is to prepare for a demanding opponent and bring the intensity to match.

That’s a useful challenge after Monday’s 38-21 win over the Eagles. Success can change a team’s mood quickly, but it doesn’t carry over automatically to the next kickoff. Dallas still has to establish how it wants this game to be played.

The practical response is less about an emotional speech than the opening possessions. Finishing assignments, sustaining drives and responding calmly when a play fails would give the Cowboys something sturdier than confidence built on last week’s score.

Keep The Whole Offense Involved

Lamb also endorsed the balance Dallas showed in Philadelphia. Javonte Williams ran for a career-high 155 yards, while Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes, including two to Lamb.

That performance followed the offense’s own calls for a broader approach, including Ryan Flournoy’s push to involve Williams more. Keeping the running game relevant gives Dallas another way to move the ball when a passing opportunity isn’t there.

Balance doesn’t require an identical number of runs and throws. It requires the Cowboys to keep evaluating what works instead of letting one difficult series dictate the rest of the afternoon.

Sunday offers Dallas a chance at its first consecutive victories this season. Lamb’s warning is that the opportunity won’t become easier because the opponent has struggled elsewhere.

The Cowboys have a recent example of an offense working together. Now they need another, against a team that has made this particular matchup uncomfortable for years.