Dallas Cowboys wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were benched for the first offensive series of Week 11’s “Monday Night Football” matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Cowboys’ decision to leave their two best WR weapons off the field to open the game came after Lamb and Pickens missed team curfew on Sunday night. On Thursday, Lamb told reporters that he and Pickens were at the Red Rock Casino getting dinner and drinks the night before their primetime matchup against the Raiders.
Lamb vehemently denied social media rumors that he was spotted throwing up outside of the casino.
During his weekly radio appearance with 105.3 The Fan, longtime Cowboys owner Jerry Jones addressed the highly-publicized Week 11 incident.
“Yes, I do,” Jones said when asked if he has a problem with players partying the night before a game. “I don’t have any problem with partying. … But the idea is this is a business trip.”
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Fortunately for the Cowboys, Lamb and Pickens came through in a big way on Monday night.
Lamb finished the 33-16 victory with five catches for 66 yards and one touchdown. Pickens put forth a career effort, reeling in nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown score.
Pickens admitted that starting the game on the bench lit a competitive fire under both Lamb and himself.
“It definitely wasn’t nice [starting on the bench]. Me and CeeDee definitely wanted to be out there,” Pickens said on Thursday.
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Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer hopes to keep this wide receiver duo together as long as possible.
“Those two guys, I just love their relationship, man. I love the firepower that they give us,” Schottenheimer said. “That’s one of those games where you never know which one it’s going to be. Some games it’s both of them, some games it’s one of them, and again, like I said, I pinch myself at times. … I’m very in favor of George having a long-term future with us.”
The Cowboys now turn their attention toward a Week 12 matchup against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.