CeeDee Lamb: Cowboys have to treat Cardinals like a Super Bowl contender

When asked by reporters in Dallas about facing the Arizona Cardinals, Cowboys superstar wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was very aware of his team’s recent futility in the matchup.

The Cowboys have lost four straight games against the Cardinals, last beating them in 2017. Lamb debuted in 2020, experiencing the four losses.

Why does he think the Cardinals have been so effective against his Cowboys?

“Being very relaxed,” Lamb said. “And they’ve punched us in the mouth every single time. … They’ve always had more energy. Just coming out of the game, they’re more excited, regardless of if it was a 12 o’clock, Sunday night, Monday night. We played them in prime time, they beat us there.

“So just coming in, treating them as if they are a Super Bowl contender, which they may be. So hats off to them and their prep. And we just got to go match them, if not overpower them.”

Quarterback Dak Prescott had a similar thought.

“They’ve had our number these last couple of years,” Prescott said. “We’ve just got to make sure we go out and take care of business.”

The Cardinals have outscored the Cowboys 118-65 over the four games, spanning two head coaches.

Arizona’s fortunes as a franchise against Dallas turned during the 1998 season, when Vince Tobin’s and Jake Plummer’s Cardinals upset the Cowboys in the playoffs. The Cardinals were 4-16 over their previous 20 games in the matchup and are 13-7 since.

Even more, the Cowboys are 0-4 against the Cardinals at home in AT&T Stadium, which opened in 2009.

Sunday’s game is a big one for both teams.

The Cardinals are 2-5 and bearing down on the Nov. 10 trade deadline with rumors swirling about edge rusher Josh Sweat and safety Budda Baker. Arizona is 2.5 games back of a playoff spot, but 2-6 teams hardly ever make up the difference.

The Cowboys are only a game better at 3-4, but winning their division is way more attainable with the 4-2-1 New York Giants leading — the 6-1 San Francisco 49ers are first in the NFC West. Dallas beat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-21 on Monday Night Football and wants to build momentum by conquering its Cardinals demons. They have not won back-to-back games this season.

If the Cardinals can get off to a strong start, perhaps they could spur some “here we go again” frustrations.

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