Thursday was a strange night to be a highly-paid wide receiver at Lincoln Financial Field.
A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, making a combined $57 million per year, combined for only 24 yards in the Eagles' win over the Cowboys. Brown recorded one catch and didn't see the ball until Philadelphia's final drive of the game.
CeeDee Lamb, making $34 million per year on his deal with Dallas, had a productive night in the box score with 110 yards on seven catches, but it was his drops that prevented the Cowboys from taking advantage of a terrific defensive second half and pulling off an upset.
Here's a look at Lamb's drops and how they cost the Cowboys.
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CeeDee Lamb drops vs. Eagles
Lamb had four drops in Thursday's loss to the Eagles, including some crucial late-game misses as the Cowboys were trying to engineer a go-ahead drive.
Before the final drive, Lamb saw a dart from Dak Prescott go through his hands and off his helmet in an uncharacteristic moment for the former All-Pro.
Damn, this is literally your only job! 2 massive drops. You make millions - to catch the football - when the game is on the line. Smh CeeDee Lamb !! pic.twitter.com/LzsbXqraqh
— Blake Bednarz (@BlakeBednarz) September 5, 2025
Prescott targeted Lamb again on Dallas' final drive and appeared to have a big play up the middle, but the ball slipped out of Lamb's grasp and up in the air. The Cowboys were fortunate not to see an Eagles defender come down with the ball, which fell to the turf.
Perfect throw… Ceedee Lamb sold pic.twitter.com/C4pxnj32Da
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) September 5, 2025
Lamb's final drop was much more excusable and might not go down as a drop at all. The Cowboys drew up a play that got the ball out of Dak Prescott's hands quickly and gave Lamb one-on-one matchup on fourth down, but the pass was slightly overthrown by Prescott. Lamb had to jump for the ball and saw it go through his hands for a turnover on downs. The Cowboys' offense never saw the ball again.
Ceedee Lamb just dropped another pass in this half, this was a little out of reach 🤯
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) September 5, 2025
How does this even happen man, Dak doing everything right in my eyes.
Pickens needs the ball more. pic.twitter.com/jupAvFXSXq
Lamb would not have won the game if he had made either catch, as Dallas needed a touchdown rather than a field goal, but the Cowboys paid Lamb significant money to win 50/50 battles and missed their opportunity for a rivalry upset when he couldn't haul them in.
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Cameras spotted Lamb pointing to his chest on the sideline after the drive, seemingly taking accountability after taking the air out of the Cowboys' attempt to pull off the upset.
Ceedee Lamb reacts to selling the game on the Dallas Cowboys sideline 😭
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) September 5, 2025
He was patting his chest, indicating that it was on him, gotta be better man.
Pickens was open out there. pic.twitter.com/pQGw2MFzXH
After the game, Lamb took full accountability for his drops at the end of Thursday night's game.
Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb on his drops: “That’s terrible. I can’t point the finger at anybody else. I take full accountability and everything else that comes with it. As a player, I train for moments like that and the ball to come my way.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) September 5, 2025
“I need to catch the damn ball.”
Lamb recorded seven drops in 2024 -- tied for 13th in the NFL but fewer than Ja'Marr Chase and Malik Nabers, among others. If all four of his drops stand as drops, Lamb will enter Week 2 already more than halfway to that total.