Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb turned in one of the strangest sequences of the NFL season Sunday, following a spectacular diving catch with a fumble that nearly handed Indianapolis a late momentum swing before Dallas held on for a 27-23 win.
Lamb entered the game as one of the league’s top performers, ranking in the top three among NFL wide receivers in receptions (60), yards (709) and touchdown catches (six). He added to that total with 10 catches for 195 yards and a touchdown on the day.
The wild play came in the fourth quarter with Dallas clinging to a three-point lead. Facing third-and-12 from their own 39-yard line and under pressure from a blitz, quarterback Dak Prescott threw downfield to Lamb, who caught the ball just inches off the ground, got to his feet, and ran for an additional 25 yards.
The gain pushed the Cowboys deep into Colts territory, but Lamb then fumbled the ball away, giving Indianapolis a chance to swing the game back in their favor.
Indianapolis linebacker Austin Ajiake was near Lamb when the ball came loose, raising the question of whether the fumble should have been negated under the rule that a runner is down by contact if tripped during a tackle. The play went to replay review, and the ruling on the field was upheld, giving the Colts possession.
Despite the turnover, Dallas pulled out the road victory in a back-and-forth contest, improving to 4-1 with Lamb’s big day at receiver overshadowed, if only briefly, by the fumble that nearly cost his team the game.
