CeeDee Lamb fourth-quarter fumble
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The gist
Cowboys receiver CeeDee Lamb lost the ball after a 48-yard catch-and-run, but Dallas beat Indianapolis 27-23.
The turnover briefly put the Colts in position to steal a game Lamb dominated.
Background
CeeDee Lamb is a Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and five-time Pro Bowl selection; against the Colts he had 10 catches for 195 yards and a touchdown. With teammate George Pickens unavailable, Indianapolis expected Lamb to be the focal point of Dallas's passing game. The fourth-quarter play became the game's flashpoint because a huge gain turned into a turnover on review, and the Cowboys then had to hold off an Indianapolis comeback to avoid another late collapse.
How it unfolded
- Nov 8, 2026On third-and-12 from Dallas's 39, Dak Prescott hit Lamb near the right sideline; Lamb caught it inches off the ground, got up untouched and ran about 25 more yards before losing the ball at Indianapolis's 13. Officials first ruled him down by contact, but review found he fumbled before being fully down, and Colts rookie cornerback Kenneth Harris recovered — a 48-yard gain.
- Nov 8, 2026The Colts took over trailing 20-17 with plenty of time left.
- Nov 8, 2026Indianapolis drove into scoring position behind three major penalties, including a 40-yard pass interference call on DaRon Bland, but Quinnen Williams forced a fumble inside the red zone to give Dallas the ball back.
- Nov 8, 2026Javonte Williams scored the game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes as Dallas won 27-23 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Key terms
- turnover
- In football, a turnover is when the team with the ball loses possession via a fumble or interception.
- red zone
- The area of a gridiron football field between the 20-yard line and the goal line, where scoring chances are statistically higher.
- pass interference
- A football foul in which a player illegally obstructs an eligible receiver's attempt to catch a forward pass.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Lamb said he thought he was down by contact, that he used his arm with the ball to keep his balance and feels he shouldn't have, and that "Clearly, the refs had it out for me this week."
- Party
- Lamb also said he had "like, three penalties alone in the second half, and a fumble," that "The numbers look crazy, but it could have been more," and that as a leader on the offense he has to be better.
- Analysts
- Blogging The Boys wrote the fumble was costly but shouldn't erase a massive game from Lamb, calling it "the blemish on an otherwise dominant performance."
Still unverified
Lamb's claim that "the refs had it out for me this week" is his own assertion; the sources report the review upheld the fumble.