Cowboys receivers Lamb and Pickens benched for opening drive vs. Raiders

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dallas Cowboys wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were benched for the team’s opening drive against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.

Instead, the Cowboys started receivers Jalen Tolbert, Ryan Flournoy and KaVontae Turpin.

Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer said after the Cowboys’ 33-16 win that he “made a coach’s decision” and that “there were some things that were missed,” but refused to elaborate.

The discipline clearly didn’t add any tension to the Cowboys’ sideline or detract from the receiving tandem’s energy.

Pickens tied a career high with nine catches and had his third-best yardage total with 144, along with a touchdown, while Lamb finished with five receptions for 66 yards and a TD.

“You look at the energy those guys play with, they literally jump-started the offense when they got back in there,” Schottenheimer said. “They didn’t hang their heads. They didn’t do any of that stuff. And that’s why I love those guys, man.”

The ESPN telecast showed Schottenheimer playfully interacting with his star receiving duo on the bench.

With his second-quarter touchdown, Lamb became the third-fastest Cowboys player to reach 40 touchdown receptions (88 games), behind only Bob Hayes (48) and Dez Bryant (59).

Lamb also passed Bryant (531) for third in receptions in franchise history. The sixth-year player has 536 catches. Three of Lamb’s receptions went for at least 14 yards.

“Just stepping up and playing, playing how we play, man, doing what we do,” Lamb said. “We out there for a reason, and it was fun.”

Asked why he and Pickens were benched for the opening drive, Lamb was tight-lipped.

“I’m not going in depth on that,” Lamb said. “Honestly, I’m not. I’m sorry, I’m not.”

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