Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb Breaks Silence on Benching & Casino Rumors

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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 28: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys looks on before the game against the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium on September 28, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

The Dallas Cowboys got back in the win column with a comfortable victory over the Raiders on Monday night, but there was a surprising development as the Dallas offense took the field for the first time. Star WRs CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens started the game on the bench, and it was quickly revealed that they were both formally benched by Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer for the first drive of the game.

The Cowboys proceeded to go three and out to start the game without their dynamic duo at wide receiver, and speculation swirled as to why this punishment was handed out. The official reason cited by Dallas was for “conduct detrimental to the team” which is vague by design.

Once Lamb and Pickens were back in the lineup, however, things really got going for the Cowboys. Their first drive in the game was a one-play drive in which QB Dak Prescott was strip-sacked by Raiders ED Maxx Crosby, but Dallas rattled off 24 first-half points after that and cruised to a 33-16 win, bringing them to 4-5-1 on the season. They’re on the outside looking in on the playoff bracket at the moment, but there’s a path to contention for them.

Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb Addresses Rumors and Explains the Benching

GettyLAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: CeeDee Lamb #88 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium on November 17, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)

On Thursday, Cowboys beat reporter Calvin Watkins relayed what Lamb had told him about the benching. Apparently, both Lamb and Pickens missed a team curfew the night before the game, as they were having “dinner and a few drinks” at the Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas.

That would certainly explain the team discipline, but Lamb denies reports that he was throwing up at the casino. In fact, he took great offense to that claim, saying it was disrespectful to suggest and he’s much better at holding his liquor than that.

It’s a bizarre situation, to say the least. Still, it didn’t impact either player’s performance on the field, once they stepped onto it. Lamb went for five receptions, 66 yards, and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Pickens was unstoppable, totaling nine receptions for 144 yards and a score, absolutely torching the Raiders’ secondary en route to a Cowboys win.

How the Dallas Cowboys Can Make the Playoffs

It won’t be easy, but there’s still a path to the playoffs for Dallas. It starts on Sunday against the Eagles, a team the Cowboys nearly defeated in the season’s opening game. After that, they play the Chiefs, Lions, Vikings, and Chargers in a four-game span — as difficult a stretch as you’ll find in the NFL.

Still, the Cowboys are only two and a half games out of the No. 7 seed in the NFC playoffs. If they can stack some upsets and finish 9-7-1, there’s a chance they can sneak in, provided a few of the teams ahead of them drop a couple games. And hey, if they can manage a 10-6-1 final record, the Cowboys will be in great shape.

Ethan Woodie is an accomplished sports writer specializing in the NFL and college football for Heavy.com. He’s written for Heavy since 2025 and has years of experience writing for NFL Trade Rumors and Pro Football Focus (PFF). Woodie is an expert in draft scouting and his final 2025 Big Board was included in Arif Hasan’s media consensus board for Wide Left. More about Ethan Woodie