This time last season, the Cowboys failed to qualify for the playoffs, and eventually got HC Mike McCarthy fired for it. McCarthy shouldn’t take all the blame, but there always needs to be a scapegoat. QB Dak Prescott missed time during the season, and that definitely contributed to the 7-10 record.
However, even when Prescott was healthy, the team was not playing well enough to make any noise in the playoffs. The running game wasn’t what it needed to be. Neither was pass protection, and one of the biggest flaws was not enough weapons on the outside. For the first time in what feels like forever, Jerry Jones and the rest of the front office staff seemed to have listened to the noise outside the building.
The result was trading away a third round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers for WR George Pickens. I can’t type the words that I used during my first reaction after hearing the news, but let’s just say I was excited. As was the rest of Cowboys Nation, because pairing Pickens with CeeDee Lamb gave us visions of the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. If not the NFL, at least the NFC East. The way those visions have come to fruition makes it even more disappointing the Cowboys did not make the playoffs. George Pickens, in just his first season in Dallas, has already inserted himself into the Cowboys’ record books, and has a chance to add to it this Sunday at the New York Giants.
Into the Record Books
Any player who can claim they are on any list of records for the storied Dallas Cowboys franchise is already in good company. Pickens, who currently sits with 1,420 yards receiving through 16 games, has already catapulted himself into the Dallas Cowboys single-season record books. If the season ended today, the first-year Cowboy would rank fourth in franchise single-season receiving yards, knocking Dez Bryant out of the top five.
Here are the current top five:
It is an incredible feat, especially considering Pickens has CeeDee Lamb lined up across from him, whom he has to share targets with. Pickens stepped up in a big way with Lamb sidelined for four games, so his success cannot be tied to Lamb being on the field. With one game left in New York, Pickens needs 104 yards to pass Michael Irvin’s 1991 season total to move into third place in franchise history. That number is certainly attainable, considering he has hauled in more than 104 yards already five times this season.