George Pickens steps up with CeeDee Lamb out in Dallas Cowboys’ tie with Packers
Missing star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb heading into a marquee game against the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys needed a big game from offseason acquisition George Pickens, and that’s what they got in their 40-40 tie Sunday at AT&T Stadium.
The Cowboys' offense got off to a glacial start, scoring only two points through the first two quarters till Pickens and Prescott connected four times for 53 yards, including an incredible 28-yard catch on a jump ball that set the team up for its first touchdown with 41 seconds left in the first half.
Pickens wasn’t done. After a forced fumble on a sack by James Houston, the Georgia product scored on a 15-yard catch on the very next offensive play to give the team its first lead at 16-13 and the team’s second score within a minute.
Pickens talked about how the drive led to his first 100-yard game as a Dallas Cowboy, as he finished with eight catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 43 seconds left in regulation.
“With [Lamb] being out, they’re definitely looking at me to give me the ball, and it can come whenever it comes,” Pickens said. “Wasn’t getting the ball at first, got through a go-ball, knocked the ball down, and then after that you just get to rolling.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones praised Pickens’ prime-time performance.
“I thought he was everything that I could have hoped or that our fans could hope he would be when he joined the Cowboys,” Jones said. “This is the kind of thing that when we get Lamb back out there, you’ve got two of those guys that can make plays like that on the field, and every time he goes up, he can come down with it, and not only that, he does have some great range and ability to get open.”
Dak Prescott, who had 319 yards with three touchdowns, pointed to Pickens’ mindset.
“The conversations he’s having in the huddle, uplifting other guys, saying the right things to keep guys focused and keep guys staying in the moment and being present. And not only was he saying that, he was doing it himself and being an example, and made play after play to big play after big play to give us a chance,” Prescott said. “Whether it’s the touchdown right before overtime, or whether it was the overtime catch on the sideline. ... He made plays all night long. And so not surprised at all. He’s done that all camp. He’s done that his whole career.”
This was the ninth 100-yard receiving game in Pickens’ four-year career and his second-most receiving yards in a game (195 against the Bengals in 2023).
This story was originally published September 29, 2025 at 1:59 AM.
