Cowboys sideline report: CeeDee Lamb’s TD celebration, Trevon Diggs’ growing collection and more

How did CeeDee Lamb celebrate his game-winning touchdown catch in overtime at Gillette Stadium?

By running along the perimeter of the field, slapping high fives with Cowboys fans who were seated on the front row between the corner of the end zone and the Cowboys’ bench. It was reminiscent of Cal Ripken slapping high-fives with Orioles fans on a lap around Camden Yards after Ripken set a new MLB “Iron Man” record for consecutive games played.

And then as Lamb veered away from the fans and towards the field to shake hands with Patriots players, Lamb waved goodbye to fans wearing New England jerseys. Cowboys teammates joined in waving farewell to Foxborough fans.

ZEKE’S ENCOURAGING WORDS FOR ZUERLEIN

Greg Zuerlein missed a go-ahead field goal with 2:42 remaining in regulation and the Cowboys trailing by 1 point.

Sidelines can sometimes feel like a lonely place for kickers who miss FGs, even 51-yarders like Zuerlein’s which he pulled wide left. But fast-forward to 24 seconds left in regulation and Zuerlein had a chance to send the game into overtime.

And which teammate had come over to Zuerlein to provide encouragement as Zuerlein warmed up by kicking into the net on the edge of the Cowboys’ bench? That would be Ezekiel Elliott, who a couple minutes earlier had already told Zuerlein that the offense would give the kicker another chance to put points on the board.

There’s a special esprit de corps with the current squad. When the coaches and teammates say they feel this group has a special bond, you can feel it on the sideline. And a real mainstay of that positive energy and cohesion is Zeke who always makes the extra effort to lift up to all the guys on the bench, including players on defense and special teams.

HERKY-JERKY GAME

Sunday’s contest was as herky-jerky as I can recall in a long time. There was no flow or natural rhythm to the game because of all the penalties and self-inflicted wounds. Frankly, it was hard to watch and the frustration among players and coaches was visible. The Cowboys sideline was especially unhappy with the officiating crew, mainly with the holding penalties, several of which can most politely be described as marginal.

Let’s just say that Tyron Smith and Connor Williams did not get their money’s worth on the holding calls.

One of the things that Patriots players are good at doing is selling calls. From my vantage point on the sideline, I thought the pass rushers did a good job of throwing his arms up or leaning his body, drawing the attention of the officials and helping induce the calls.

The fact there were so many penalties early in the contest affected the rest of the game. By that I mean it was in the players’ heads and that goes for both teams, both sides of the ball. When a player felt he was held, he was looking at the official begging for a call (and I’m talking about Cowboys defenders who wondered why they couldn’t get the same calls as the Patriots).

Dallas finished with 12 penalties for 115 yards (it felt like a lot more). Bill Parcells used to equate 100 “hidden yards” (which includes penalty yards) to six points. If Parcells is right (and he’s usually right when it comes to football matters), then the Cowboys cost themselves more than a touchdown.

RANDY GREGORY UNHAPPY WITH PERCEIVED CHEAP SHOT ON FINAL PLAY OF REGULATION

Defensive end Randy Gregory, who recorded 2 sacks in the win, was not a happy camper at the end of regulation. Gregory was rubbing his neck and adjusting his helmet — while simultaneously complaining to the referee — after making the tackle on the final play of the 4th quarter. Lined up inside at defensive tackle for that final play, Gregory brought down running back Damien Harris after a 6-yard gain. Gregory said postgame that as the players were falling to the ground on the tackle, he was speared by Patriots center David Andrews. Gregory called it a cheap shot.

I didn’t see the spearing, but did see Gregory come the sideline in obvious discomfort. He didn’t start the defensive series in overtime (Chauncey Golston took the first snap), but Gregory was able to play. He’s not on the official postgame injury report, but the bye is coming at a good time because Gregory is sore and it’s not just his neck. He’s sore at Andrews for the hit.

TREVON DIGGS’ COLLECTION OF LOGO FOOTBALL CONTINUES TO GROW

Here’s a fun fact regarding Trevon Diggs’ growing collection of souvenir footballs, which he keeps following interceptions: the footballs have logos of the opposing teams. Therefore, the football he’s taking home from the interception return for a touchdown against for Crimson Tide teammate Mac Jones has a Patriots logo.

In the NFL, each team brings 24 footballs to a game, each stamped with their team’s respective logos. Each team uses their own footballs on offense; footballs used during special teams’ plays are marked with a “k” for kicking ball and are provided by the league.

So, through the first six games of 2021, Diggs has intercepted footballs with the following logos: Bucs, Chargers, Eagles, Panthers, Giants, and now the Patriots. Last year, all 3 of Digg’s pickoffs came against the Eagles, so he has four career INTS vs Philly.

At this rate, Diggs is going to hit bingo with his collection of logo footballs.

It reminds me of when we were kids and would go to Baskin Robbins during the summer and they had little helmets for MLB teams. We would get our scoop in the collectible baseball helmets. You had to eat a lot of ice cream, but the goal was to collect the entire set, am I right?

And with the way he’s playing, who is going to bet against Diggs adding to his collection of logo footballs this year… or at least getting enough to hit another bingo and mark more teams off the list.

DIGGS GAME-CHANGING INT-FOR-TD A RESULT OF A PENALTY?

Diggs’ interception with 2:36 remaining in the 4th quarter was likely the result of a boneheaded penalty by the Patriots. Coming out of a Cowboys’ timeout, the Patriots had 2nd-and-10 at their own 41-yard line. Their personnel was set for a run, having run the football down the throat of the Cowboys’ defense on the previous drive that resulted in a TD.

But in a rare boneheaded move by a Bill Belichick-coached team, Mac Jones and the offense committed a delay of game... coming out of timeout. The Patriots now faced 2nd-and-15 and changed their personnel to bring in extra receivers. If not for the delay of game penalty, would they have thrown on that play? Would Diggs have had that opportunity to make a play on the ball?

WHICH MUSIC STAR WAS SPOTTED IN THE PATRIOTS’ OWNER’S BOX GIVING A KISS ON THE CHEEK TO ROBERT KRAFT?

It wasn’t Jon Bon Jovi (who is buddies with the Patriots’ owner), but a different music superstar, who was sitting next to Robert Kraft in the owners’ suite on Sunday afternoon.

Kenny Chesney, whose long list of country hits includes the football-themed “Boys of Fall”, not only was Kraft’s guest, but when the in-stadium video screens showed Chesney next to Kraft, Chesney leaned over and planted a big kiss on Kraft’s cheek.

Why was Chesney with Kraft on Sunday? Well, they’ve made a lot of money together in Foxborough. Chesney routinely draws over 120,000 fans to his concerts at Gillette Stadium and he’s got another concert scheduled in Foxborough next August.

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