Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb fed up with Cowboys offense

Prescott got asked Thursday whether the Cowboys have found an identity on offense. His answer was short, and it wasn't a yes.

That's a big swing for this guy. GOTI, the greatest offense there is, was Dak's own line, and it was supposed to be the brand for a unit with Lamb and George Pickens on the outside. Now the QB who came up with the slogan is shrugging at the podium. In fairness, he followed the 'I don't know' with 'We'll be better, I can promise.' But 'I don't know' is the part everybody heard.

Look at the last game and it makes sense. Dallas lost 33-30 in overtime to the Cardinals at AT&T Stadium after blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead, which ties the biggest blown fourth-quarter lead in franchise history. The offense gave up 4 sacks and ran for 2.4 yards a carry, both season lows, 1 week after putting up 204 rushing yards. When the question turned to not being GOTI at crunch time, Dak didn't dodge it.

'Squeezing the grip too hard' is the giveaway. The talent isn't the problem. A loaded offense is pressing for the big play and losing its discipline on the details, and the quarterback admits every guy in that huddle feels it. The guy who feels it most is the best receiver on the roster, and Lamb was even blunter.

'We stop ourselves' is about as damning as a self-scout gets. Nobody's saying defenses are shutting Dallas down. They're saying it's three-and-outs, red-zone stalls and drives that die on their own mistakes. That puts the heat right on Brian Schottenheimer, the head coach and play-caller. After Arizona, Jerry Jones defended him, saying 'a lot of people let Brian down today,' and Prescott called singling out one person 'weak' and 'cowardly.' The locker room is backing the coach. It just doesn't love the product.

Then there's Pickens. Part of the fan base wants him traded, and Lamb wasn't having it. He gave Pickens credit for his own production and said it works both ways.

That's the WR1 telling the fans to stop trying to split up the pair that's supposed to make this offense work. Dak also said the plan to get Pickens going early will show up in how Dallas scripts its opening plays. So getting Pickens involved is a priority, not a trade idea.

Next up is Indianapolis on Sunday. The Colts are 2-6 and rank 30th in scoring defense, so it's about as soft a landing spot as you'll find. If Dallas can't look like GOTI against that defense, the identity question stops being a press conference topic and becomes the season. With 9 games left at 3-5, Dak's promise that they'll be better has to show up starting this week.