The current sky-is-falling mentality among most in Cowboys Nation tends to color every observation, but some of those doom-and-gloom perceptions are just flat-out wrong. We'll start today's recap with a closer look at one popular narrative that says wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has taken a major step back from the career year he enjoyed last season... and we reveal what the numbers actually say instead. We'll also hear what the Detroit Lions defensive backs had to say about No. 88; it turns out their entire gameplan hinged on him.

Meanwhile, Dak Prescott scores a huge life win during the bye week, we forecast when an NFL kicker will finally connect from 70 yards, and we zero in on what the Cowboys need to fix coming out of the bye. We'll look ahead at two future opponents who could each be without a major offensive difference-maker, and we'll get Jason Witten's perspective on being both a dad and a coach to his two sons. All that, plus we start the 2025 draft watchlist with hot first-round prospects and we mock a quarterback of the future with a very familiar last name.

After 6 games, CeeDee's stats look like 2023 :: The Mothership

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Ignore the popular perception that Lamb is well behind his career-best numbers of last year. His six-game total so far in 2024- 32 receptions for 467 yards and two scores- is nearly identical to his six-game stat line from last year- 34 catches, 475 yards, one touchdown. It's even more impressive given how defenses are guarding him now. "I think teams are doing a little bit better job of finding him and trying to double him," said receivers coach Robert Prince. "But we have some things that can still defeat double coverage, so we feel pretty good about it."

3 things Cowboys need to change during bye week to salvage 2024 season :: Cowboys Wire

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Players coming back from injury should make a world of difference for the Cowboys, but that's not a universal fix. The offense needs better playcalling and more creativity, especially the same kind of increase in touches for CeeDee Lamb that propelled his second half of last season. And the team simply must stop shooting themselves in the foot with turnovers and penalties.

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott posts photo announcing engagement :: Dallas Morning News

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It appears that a ring is in Prescott's future, Super Bowl or not. The quarterback posted a photo to his Instagram story on Friday of himself, girlfriend Sarah Jane Ramos, and baby daughter MJ announcing the couple's engagement.

Cowboys fans all saying the same thing about injured Christian McCaffrey return :: Athlon Sports

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McCaffrey has yet to make his 2024 debut thanks to an Achilles injury that even sent him to Germany for treatment. The 49ers have not yet opened his 21-day practice window, casting his status for the Week 8 Cowboys clash in serious doubt. San Francisco's bye comes right after the Dallas game; it may make more sense for the club to hold McCaffrey back until then, a strategy most Cowboys fans would whole-heartedly endorse.

When will we see a 70-yard field goal? NFL kickers have gotten so good, it may be this year :: The Athletic

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The make percentage of field goals from 60 yards or more is a stunning 38% over the past five years; for the previous 58 years it was just 14.4%. Today's kickers may be better from distance than their predecessors, but there are other factors, too: coaching, technology, gear, even the balls themselves. Many believe Brandon Aubrey will be the first to hit from 70, and his success has NFL scouts racing to soccer pitches looking for the next kicking phenom.

Way-Too-Early Cowboys 2025 Mock Draft 2.0: 3-round assault tabs Prescott heir, RB, WR :: Cowboys Wire

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This hypothetical draft operates on the admission that the club is in a soft rebuild. So it's only smart business for them to take their possible quarterback of the future with the 16th overall pick, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. He can sit for a year or two and develop under Prescott's tutelage or be attractive trade bait if Dak should lead the team to a title. Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II is the second-round pick, and Iowa State wide receiver Jayden Higgins joins in the third.

Way-too-early first round targets for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2025 NFL Draft :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty will be a red-hot commodity come April, but the Cowboys could have other intriguing options with their first-round draft pick as well. Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan could be the top prospect at the position; Luther Burden III of Missouri has a ton of upside, too. Defensively, pay attention to defensive tackles Deone Walker (Kentucky) and Walter Nolen (Mississippi) or edge rusher Nic Scourton out of Texas A&M, while Georgia's Malaki Starks and Texas's Jahdae Barron could also emerge.

Kerby Joseph reveals Lions' 1-step method for shutting down Cowboys offense :: St. Brown Podcast

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"The gameplan was really, just take [CeeDee Lamb] away," the cornerback confirmed to teammate Amon-Ra St. Brown on the receiver's podcast. "We know he's a playmaker. Once we take him out of the game, we weren't worried about anyone else." Joseph hauled in his fourth interception late in the game, and had an earlier pick nullified by penalty. Joseph says he could have had a pick-six with that one.

Chris Christie rips 'no class' Dan Campbell for Lions' trick plays in blowout win over Cowboys :: CBS Sports

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The former New Jersey governor and noted Cowboys fans ripped Campbell and his Lions team for the trick pays they continued to run, even once they had last week's game well in hand. "Dan Campbell's angry because the referees got a call wrong in the game a year ago. Well, then run that play on [NFL commissioner] Roger Goodell," Christie said. "The Cowboys had nothing to do with the play being called incorrectly... Now so because of that, you want to take your [anger] out over that while you're beating the hell out of these guys and rub it in? I don't think it's what pros do."

Jason Witten talks being both dad and coach to his sons :: Pat Doney

Eagles LT Mailata placed on IR, TE Goedert out vs. Giants :: ESPN

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The Cowboys won't face Philadelphia until Nov. 10, but a key piece of the Eagles' lineup has already been ruled out. Mailata was placed on injured reserve, meaning he'll miss a minimum of four games with a hamstring injury. His replacement at left tackle, Fred Johnson, is a six-year veteran who's had mixed success in spot duty.

This article originally appeared on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys Headlines: The truth about Lamb's 2024 start, Dak gets engaged, 49ers star may miss Dallas clash