Receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens were absent from the Cowboys’ starting lineup on Monday night. The reason seems to be that they were absent for one or more other things in recent days.
After the 33-16 win, coach Brian Schottenheimer was asked about the decision to bench the duo for the opening offensive series.
“Made a coach’s decision,” Schottenheimer said, via Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. “There were some things that were missed.”
They made the most of their opportunities; Pickens had nine catches for 144 yards and a touchdown, and Lamb had five for 66 yards and a touchdown.
Still, the entire situation was odd. The Cowboys gave ESPN no details for the broadcast. And ESPN’s Lisa Salters didn’t ask Schottenheimer about the decision during an in-game interview.
And here’s where it points to another flaw in the NFL’s clumsy, but profitable, relationship with gambling. If a player isn’t going to be available for his normal in-game workload, that needs to be disclosed in advance. Hiding the plan creates more inside information that can, in theory, be misused.
Also, to the extent that someone made a bet on Pickens or Lamb to score a touchdown on the opening drive (I don’t know or care whether such bets can be made, but I have a feeling that someone will take that action), it would be nice for the bettors to know they wouldn’t be in the game on the first possession.
It’s another wrinkle that the league should take very seriously. Anything that will keep a player from playing as much as he normally would be should be disclosed in advance, not for competitive reasons but to ensure a fair shake for gamblers — and to minimize the potential temptation to traffic in inside information.