Michael Gallup’s return boosts Dallas Cowboys offense in win against Commanders

Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup said he wanted to be mentally prepared for his return to action.

That cautious approach is why he missed Dallas’ last game at the New York Giants. It ended up being the right decision as Gallup looked healthy and strong while providing a boost to the offense in the Cowboys’ 25-10 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday.

“I had some jitters, but you’re supposed to. I felt way better this week from a mental aspect,” Gallup said.

The triumphant moment came just before halftime as Cooper Rush found him in the back of the end zone for a touchdown that put Dallas ahead for good.

Overcoming the physical and mental adversity the injury caused was difficult, but Gallup knew to remain positive. The touchdown served as a confirmation that his approach was going to pay off.

“Going through what I went through was tough for sure. You see everybody else making plays and you can’t really do anything yet, but you know it’s coming,” he said.

Gallup finished with two receptions for 24 yards, but his impact went much further than that.

Take a look at CeeDee Lamb, who was one of the biggest beneficiaries from Gallup’s return. His presence on the field opened up more chances for Lamb against the Commanders secondary.

“He helped out a lot, I got a lot more one-on-one matchups, they played me a little more honest. As you can see both Noah and MG got explosive plays, so it was a great offensive day,” Lamb said.

Lamb had six receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown of his own on the first play of the fourth quarter. He feels the return of Gallup will provide a boost to the entire offense.

“He’s a crucial piece to this offense, we’re just trying to build this puzzle and he’s a very important piece. We’ve got a couple more to go,” Lamb said.

Not only did Gallup help free up Lamb against the defense, but he also drew numerous pass interference calls that kept drives alive.

His first one came just a few plays before Lamb’s touchdown.

“I tell them all the time we can go all the way down the field if you throw me go routes. Either you’re going to hold me or I’m going to catch it,” Gallup said. “I enjoy it, it gave us good field position and helped somebody else score.”

Lamb shared his thanks and said Gallup should get credit for drawing those flags.

“Technically he’s still 100 yards and a touchdown waiting (to happen),” Lamb said with a smile. “He’s a very impactful player.”

Lamb had an up-close view to Gallup’s touchdown that made the moment even more special.

“It caught me by surprise because when I saw the ball I thought it was for me, but it was out of my reach,” Lamb said. “Then I turned and I saw 13 and I was like ‘Wow’. It was a huge moment for us, I know he’s happy right now and I’m glad we got to share that moment.”

When asked if he could have imagined a better return than scoring a touchdown and picking up a win, Gallup showed off some charm.

“Yeah, I could’ve caught two.”