Three days later, the ‘Boys would lose for the first time in ‘23 at the hands of the pathetic Arizona Cardinals. The defense that had previously dominated looked clueless against journeyman backup QB Josh Dobbs. Even with the offseason acquisition of standout cornerback Stephon Gilmore, it was difficult to muster a positive vibe for the future of the Dallas secondary after Week 3.
But beyond the upsetting headlines, a bright light had begun to grow with the emergence of backup cornerback DaRon Bland. The 2022 fifth-round pick from Fresno State University snagged interceptions in each of the first two games. After the Cowboys’ convincing 33-10 victory in Charlotte on Sunday over the dismal Carolina Panthers, the second-year ballhawk leads the NFL in interceptions with five.
Bland’s breakout season shares some similarities with the man he replaced. Diggs was also in his second NFL season when he went nuts with a league-leading 11 interceptions in 2021. But perhaps more impressively, Bland has, in barely more than half the season, tied the all-time NFL mark for most interceptions with a touchdown with four. He tied three others with his fourth-quarter score; the most recent player to hit that mark was Eric Allen, all the way back in 1993.
DaRon Bland in the last two games:
— PFF (@PFF) November 20, 2023
🔒 2 catches allowed
🔒 2 INTs (1 pick six)
🔒 8.3 passer rating allowed pic.twitter.com/hig8wAGCjH
It’s not that Bland has become a true “shutdown corner,” at least not yet. As is the case with the number of genuinely dominant ace starting pitchers in baseball, there aren’t that many absolute lockdown cornerbacks in the NFL whom quarterbacks simply refuse to throw in the direction of right now (think mid-’90s Deion Sanders). Bland isn’t among the lead leaders in receptions allowed, nor has he forced any fumbles, for example.
That’s for the whole season so far, though. The past two games suggest Bland is strengthening his shutdown corner resumé. According to Pro Football Focus, which offers advanced statistical analysis, the former backup has become an undeniable A-lister by allowing merely two catches and a microscopically low passer rating of 8.3 in the recent victory against the New York Giants and against the Panthers on Sunday.
Added to that is that the dramatic, game-swinging nature of a “pick-six,” which is tough to quantify properly. The impact is both logical and emotional. Picture a centerfielder leaping and snagging a sure home run from over the outfield wall. Not only does the fielder record an out, but he takes run (or runs) and morale away from the other team. The same goes for when a soccer goalkeeper stops a point-blank penalty kick.
When Bland scored on an intercepted pass from Bryce Young, he did more than put points on the board for his team: he kept the home team from even thinking it had any chance of a comeback. If he's not yet a shutdown cornerback, he certainly shut the door on the Panthers’ chances of winning the game, as slim as they were by then.
This isn't all to say that Bland was the only Cowboys defensive player who tore up the field yesterday. Micah Parsons returned to ferocious form with 2.5 sacks after being much quieter than we have come to expect in the past couple of weeks. Destructive defensive end Demarcus Lawrence nabbed a key sack as well.
It’s not a stretch to say that Bland’s performance has already punched his ticket to the annual NFL Pro Bowl game, where the year’s best go against each other in an all-star format. Bland currently has the highest grade for cornerbacks from Pro Football Focus at 91.1, just barely ahead of New Orleans Saints CB Paulson Adebo and well ahead of established Pro Bowl types including Marcus Peters and Ronald Darby.
To be certain, the league has taken notice of Bland’s heroics.
As the 3 p.m. slate of games began on Sunday afternoon, social media was filling up with superlative-packed posts about Bland.
The season Daron Bland is having is truly mind-blowing. 4 interceptions for touchdowns is hard to do in a career let alone 1 season.
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) November 19, 2023
Cowboys Defensive Backs coach, Al Harris, needs a raise. He’s going to have 2 different All-Pro corners in 3 years.
pic.twitter.com/HBOAyX3Uif
“The season Daron Bland is having is truly mind-blowing. 4 interceptions for touchdowns is hard to do in a career let alone 1 season. Cowboys Defensive Backs coach, Al Harris, needs a raise. He’s going to have 2 different All-Pro corners in 3 years,” former NFL player and Fox Sports analyst Emmanuel Acho wrote on X.
NFL on Fox podcast host David Helman posted a rather lengthy list of wide receivers who have scored fewer touchdowns than Bland this season, including top names such as Deebo Samuel, Amari Cooper, Jaylen Waddle and D.K. Metcalf. To rub a little salt into Carolina’s wounds, The NFL on CBS posted to X, “Daron Bland has as many Pick Sixes this season (4) as the Carolina Panthers have... since 2017.”
Ouch.
While opponents and NFL observers gush over Bland’s surprise season, the man himself is just trying to process it all as it comes.
"Honestly, it hasn't hit me," Bland said to reporters after Sunday’s game, according to ESPN. "I feel like I'm really just kind of doing my job. That kind of stuff, I feel like I've been doing. I've felt like myself, so it's not really ever hit me because it feel like it's just another day."
