‘Surprised,’ ‘He Is Not The Same Dude’ — Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer, NFL World React to DaRon Bland’s String of Mistakes in Loss to Bucs
· Yahoo Sports
It was a night to forget for a number of Dallas Cowboys players as they fell to a 24-16 defeat at home to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Bucs head coach Todd Bowles was among the names to have been placed on the proverbial hot seat heading into Week 5, but when this slate of action is done, we may very well be asking if Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker’s time is up in Dallas.
That DaRon Bland failed to put his stamp on the game affected this unit more than anything else, as one of the league’s 10 highest-paid cornerbacks struggled mightily on Thursday Night Football.
Cowboys’ DaRon Bland Drops Potential Pick-Six on Rough Night in Coverage
Bland’s chance came on third down with Tampa Bay leading 24-16 in the final five minutes, when he stepped in front of a Daniels pass and let it slip through his hands.
Tampa Bay went three-and-out anyway. Dallas reached the Tampa Bay 24 on its final drive, but Prescott’s pass bounced off Jake Ferguson’s hands and was intercepted by Alex Anzalone at the 12.
Speaking on Bland’s struggles in the post-game press conference, head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear the team expects more from its star cornerback.
“We expect him to make those plays. He expects himself to make those plays. He’s made those plays a bunch around here, and you know, probably surprised because I have seen them make those plays so much,” Schottenheimer said.
In response to those comments, one Cowboys fan wrote, “You know, he hasn’t made those plays in a long time, Brian.”
There was a time when Bland made those picks at record pace. His fifth pick-six of 2023, a 63-yard return against Washington on Thanksgiving, set the NFL single-season record and made him the Cowboys’ all-time leader in pick-sixes, a title he still holds.
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“One of the first things the Cowboys did after trading Micah (Parsons) was give DaRon Bland a massive contract. Self-scouting has never been the Cowboys’ strength,” wrote NFL reporter Gregg Rosenthal.
Bland’s trouble Thursday started early, when his defensive holding penalty wiped out a 12-yard sack on third-and-5 that had pushed Tampa Bay out of field goal range. Instead, the opening drive went 15 plays and 73 yards over 10 minutes, 58 seconds, ending with Jalon Daniels’ 5-yard touchdown pass to Bucky Irving.
After quarterback Dak Prescott threw an interception in the third quarter, Bland fell in coverage, and Tez Johnson ran free down the right seam for a 64-yard catch. Irving capped that drive with a 1-yard touchdown run for a 21-10 lead.
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The NFL’s count had Bland allowing three catches on five targets for 91 yards on the night.
“DaRon Bland just dropped a pick-six; he is not the same dude,” wrote veteran Cowboys reporterClarence Hill Jr.
“Daron Bland falls twice, gives up two huge plays and drops what could have been a pick-six right in his hands. All in one half,” remarked another NFL analyst.
Heading into Thursday Night Football, Bland ranked #91 among qualifying CBs with a 65.8 PFN Impact Score.
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“I’m going to look at everything,” Schottenheimer said of the stretch before Dallas plays again, adding that the Cowboys didn’t plan on being 2-3 five games in.
The defense gave him plenty to review. Tampa Bay ran for 241 yards, Irving gained 165 on 21 carries, and Daniels completed 19 of 25 passes for 189 yards, while Dallas forced no turnovers.
Through five games this season, the Cowboys are allowing 168.8 rushing yards per game, the second-highest mark in franchise history after the 186.8 yards per game they gave up in 1960.
All in all, the Cowboys are allowing an NFL-high 6.4 yards per play this season. Their defense finished Week 5 with a PFN Defense Impact score of 72.1, and their season grade of 67.0 is the second-worst mark, just ahead of the Detroit Lions.
As things stand, the Cowboys have 10 days before visiting the Green Bay Packers on Oct. 18, with a trip to face the Philadelphia Eagles to follow on Oct. 26.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.