QUICK HIT TUESDAY: Cowboys Nuggets

With the Cowboys playing on Thursday night, we are foregoing WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY (again) this week in lieu of another QUICK HIT TUESDAY – lots of quick bits of info on the team. Cornerback DaRon Bland not only set an NFL record for interceptions returned for touchdowns in a season, but it also put him in some rare company for defensive players with five or more touchdowns in a season. Here are some quick hits (1,200+ words worth) on his performance, the offensive line coming together, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb’s big plays, this week’s opponent and more. Let’s get to it.

HIT NO. 1: Bland’s Interception Record & More

With his interception return for a touchdown against Washington on Thanksgiving Day, his fifth of the season, DaRon Bland set a new NFL record. Bland’s fifth touchdown makes him just the sixth defensive player in NFL history to have five or more touchdowns in a season since the AFL-NFL merger – joining Houston Texans DT J.J. Watt (5 in 2014), Chicago Bears DB Devin Hester (8 in 2007 and 5 in 2006) St. Louis Rams DB Roy Green (5 in 1981 and Houston Oilers DB Ken Houston (5 in 1971). It was also Bland’s seventh interception this season to lead the NFL, as well as his 12th career interception, which is the most among all NFL players since he was drafted in 2022.

HIT NO. 2: Prescott’s Touchdown Streak

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has thrown multiple touchdown passes in five straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL. With a pair of passing touchdowns on Thursday night, he will tie his career-long of six straight games with multiple TD passes in 2021 – Week 3 win over Philadelphia (3), Week 4 win over Carolina (4), Week 5 win over New York Giants (3), Week 6 win at New England (3), Week 7 loss to Denver (2) and Week 8 win over Atlanta (2). Tony Romo owns the franchise record with seven games.

HIT NO. 3: Big Play Lamb

Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has turned into a big-play machine in 2023, hauling in 22 passes of 20-yards or more which puts him at the top of that list in the NFL this year. He leads Miami’s Tyreek Hill (21), San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk (19), Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown (18 ) and the Los Angeles Chargers Keenan Allen (18). Lamb tied for third in the NFL last season with 24.

HIT NO. 4: Pollard Carrying The Load

Cowboys running back Tony Pollard came into the 2023 season as the lead running back for the first time in his career, and head coach Mike McCarthy has fed him the football. Pollard is averaging 18.1 carries per game this season, which is fifth in the NFL behind only San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey (21.9), the New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley (21.4), Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs (21.3) and Jacksonville’s Travis Etienne Jr. (20.9). Last season, as the backup to Ezekiel Elliott, Pollard averaged 14.5 touches per game.

HIT NO. 5: Offensive Line Coming Together

Since the five offensive lineman the Cowboys penciled in as starters during the offseason – left tackle Tyron Smith, left guard Tyler Smith, center Tyler Biadasz, right guard Zack Martin and right tackle Terence Steele, have come together, the production has gone up and the sacks have gone down. The five came back together in Week 9 at Philadelphia, and after getting their footing in that loss, where they totaled 406 yards of offense and allowed five sacks, they have put together a three-game run of excellence against the New York Giants (640 yards/zero sacks), Carolina (311/0) and Washington (431/0).

HIT NO. 6: Prescott Passes 400, Again

With his 404 yards passing against the New York Giants recently at AT&T Stadium, quarterback Dak Prescott now has a franchise record 10 career 400-plus yard passing games. It ties him with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes for the most by any passer since 2016. It also ties Prescott with Mahomes and Miami’s Dan Marino for the most 400-plus yard passing games in the first eight seasons of their career.

HIT NO. 7: On Second Thought

While going 5-0 at home this season, the Cowboys have yet to find themselves behind at any point. They have led for 254:18 of 300 minutes and were tied the rest of the time, as they outscored their opponents 205-60 in those five wins this season at AT&T Stadium.

HIT NO. 8: A Defensive Scoring Machine

The Cowboys defense has scored six touchdowns this season – five interception returns by cornerback DaRon Bland and one fumble return by linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, which ties the 2021 squad for the most defensive touchdowns in a season in team history. Since defensive coordinator Dan Quinn arrived in Dallas in 2021, the Cowboys lead the league in defensive scores with 15.

HIT NO. 9: Primetime Cowboys

The Cowboys appear in five primetime games this season, and Thursday night against Seattle will mark the teams fourth primetime appearance this season. Dallas is 2-1 this season, with wins over the New York Giants in Week 1 and the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8, and a loss to San Francisco in Week 7. Overall, Dallas is 102-83 in primetime games – 39-39 on Sunday, 50-35 on Monday, 0-1 on Tuesday, 1-0 on Wednesday, 7-3 on Thursday and 5-5 on Saturday.

HIT NO. 10: Multi-sack Micah

Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons struck for 1.5 sacks in the Thanksgiving Day win over the Commanders. Parsons now has 13 multi-sack games in his career, which is the fourth most multi-sack games in an NFL player’s first three seasons since 1982, behind only Philadelphia’s Reggie White (17, 1985-87), San Francisco’s Aldon Smith (16, 2011-13) and Chicago’s Richard Dent (14, 1983-85).

HIT NO. 11: Homefield Advantage

After rough start at AT&T Stadium for the Cowboys, the home team has finally figured out how to win at home. While they are currently on a 13-game home winning streak, the Cowboys are 53-33 in the regular season against all NFC teams since the building opened for professional football 15 seasons ago. The Cowboys are also 16-9 at AT&T Stadium in the month of December, as well as 19-14 in night games. The Cowboys are 2-2 against the Seahawks in Arlington.

HIT NO. 12: 20-point Beatings

With a 35-point win over Washington on Thanksgiving Day, the Cowboys have now won seven games this season by 20 or more points, which is tied with the 1968 team for the most 20-point wins in a season in franchise history. The Cowboys have wins over the Giants (Week 1 by 40 Week 11 by 32), the Jets (Week 2 by 20), the Patriots (Week 4 by 35), The Rams (Week 8 by 23), the Panthers (Week 11 by 23) and the Commanders. Their seven 20-point wins this season ties them with the 2014 and 2012 New England Patriots for second most in an NFL season since 2000, and they trail only the 2007 Patriots, who had 10 in 16 games.

NEXT OPPONENT: WHAT’S UP WITH THE SEAHAWKS?

The Seattle Seahawks are in a fight for a postseason berth, currently sitting in the final Wild Card spot at 6-5. They are two games behind NFC West leading San Francisco (8-3) for the division lead, and two games behind Dallas (8-3) and just a half game behind Minnesota in the Wild Card race, but only just in front of the 5-6 Packers, Rams and Saints and 4-7 Buccaneers. With games against the NFC’s elite – Dallas, San Francisco and Philadelphia, over the next three weeks, the Seahawks might be on the outside looking in for this year’s playoffs. If they are still in the hunt after these next three weeks, then finishing up the season against the Titans, Steelers and Cardinals could help the Seahawks make the playoffs for the 11th time in head coach Pete Carroll’s 14 seasons in Seattle.