rpaolinelliI think we can all safely admit that when Trevon Diggs went down for the season with a torn ACL in practice we were greatly concerned.
Diggs was a ball hawk. Looking over the roster at the time, it didn’t look like there was another in the flock.
Turns out there was one after all and his presence might just have saved the Cowboys’ season.
Diggs Done After Two Games
The Cowboys were 2-0 with back-to-back wins over the New York City teams. Diggs already had one interception along with three defended passes.
He had four tackles and had forced a fumble as well.
In a non-starting role, DaRon Bland also had four tackles. He had one pass defended, a tackle for a loss and a quarterback hit.
He also had a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown in the season-opening win over the Giants.
Then the season for both Diggs and Bland changed dramatically.
During a Thursday practice prior to the Arizona game, Diggs tore the ACL in his left knee. He recently underwent a successful surgery to repair it.
Diggs is expected back for the 2024 season.
But that left Dallas with a huge hole to fill in its defensive secondary.
Bland Steps Up
In his first start, Bland struggled somewhat in coverage.
The Cowboys’ defense seemed out of kilter for most of the game as they adjusted to life without Diggs.
Bland finished with six tackles. Mostly after the receiver he was covering had caught a pass.
He rebounded well the following week against the Patriots with two interceptions – including a 54-yard Pick Six – and had solid games against the 49ers and Chargers.
On Sunday he struck again with a 30-yard interception return for a score and seven tackles along with two defended passes.
A Breakout Season
Bland now has four interceptions on the year, three since becoming a starter.
Three of his picks – two since starting in place of Diggs – have been returned for touchdowns.
The NFL record for Pick Sixes in a single season is four – held by Eric Allen (1993), Jim Kearney (1972), and Ken Houston (1971).
Bland had been tied with Larry Brown (1995) for the Cowboys’ single-season record prior to Sunday’s interception.
In case you were wondering, Dick “Night Train” Lane holds the single-season interception record at 14. He did that in 1952 with the Rams.
Diggs, with 11 picks in 2021, holds the Cowboys’ record. Bland has 10 games remaining to tie and possibly break the remaining records.
With Stephon Gilmore on the other side, teams can’t avoid throwing in Bland’s direction so he has a chance to do so.
Bright Future Ahead
In just his second season, Bland now has nine interceptions in 24 games and just 13 starts.
Hall of Famer Paul Krause is the all-time leader with 81 in 226 games and 203 starts.
Bland is on Krause’s pace for career picks. He has already matched Krause in interceptions returned for touchdowns.
Mel Renfro is the Cowboys’ all-time interception leader with 52 in 174 games.
And Bland is only going to get better with every start he makes this year.
Diggs has 18 picks in 47 games, also putting him on pace to tie Krause’s mark assuming he fully returns from his injury.
Assuming Dallas can keep both players for the long-term, the Cowboys’ defensive backfield could terrorize the NFL for years to come.
