FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, a fifth-round pick in 2022, had a nice rookie season playing primarily as an inside, nickel corner as he hauled in five interceptions, tied for the fifth-most in the NFL. Losing Trevon Diggs to injury was a big blow for the Dallas defense (Diggs’ 18 interceptions since 2020 are tied for the second-most in the league), but Bland has seamlessly transitioned to playing outside corner in 2023.
Bland playing well after making the jump to outside corner would have been a reasonable expectation, given his rookie year. The 24-year-old recording his fifth pick-six of the season on Thanksgiving Day in a 45-10 win against the Washington Commanders, to break the record for the most in a season in NFL history and insert himself in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year race? Not even the most optimistic of Cowboys fans could have predicted that — not to mention Bland having the fourth-best DPOY of the year odds through 12 weeks (+1400).
If he can win the award, Bland — who made one small tweak to his technique that unlocked his potential (more on that below) — would become the first defensive back to do so since teammate Stephon Gilmore in 2019 with the New England Patriots and only the sixth of the 21st Century. The other defensive backs to win Defensive Player of the Year since 2000 prior to Gilmore are Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu (2010), Hall of Famer Charles Woodson (2009), Colts safety Bob Sanders (2007) and Hall of Famer Ed Reed (2004).
“It’s easier to get a sack than it is a pick,” Gilmore said Monday when asked about winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year as a defensive back. “That’s how I feel. It’s easy, well not easy to get 10 sacks or 15 sacks or whatever it is. When a guy has 10 picks, it’s just harder to do. That’s how it goes sometimes [when people throw away from a dominant defensive back]. You just have to be ready when…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/how-cowboys-cb-daron-blands-subtle-technique-change-helped-him-make-nfl-history-vault-into-dpoy-conversation/
Author : Garrett Podell
Publish date : 2023-11-29 22:28:29
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