Studs and Duds: A tale of two Blands in Cowboys’ 45-10 Thanksgiving win

The Dallas Cowboys finally gave their fans a special feeling on Thanksgiving, with a 45-10 smoking of the Washington Commanders. After going 14 seasons without a double-digit Turkey Day victory, and numerous blowout losses, the Cowboys made sure they left no doubt on this holiday.

It was another 20+ point home win for Dallas, their fifth of the season. When they play at home, the Cowboys have left no doubt they are better team by getting a lead and then slamming the door shut late. In their latest rousing victory, Mike McCarthy’s boys finished in style, scoring 25 fourth-quarter points, and feasting their way into the record book.

Thanksgiving wasn’t the only reason to enjoy this day, the Cowboys provided ample reasons to celebrate in their drubbing of the Commanders in Week 12. Here are the studs and duds in the satisfying Thanksgiving win.

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

It was another banner day for Prescott as he strengthened his MVP case with another 300-yard, four-touchdown performance. It was his third straight such game at home, something that hadn’t been done since 2013.

It didn’t click early for Prescott, who missed on a few deep balls to open receivers, but the offense kept throwing down the field and things eventually fell into place for the veteran quarterback. Prescott connected on six passing plays of over 20+ yards (seven if you count the dump off to RB Tony Pollard that went for 27 yards) as he torched the Commanders’ secondary.

There were beautiful scoring tosses to wide receivers Brandin Cooks, CeeDee Lamb and KaVontae Turpin, of which the last two kicked off an amazing six minutes of excess celebrations for Dallas.

Studs: Offensive line

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Commanders traded away two of their better pass rushers, but they still have two first round picks on their defensive line and were coming off a nine-sack game. That didn’t faze the offensive line for the Cowboys, who dominated in the trenches.

Prescott wasn’t pressured much, barely being touched on his 32 passes, and the OL opened holes for a running game that rushed for 100 yards and averaged 5.6 yards a carry.

The offensive game plan called for Prescott to throw the ball vertically and his offensive line held up extremely well. It might have been their best performance as a group in the dominating win.

Dan Quinn’s defense had a classic bend but don’t break first half. The Cowboys put pressure on Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, but couldn’t bring him down on several occasions. As Howell avoided sacks, he got outside of the pocket and made plays.

Most of those plays came at the expense of cornerback DaRon Bland. It’s a tough ask to have a CB stay in coverage as Howell bought time, and Bland gave up six completions in the first half.

By my count that’s 6 catches allowed by Bland in the 1st half- most he’s given up in a game this year has been 4 (per PFF)

— KD Drummond (@KDDrummondNFL) November 23, 2023

The Commanders were 4-for-7 on third downs in the first half, even with being put in some tough conversion situations. With some of Howell’s ability to escape the pass rush, it put pressure on the secondary and Bland struggled early.

Stud: Second half DaRon Bland

Nov 23, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; The Dallas Cowboys sideline reacts as cornerback DaRon Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Howell got away with throwing at Bland in the first half, but the opportunistic CB showed that throwing in his direction too often is tempting fate. The All-Pro candidate redeemed himself in the fourth quarter with a Pick-6 that made him a part of NFL history.

With the Cowboys up 38-10, Howell tried to throw a quick out to his receiver when Bland jumped the route, came away with the interception and then went a nerve-wracking 63 yards for his fifth return of the season. The play put Bland in the record book and the entire team mobbed the second-year CB after the play.

Everything about this play was phenomenal. From Bland’s break on the ball, to the team reaction, to announcer Jim Nantz’s call, to Bland breaking the tackle and eventually scoring, it was a special moment for the Cowboys and Bland on Thanksgiving.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The Cowboys bring a considerable amount of pressure from their edge pass rushers, and sometimes the interior defenders get overlooked. In this game, defensive tackles Johnathan Hankins and Osa Odighizuwa had big impacts on the outcome.

Hankins had his first sack since joining the Cowboys, his first sacks since 2020, and just his second two-sack game of his career. Ironically, his other 2+ sack game also came against the Washington franchise, in 2014.

Odighizuwa didn’t record a sack, but his fourth-down stop in the third quarter helped keep it a two-score game. In the middle of the third quarter, the Commanders were facing a 4th-and-1 at the Cowboys’ 39-yard line. Dallas was up 10 points and if Washington’s offense was able to convert and go on to score points, it could have been a different game.

Instead, Odighizuwa’s quickness allowed him to beat the offensive lineman and tackle Brian Robinson before he could get near the first down. It likely saved points for the Commanders and allowed the Cowboys to flip the field. Odighizuwa had one of his best games in the Thanksgiving win.

#Cowboys DT Osa Odighizuwa had a HUGE game in Week 12 via @PFF:

He recorded seven pressures, six hurries, five run stops and one QB hit.

Best game I’ve ever seen him play.

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) November 24, 2023

Hankins’ second sack of the game also came on a fourth down, this time with the Commanders deep in their own territory and Dallas cashed in three plays later with a touchdown from Prescott to Lamb.

The stop and subsequent score sealed the game for the Cowboys.

Studs: Cowboys celebrations

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Not only did the Cowboys win the game, but they also had elaborate celebrations that helped make the win more enjoyable. on Prescott’s touchdown to Lamb, the duo had an alley oop in the Salvation Army red kettle that kicked off the fun.

That same red kettle would be a popular prop for the rest of the game.

When Prescott threw his 34-yard touchdown to Turpin, the celebration was having Turpin enter the kettle and hand out turkey legs to Prescott and a few other offensive players.

It was an elite plan that was hatched by tight Jake Ferguson that captured the spirit of the holiday perfectly.

The Cowboys did more partying a few minutes later when Bland got his record setting Pick-6. The entire sideline erupted when the interception happened, and after the play Bland found himself in the kettle surrounded by a group of teammates.

No team had as much fun as the Cowboys did in the last few minutes of the fourth quarter, celebrating a big win and breaking records on Thanksgiving.  The fines might be astronomical, but it was all worth it.

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire