What people are saying about Dallas’ DaRon Bland’s up-and-down game

Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland was on a roll gamblers can only dream of. He was the NFL’s Player of the Month after recording his fifth interception touchdown return of the season against the Washington Commanders, setting a new NFL record.

The second-year player who took over after Trevon Diggs’ injury has been sensational all season for Dallas. But sometimes even gamblers on a heater roll Snake Eyes.

That’s something Al Michaels, calling the game with Kirk Herbstreit, pointed out as he dropped a little calendar reminder while Bland struggled in the first half against DK Metcalf.

“Bland just won Defensive Player of the Month for November, but obviously, the voters didn’t count November 30,” Michaels said.

The second-half switch to Stephon Gilmore guarding Metcalf helped the Cowboys — and also Bland. He picked off a pass intended for Tyler Lockett with a typical jump-the-route move for his league-leading eighth interception.

Before the game, Metcalf gave Bland his proper credit — even poking fun at himself — but during the game the Pro Bowler had his way with the Cowboys defensive back in the first half.

“I was thinking like, ‘He’s got more touchdowns than me,’” Metcalf told reporters Sunday. “He does what the receivers should do and that’s shave angles and meet the ball, he does an exceptional job at that and it’s rare that you see a cornerback be able to track the ball and catch the ball like he does, he does it effortlessly.”

Metcalf scored a 73-yard touchdown vs. Bland in the first quarter and then added another 1-yard TD reception before halftime.