FRISCO, Texas — DaRon Bland has been up and down like the rest of the Dallas Cowboys defense, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Tuesday at The Star, and he does not panic.
Bland played all 55 defensive snaps in Sunday’s 34-30 win at Houston and made 3 tackles. He was in coverage on a 52-yard catch by Jaylin Noel in the first quarter and an 18-yard catch by Nico Collins in the second. Joey Porter Jr., acquired from Pittsburgh last week, moved Bland from the boundary to the field side.
Brian Schottenheimer Says There Is ‘Absolutely No Panic’ With DaRon Bland
Schottenheimer said Bland has had good moments and plays he would want back, but his response does not change.
“Yeah, I think DaRon’s been like the entire defense, up and down. Good moments, moments he’d like to improve. I think the double move last week, that happens from time to time. What I love about DaRon is he doesn’t panic. There’s absolutely no panic with him,” Schottenheimer said. “Joey coming in moves him from the boundary to the field. That’s not an easy thing to do. But what I love about DaRon is he’s what’s best for the team.”
“And we understand the coverage skills. We understand the ball skills. But I do think that now with Joey being here, they can begin to get a feel for playing those certain spots. And that’ll help,” Schottenheimer continued. “But DaRon’s a valuable guy that we also can move around.”
Bland Adjusting To Field Side After Joey Porter Jr. Trade
Bland got more confident as he saw more against Houston, in Schottenheimer’s view. Bland had been in the boundary most of the time before Porter arrived. Schottenheimer said the first Texans touchdown, a 7-yard catch by Collins, was not on Bland, who was supposed to get help.
“Yeah, I thought he just got a little bit more confident and comfortable in seeing things. Again, remember, he’d been in the boundary most of the time when Joey was in. We moved him around more, and so I think it’s more of a comfort level. But to say that there was something that we did schematically, no, not really,” Schottenheimer explained. “I think you settle in as a corner. The best thing about DaRon is he has short-term memory. You give him a double move, it is what it is. The first touchdown, he was supposed to get help, didn’t get help, so that really was not on him.”
“That’s what I love about him as a competitor. Some of these guys give up a couple plays and they’re in the tank,” Schottenheimer added. “You’d never know whether DaRon had three interceptions or had given up three touchdowns just because of the way he approaches his craft and his personality. I think that’s what makes him such a special player.”
Bland led the NFL with nine interceptions in 2023 and set a league single-season record with five interception returns for touchdowns.
Cowboys Secondary Shorthanded After Porter Ruled Out
Dallas is short in the secondary. Porter was ruled out of Thursday’s game with an illness about 1 hour, 45 minutes before kickoff, and second-year cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. is likely to start, The Associated Press reported.
Cornerback Cobie Durant is inactive with a hamstring injury, and Schottenheimer said rookie safety Caleb Downs would start at safety and play some nickel.
Tampa Bay’s receivers include Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka. Rookie Jalon Daniels will start at quarterback for the 0-4 Buccaneers with Baker Mayfield out with a dislocated right thumb.
Dallas is 2-2 and hosts the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff at 7:15 p.m. CT on Prime Video.
