DaRon Bland explains game-sealing in Cowboys’ win over Bucs: ‘It felt great’

FRISCO, Texas – With their win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys have now won four of their last five games, and three of those have been upset wins against playoff contenders. And despite being officially eliminated from the playoffs before the game on Sunday Night Football, DaRon Bland and Co. a mission they were determined to stick to.

They wanted to make life hell for veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield, and they did just that — Jourdan Lewis snagged a touchdown from Jalen McMillan and Bland that would be late in the game, and almost literally did the exact same thing from running back Rachaad White to seal the 26-24 win at AT&T Stadium.

“It’s just the composure of our defense,” Bland said of the latest impressive defensive outing by Mike Zimmer’s pack. “We try to stick it out together, no matter what happens out there – you stay tight.”

Mayfield was also sacked four times and fumbled, though he recovered it. It was a night where the Cowboys could have rightfully walked away with four interceptions if the ball bounced their way on three occasions when he gave them a shot to take the ball away in the air.

Lewis was seething about his missed interception from earlier in the game and made up for it in a big way. Bland had one that he would normally roll in as well and, like Lewis, spent the rest of the game looking for another opportunity to upset the football gods’ plan for his evening.

“I was trying to get it back,” said a smiling Bland. “I had my hands on the ball earlier in the game and I was just trying to get it back. Baker got loose and got it to the running back and I saw the running back had the ball a little loose so I tried to get there. quick; and ended up with the ball.

“… It felt great. On the drive before, we gave up that touchdown to end that game like that? It felt good.”

After missing the majority of the season with a foot injury that left him on injured reserve until just a few weeks ago, this marks the first takeaway of the 2024 season for the king of pick-sixes.

“It’s like, finally. I’m getting back into the groove, it feels like.”

And so a Landry Shift ended Week 16, pushing the Cowboys to a 6-7 record with just two games remaining and a chance to play Grinch to the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, much in how they fared against the Buccaneers in primetime.

“Finishes strong and keeps the ball rolling,” Bland said of the mentality heading into Week 17 and the regular season finale. “That’s all it is. Keep the momentum and finish the season (the right way).”