
In the 2023 season, Bland recorded his third pick-six.
CeeDee Lamb caught two of Dak Prescott’s four touchdown throws, DaRon Bland returned an NFL-high third interception for a touchdown, and the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Los Angeles Rams 43–20 on Sunday.
For Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, it was a rough-and-tumble homecoming. Late in the third quarter, after breaking his thumb on a botched 2-point conversion pass and ending up with blood on his elbow from collecting another, Brett Rypien took his place.
Sam Williams stopped a punt for a safety, and then KaVontae Turpin returned it 63 yards for Lamb’s first touchdown grab. With this victory, the Cowboys (5-2) won their 11th straight game at home, leading 33-3 late in the first half.
The current run of games is equal to the club’s longest since an 11-game stretch at Texas Stadium in 1991–1992, nearly two decades before to the opening of AT&T Stadium.
Before and after halftime, Stafford led scoring drives that allowed the Rams (3-5) to cut a 30-point deficit to 16. However, the former Dallas high school great made an early error that sent the Cowboys on their way as he visited his hometown team for the first time as a Super Bowl champion.
In the first quarter, Dallas led 17-3 after Stafford passed behind Cooper Kupp to a waiting Bland for an easy 30-yard return. Bland returned a pick-sixty 22 yards for a touchdown in the first game against the New York Giants, and then in Week 4 against the Patriots, he went 54 yards.
Following the 1970 merger, this second-year cornerback is the third player to have three pick-6s in the first seven games of a season. Four seasons is the NFL record, and it was last achieved thirty years ago.
Despite getting sacked three times in the first quarter — with a fourth wiped out by a defensive penalty — Prescott finished the first half 17 of 21 for 225 yards. He ended up with his first 300-yard game of the season (25 of 31 for 304 yards with an interception).
Lamb had career highs with 12 catches for 158 yards, including another personal best with 122 yards before the break.
During a careless throw in the closing moments of the first half, Stafford’s throwing (right) thumb got caught in a Dallas helmet, injuring it.
After the 35-year-old’s 20-yard scoring pass to Ben Skowronek and his 2-point pass from Tutu Atwell just above the turf, he slid across the goal line, leaving his elbow wounded.
With three catches, Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua broke the league record for the most catches in a player’s first eight games of a career with 61. However, he only managed 43 yards, falling short of the 51 yards required to set that record as well.
INJURIES
Following a neck injury sustained during practise this week, Cowboys linebacker Tyron Smith was sidelined. The eight-time Pro Bowler has missed three games in a row, meaning that during the previous eight seasons, he has missed at least three games due to injury. … Rob Havenstein, RT, was out for the Rams due to a calf.
Next up
Rams: At Green Bay next Sunday before the bye.
Cowboys: At Philadelphia next Sunday.
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