5 statistical milestones for Cowboys players in Week 17 vs Titans
The Dallas Cowboys are more than likely going to end up as the NFC’s five seed when it’s all said and done. There’s an inside straight flush possibility of them winning the division, but it will take a bit of a Christmas miracle to occur. It doesn’t appear that head coach Mike McCarthy will be looking to rest players early, in anticipation of a wild-card road game, instead looking to establish a positive performance baseline.
So with healthy starters all expected to play in the Week 17 matchup with the Tennessee Titans, there’s a chance for some statistical glory for individual players. Here’s a look at five milestones that can be attained on Thursday night.
Ezekiel Elliott - 1,000 yard from scrimmage, rushing yards seasons
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Elliott has 829 yards on the ground this season, and while 171 yards seems farfetched for a one-game total, that would give him five career 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his career.
Elliott, who has another 92 yards receiving, is well within range of his seventh-career season of at least 1,000 yards gained from scrimmage.
Ezekiel Elliott - Active Career Leader in Rush Yards
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For the first time in their careers since being drafted in 2016’s first and second rounds respectively, Derrick Henry has topped Ezekiel Elliott. After gaining 129 yards in their loss to Houston, Henry is the active leader in career rushing yards. Elliott is now in a carry share with Pro Bowler Tony Pollard and gained 56 yards in the loss to the Eagles.
Their totals put Henry at 8,226 career rushing yards, 11 yards more than Elliott’s 8,215.
Elliott moved past Maurice Jones-Drew, Priest Holmes, Gerald Riggs, and Roger Craig in Week 16. He can surpass Herschel Walker with 11 yards and Ernest Byner with 46, but it will be difficult to keep pace with Henry as the two move up the career leaderboard.
Dak Prescott - 75% completions
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While Prescott’s interception totals are skyrocketing as he tries to fit more throws into tighter windows, his accuracy hasn’t waned overall. In fact, he’s going through an incredible stretch over the last two years. Prescott has 11 games with an completion percentage above 75 since the start of the 2021 season.
He can match last year’s total of six, in just his 11th start compared to 16 of last year. If he does so in this game it will be his third straight, also matching a career high set in Week 1 through Week 3 of last season.
CeeDee Lamb - 100 yards receiving
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Lamb has already set career highs in receiving yards (1,207) and touchdowns (8) on the year, but could establish a new baseline. If he gains 100 yards or more through the air, it will be the first time in his career he’s ever had three straight games of at least that.
He’d never before done it two weeks in a row before Saturday, as the only prior time he’d done it was two games in a row that were sandwiched around a bye week: 2021 Week 6 through Week 8.
DaRon Bland - Interception total
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The Fresno State rookie is starting to garner some attention for defensive rookie of the year, but as most know it’s hard to catch the lead horse. Tariq Woolen was the talk of the town in the first half of the season and though Bland — who wasn’t getting any snaps the first seven games — is now just one behind with five, it’s not likely he’ll win the vote.
He can establish himself as the best rookie corner in Dallas in the last 40 years, though. He’s currently tied with Derek Ross (2002) and Mike Gaechter (1962) for second-most picks by a rookie, trailing Everson Walls (1981) 11.