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Cowboys News: Bland’s unlikely backer for DPOY, ‘Dad’ Prescott, Shaq Leonard talk

Todd Brock
·7 min read
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In case you’re still hungry for a few leftover morsels from Thanksgiving, this edition of News and Notes should satisfy that craving. We’ve got the inside story on how those turkey legs got into those Salvation Army kettles, a sampler platter of record facts to come out of the big win, a closer look at the Cowboys player that refs seem to always ignore, and the surprising take one of the team’s most bitter rivals has regarding DaRon Bland’s record-breaking season.

Meanwhile, we look at what Shaq Leonard had to say on his way out of Indy, plus what Jerry Jones had to say about possibly bringing him to Dallas. Several Carolina Panthers were fined for actions in last week’s Cowboys contest, Thursday’s blowout was the last straw for one Cowboys alum, and another former Cowboy is back on the open market after a short stint in the AFC East. All that, plus massive TV ratings for America’s Team, a mock draft brings Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense yet another playmaking weapon to add to the arsenal, and Dak adds a first-rounder of another kind to his own home team. Dig in; here’s the News and Notes.

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DaRon Bland on record-setting INT: 'Wasn't gonna be denied' :: The Mothership

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The second-year cornerback may have had four pick-sixes heading into Thursday’s game, but he says hadn’t yet had one where he really had to show off his post-catch moves. His record-setting fifth, a 63-yarder, changed that. “[It] just speaks to who he is and the resilience alone to know he had history in front of him and to say, ‘I’m not gonna let this quarterback tackle me,’ said Dak Prescott. ” … He broke Sam [Howell] down and then, Michael Vick-style, made the [wide receivers] collide and then went into the end zone.”

Darius Slay breaks down why DaRon Bland deserves DPOY award :: Eagles Wire

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The Eagles star cornerback was unequivocal in proclaiming his Cowboys counterpart worthy of the DPOY award. “He should easily win it,” Slay said of Bland. “Only way he don’t is if somebody gets 25+ sacks. That don’t quite happen. I got 5 total (TD) my whole career. He got 5 right now.” Bland currently has more defensive touchdowns than any other team in the NFL.

MVP may be coming, but Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott is blessed he’s an ‘incoming girl dad’ :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

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Precott announced on Instagram that he and girlfriend Sarah Jane Ramos will be welcoming a daughter in the coming months. The passer posted that he’s “beyond blessed” to be an “incoming girl dad.”

'Can we do it?' How Cowboys set the table for turkey leg TD celebration vs Commanders :: Cowboys Wire

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It was Jake Ferguson’s idea, but Dak Prescott was the one who had to run it by head coach Mike McCarthy and, by chance, Jerry Jones. After stadium staff cooked up turkey legs and placed them in the four Salvation Army kettles, Prescott’s only direction was to make sure the team was up by enough points to safely stage their latest Thanksgiving touchdown celebration.

Big Facts: Blowout victory nets another NFL record :: The Mothership

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A few tidbits from Thursday’s win:

  • The Cowboys have now won back-to-back Thanksgiving Day games for the first time at AT&T Stadium.

  • Micah Parsons is now one of three players ever to have at least 11 sacks in each of his first three seasons.

  • CeeDee Lamb is now one of four players ever to have at least 70 receptions in each of his first four seasons.

  • The Cowboys are now the first NFL team ever to win their first five home games by 20 points or more.

  • DaRon Bland now has more career interception returns for touchdowns than any player in Cowboys history.

Parsons was right to be upset about not drawing penalties vs Commanders :: Michael Gehlken

 

Cowboys-Commanders postgame analysis :: Cowboys Wire

Commanders fire defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio in wake of blowout loss to Cowboys :: NFL.com

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Thursday’s blowout loss to Dallas was the last straw for Del Rio in Washington. “It’s one of those things that as you watch things happen last night, it just kind of snowballed,” said Commanders head coach Ron Rivera on Friday. Del Rio is a former linebacker who spent three seasons as a Cowboy in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

Ex-Cowboys safety Xavier Woods among trio of Panthers fined after Week 11 loss vs. Dallas :: Dallas Morning News

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Last Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys was extra-costly for several Panthers. Woods received a $16,391 fine for a horse collar tackle/facemask on Dallas receiver Brandin Cooks. Joining him was linebacker Amaré Barno, who was fined $5,091 after receiving an unnecessary roughness call for a late hit on a sliding Prescott. Tight end Tommy Tremble was fined $6,532 for a flagged blindside hit on Dallas safety Jayron Kearse.

Source: Patriots waive third-string quarterback Will Grier :: ESPN

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The onetime Cowboys QB3 had been stuck behind Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe on the New England depth chart. Despite the massive uncertainty surrounding the position for the Pats, Grier was waived Saturday. Grier didn’t appear in a game for the team, serving in the role of emergency quarterback for seven games.

Shaq Leonard ‘hurt’ by the way Colts ‘pushed me out the door’: ‘I gave them everything’ :: The Athletic

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“I gave this organization everything that I had, even when I didn’t really have it,” the four-time All-Pro said, alluding to his two back surgeries last year. “I gave them everything.” Leonard still handed out Thanksgiving turkeys with Colts teammates after being cut. He hasn’t looked like the 2018 second-round pick who set the Indianapolis single-season tackle record en route to NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year honors or annually contended for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, but he’s eager to prove he still has something to give to a new team.

Jerry Jones: Cowboys have made contact with Shaq Leonard :: The Mothership

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“We had a short meeting on [Leonard’s potential impact] before the game and we’ll see how we do with our evaluation,” said Jones. “We’ll look at him pretty good, look at some health things. I know a lot of teams are looking at him. I don’t want to give an indication of the degree of our interest with him.” Jones was quick to offer praise for Markquese Bell and Damone Clark, helping to fill the void left by Leighton Vander Esch.

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Cowboys get Dak Prescott another weapon; Cardinals stick with Kyler Murray, stay at No. 2 :: CBS Sports

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With the hypothetical 26th pick in the 2024 NFL draft, the Cowboys select Emeka Egbuka. The Ohio State junior is the fourth-highest ranked wide receiver in the class. In Dallas, he could help free up a lot of salary cap space by allowing the club to do some consolidation in the WR room.

Cowboys' Thanksgiving blowout drew 3rd-largest TV audience in NFL regular-season history :: Yahoo Sports

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The Cowboys-Commanders tilt was the most-watched TV show since Super Bowl LVII and drew the third-largest television audience- 41.438 million- ever for a regular-season game. The Cowboys own the record with last year’s Thanksgiving Day game, which drew 42 million. The 49ers and Giants had 41.474 people watching when they played each other in 1990.

Story originally appeared on Cowboys Wire