Milestones: Several Cowboys have chance to move up franchise record books on Sunday
The only statistic that ultimately matters on Sunday is whether or not a number is added to the win column. That can’t happen until late on Sunday night, so while awaiting the seconds to tick off towards the Dallas Cowboys’ (9-3) colossal matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles (10-2), there are a few milestones that would ice a victory over the proverbial cake.
In the time the Cowboys have existed, they’ve had their fair share of legendary players who have dotted the team record books with marks some may have thought unimaginable to ever be broken. While Emmitt Smith’s rushing record is safe and secure, there are a few surprising achievements that could be surpassed in Week 14.
Daron Bland: Career Interceptions
At this point, it may be more surprising to get through a game without Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland recording an interception. With a league-leading eight picks on the season and 13 for his career, he’s taking the ball away at an astonishing rate.
With his next interception, Bland will tie Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders for 16th place on the Cowboys’ all-time interception list. Defensive back Bill Bates, safety James Washington and linebacker Sean Lee are the other players with 14 career picks for Dallas.
Although Bland is on a furious pace, he still has a ways to go before reaching Cowboys all time interception leader and Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, Mel Renfro who finished his career with 52 interceptions.
Career game-winning drives: 2nd place
The Vegas line continues to hold after the Cowboys opened as 3.5-point favorites in their pivotal matchup against Philadelphia. With a close game expected, late-game heroics could shift the balance in the NFC, and a game-winning drive by Dak Prescott would move him past “Captain Comeback” himself.
Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach was known during his playing days as a player who could will his team to victory when staring at sure defeat. His 21 game-winning drives in his 131 career games placed him at the top of the Cowboys record books when he retired.
Dak Prescott is now tied with Staubach, posting 21 game-winning drives of his own after last Thursday’s comeback win. Prescott has accomplished that feat in 22 fewer games.
If Prescott records another game-winning drive, he would break the second-place tie and only trail Tony Romo (29) for first place. Both Prescott and Staubach are tied with 13, fourth-quarter comebacks a piece.
Another Millenarian for Cedarian
CeeDee Lamb was the 37th Cowboys player to go over 1,000 receiving yards in a season with his four-catch, 53-yard performance on Thanksgiving against Washington. He currently sits second in the NFL with 1,182 receiving yards. While he has gone over 100 yards receiving in five out of his last seven games, including an 11-catch, 191-yard performance in Philadelphia, he needs only 60 yards to pass Michael Irvin for the 10th-most receiving yards in a season in Cowboys history.
CeeDee Lamb is the first Dallas Cowboys WR to have at least 1,110 receiving yards in the first 12 games of a season since Terrell Owens in 2007. Michael Irvin also did it once.
Through their season’s first 12 games:
– 2023 Lamb: 90 rec, 1182 yds, 7 TDs
– 2007 Owens: 71 rec, 1249…— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) December 5, 2023
Although it may be a long shot this weekend, he is exactly 200 yards shy of reaching fourth place held by former Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant back in the 2012 season.
Brandon Aubrey: 50-plus-yard field goals
When Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey hit his 52-yard attempt on Thanksgiving against Washington, it was the Dallas Cowboys’ 100th made field goal of 50 yards or more in team history. It also put him in a three-way tie for third place with five 50+ yard field goals in a season along with former Cowboy kickers Greg Zuerlein and Nick Folk. His next 50-yard make will place him in another tie but this time alongside Dan Bailey and Brett Maher for second place. Brett Maher set the Cowboys record last season with nine.
Dak Prescott just referred to Brandon Aubrey as “Butter Aubrey” and I think that might be the best nickname I’ve ever heard.
The rookie moved to 16-for-16 tonight to start his NFL career.
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) October 17, 2023
With a 93.8% touchback percentage this season, Aubrey is already the clubs all time leader in that category. His 76 touchbacks this year mean he will likely move to the top of another record if he can catch former kicker Greg Zuerlein, who had 80 touchbacks in Dallas back in 2021.
Dual-Threat
Tony Romo threw 26 touchdown passes in a season twice in his career and holds five of the top-10, single-season passing-TD marks in Cowboys history. Prescott currently sits at 26 touchdowns thrown this season but his next touchdown pass will move him into a tie for 10th place with Roger Staubach.
Prescott’s 37 TD passes in 2021 sit as the most in franchise history.
If creeping up on passing records wasn’t enough for fans, Prescott is currently in a three-way tie with 28 rushing touchdowns alongside former Cowboys fullback Ron Springs and 2014 AP Offensive Player of the Year, DeMarco Murray. He can take sole possession of ninth place on his next rushing score.
Quick Hits for Tony
If Tony Pollard can rush for 138 yards this weekend, he will move into a tie for 10th place in Cowboys history with former Cowboys running back Hershel Walker. Pollard sits in 12th place with 3,353 yards – 131 rush yards behind 11th-place Julius Jones.
The strip sack
Parsons hasn’t forced a fumble since Week 2 against the New York Jets, but if he can force another, Parsons would move into a four-way tie with eight for his career, good enough for 10th in Cowboys history.
With his next tackle for loss, Parsons will break a tie for sixth place in Cowboys history with former defensive lineman Jay Ratliff who both sit with 46.
With a career-high 13.5 sacks, Parsons just needs a 1/2 sack to move into a three-way tie for the fifth most in a season with 14, tying defensive lineman Jim Jeffcoat and current teammate DeMarcus Lawrence.
Cowboys Hall of Fame edge player Demarcus Ware set the record with 20 sacks in a season back in 2008 and also holds the top three spots in team history.
Climbing the NFL ladder
With 14 passing yards, Dak Prescott will pass former Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski for 64th on the NFL’s all time passing list with 28,191 career yards.
Standing with 192 passing touchdowns, Prescott is in a tie for 59th place with Dolphins Hall of Fame quarterback Bob Greise.
Another Prescott rushing touchdown would tie him with former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson for 64th on the all time list with 29.
Another pick-six for cornerback DaRon Bland would give him six for his career, tying names such as Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks from Tampa and Washington’s Darrell Green.
