Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland was riding high after Thanksgiving, having broken the record for most interception return touchdowns against the Washington Commanders.

After that game, he was the subject of praise, with teammate Micah Parsons even vouching for him to win Defensive Player of the Year on his podcast The Edge:

“He is playing the best football, better than any corner in the NFL. There’s a lot of great players that’s playing great corner ball, high level; but no one’s creating his turnovers. If he’s not a lock already, which he should be, he will be a lock at the end of the year.”

And during the Seattle Seahawks’ presser, even wide receiver DK Metcalf had to acknowledge a then-standing stat about him:

“He’s got more touchdowns than me (three).”

But in their Thursday Night Football matchup, the one-time All-Pro and Pro Bowler needed just one half to disprove it:

And Bland went from Defensive Player of the Year candidate to scapegoat in no time:

He would redeem himself near the end of the third quarter, though, stealing a pass intended for Tyler Lockett:

But nothing came out of the ensuing drive, as CeeDee Lamb dropped a pass on 4th-and-2 while the Cowboys were in field goal range. Metcalf then scored again early in the fourth quarter to extend the Seahawks’ lead:

DaRon Bland was also getting praise from Stephon Gilmore before nightmare matchup vs. DK Metcalf

Besides Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland was also getting praise from another cornerback on his team.

Stephon Gilmore recently sat down with the Dallas Morning News‘ David Moore to discuss the sophomore’s evolution from obscure benchwarmer to burgeoning star. He said:

“He’s been making plays ever since he got into the starting lineup. Not just turning the ball over, but scoring with it.”

And that had the former Defensive Player of the Year very impressed at his prolificness, noting that it would take a while before the record was broken:

“I think because it’s easier to get a sack than a pick. That’s how I feel. I mean, it’s not easy to get 10 sacks. But when a guy has 10 picks, it’s harder to do.”