The Dallas Cowboys are set to travel and play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football in Week 6. The vibes are high for the Packers, who are on a two-game win streak, while Dallas is coming off an embarrassing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
One of the biggest culprits in the loss was cornerback DaRon Bland. He has been a major talking point both locally and nationally for his shaky play in 2026, and if Dallas wants a legit shot at beating the Packers, they will need Bland to morph back into the player who was highly productive earlier in his Cowboys career.
Cowboys need a vintage DaRon Bland performance against the Packers
This is Bland's fifth year in Dallas, but it's been his worst one to date. Through five games, he has been one of the biggest weak links in the secondary, allowing 19 catches (on 27 targets) for 243 receiving yards and three touchdowns. In each of the last two weeks, Bland has allowed at least five catches for 80-plus yards.
According to PFF, Bland's overall grade is 45.3 (92nd among 104 graded CBs) and a 45.0 coverage grade (92nd among 104 graded CBs). Of course, these grades need to be taken with a grain of salt, but to the eye, those grades seem to back up how ineffective he's been.
While Bland has always been a corner who has given up a ton of yards, he was capable of taking the ball away. His best season came in 2023, when he led the NFL in interceptions (9) and pick-sixes (5). Meanwhile, as a rookie in 2022, he snagged five picks.
Yet since then, he has caught one interception in the last three years. Just last week against the Bucs, Bland had a chance to catch an interception in the fourth quarter, but the ball hit him in the hands. If he reeled in the ball, he could have returned it for a touchdown.
The Cowboys' woes in the secondary have been concerning, and this matchup against the Packers will test them. Last week, Packers quarterback Jordan Love had an outstanding outing against the Bears and attacked them downfield.
Jordan Love will put pressure on Cowboys' secondary downfield
According to Next Gen Stats, Love went 6-of-8 on deep passes (20-plus air yards) for a career-best 258 yards and two touchdowns. He and Christian Watson connected on two touchdowns that were 40-plus yards. Mathew Golden was also exceptional, tallying six catches for 123 yards (20.5 yards per reception).
The Packers are a pass-first offense in 2026, and that's due to their shaky OL and run game. They will lean on Love's arm, putting pressure on the Cowboys' CBs to step up.
Green Bay is going to attack Bland in this outing, and with Love's gunslinger play style, there could be opportunities to take the ball away. If the Cowboys want to come away with a win, they will need their corners, especially Bland, not to let the dam break.
Dallas gave Bland a $92 million extension because they believed in him as a long-term asset. Most fans would agree they want to see more from him, and this outing gives him the perfect platform to bounce back.
The Cowboys need a win badly, and if they want to secure one, they'll need Bland to rediscover the 2022/2023 version of himself.
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