CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland knew coming into Sunday’s game he needed one more pick-6 to etch his name into the NFL record books.
Bland intercepted Carolina Panthers No. 1 pick Bryce Young in the fourth quarter and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown, tying an NFL record with his fourth pick-6 of the season.
Only three others — Philadelphia’s Eric Allen (1993), Kansas City’s Jim Kearney (1972) and Houston’s Ken Houston (1971) -- have accomplished that feat in a single year.
“It just makes for another goal for me — to break it,” Bland said after the Cowboys hammered the lowly Panthers 33-10.
That happened on Sunday when he extended his body to catch Young's errant throw and was briefly surprised when Panthers rookie wide receiver Jonathan Mingo was nowhere around to touch him down.
“He was running the under route and he kind of had a step on me at first,” Bland said. “I had to catch up and once I caught and turned and saw the ball I was like, ‘Yes, I have to go get this one.'
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy called it the play of the game, putting Dallas up 30-10 and all but assuring their fourth win in five games.