How ‘bout them… Micah Parsons.
The Dallas Cowboys entered their Week 2 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers with a sense of urgency. Following an opening week loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas had plenty of unanswered questions to address on the defensive side of the ball.
Dallas accumulated just two hits on Tom Brady in Week 1 and their already grim outlook on the edge got worse when DeMarcus Lawrence broke his foot in practice, ruling him out for the better part of the season, per Ian Rapoport. With Lawrence’s running mate Randy Gregory also ruled out of Dallas’ Week 2 contest, the Cowboys were forced to get creative ahead of a matchup with Justin Herbert and the difficult assignment he represents.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, they say.
The Cowboys decided to move rookie linebacker Micah Parsons to Lawrence’s regular spot on the right side of their defensive line. The results? Parsons recorded his first career NFL sack and spent the majority of the afternoon terrorizing Los Angeles Chargers backup right tackle Storm Norton.
Parsons made his biggest play of the day on a crucial 2nd-and-goal when Dallas led 17-14. With the ball on Dallas’ seven-yard line, the former Penn State standout sacked Herbert shortly after the snap for a loss of an astounding 18 yards.
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The Chargers ultimately settled for a game-tying field goal instead of a go-ahead score. Dallas then drove down the field for the game-winning field goal.
Parsons’ impact was felt all throughout the defense. As a unit, the Cowboys recorded an impressive nine quarterback hurries, allowed less than 100 rushing yards, and gave up just 17 points.
A move to the edge was perhaps made out of desperation, but the result was a stark reminder of why the Cowboys regarded Parsons so highly throughout the pre-draft process. Parsons is a fluid and dynamic athlete who plays the game with excellent body control.
Parsons played 39 impactful snaps on defense while spending time at a foreign position. For Parsons to be able to essentially switch positions and perform at the desired level in a new role in just his second professional game speaks volumes of the young man’s abilities, drive, and dedication to the game
Dallas' defense will continue to be monitored under the largest of microscopes in the coming weeks, but Parsons has the look of a Cowboys-sized star in the making.
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