Dallas Cowboys asked Micah Parsons to do less so he could do more -- and did he ever
Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons admitted he played the best game of his short NFL career in Sunday’s 20-16 victory against the Minnesota Vikings.
He was all over the field, recording 11 tackles, including four tackles for loss and was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Was it simply a product of Parsons working harder and smarter, as he began getting to the Cowboys headquarters at 6 a.m. in the week leading up to the Vikings game?
“I would say it was my best game,” Parsons said. “That’s the most clean, the most productive — obviously the most clean and productive game I’ve had since I’ve been here. That just goes toward the work I put in during the week.”
Or was it because the Cowboys took the defensive play-calling duties away and gave them to safety Jayron Kearse, allowing Parsons to play free and simply run to the ball like a heat-seeking missile?
The prideful and ultra-competitive Parsons initially refused to give in to the latter, making for an interesting back-and-forth during Wednesday’s media session.
Did the giving play-calling duties help you play with more freedom?
“I would say not really,” Parsons said shyly.
But you acknowledge it took something off your plate?
“Yeah, it just took something off the plate and let me line up and just play,” Parsons admitted.
So is that why you played your best game?
“Nah. It could be, but it couldn’t be,” Parsons said. “I’ll let you know this week.”
But when asked if defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was going to allow him to call plays against the Broncos on Sunday, Parsons was noncommittal.
“Yeah, so I mean it could help,” Parsons said. “DQ talked about it, he said we just want to see how it goes. We’ve seen how it goes, and we’re just going to keep seeing where it goes.”
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said allowing Kearse to call plays gave Parsons less responsibility, allowing him to run to the football and play free.
But he said there were other game-planning factors that played into the decision. He also acknowledged that it was the best game for the defense in terms of communications and calls.
“It was probably about as clean of a communication performance as we’ve had,” McCarthy said. “I loved the adjustments in the game based on how we stayed in heavy protection. We had to change our game plan and he handled it seamlessly.”
None of this is an indictment on Parsons and his ability to call plays and communicate.
He has been one of the team’s best and most impactful players since the start of the season and much of it was based on his ability to handle a full workload while still maintaining his outstanding athleticism.
According to Pro Football Focus, Parsons has played 229 snaps at linebacker this season, 139 as a defensive lineman, 12 at cornerback and one at safety.
But Parsons is the first to admit that he may have hit a rookie wall during the 35-29 victory against the New England Patriots on Oct. 17, the game before the bye.
So he rededicated himself to working harder and smarter, which included him showing up to work an hour earlier every morning. He said James Franklin, his college coach at Penn State, used to always preach that the great ones figure it out.
And that’s what he did.
“You kind of always put in the work, but when things aren’t working you’ve got to try new things and you’ve got to figure it out,” Parsons said. “Whether it’s just small details in your routine that you may have to change, or you’ve got to add things to your game that you’ve got to get uncomfortable with. And if you figure it out, it’s always going to be a lot of success for yourself. Hopefully, I’m figuring it out and I just keep adding on to it.”
Parsons was picked 12th overall by the Cowboys and targeted as the primary game-changer on defense despite playing just two years of college football.
He was a COVID-19 opt out at Penn State in 2020.
And while his impact has been immediate — he is second on the team in tackles, second in sacks, first in tackles for loss and second in quarterback pressure — and he is widely considered the frontrunner for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, he believes he is still just scratching the surface.
The Vikings game was just a precursor of things to come.
“When you’re getting back into the weekly grind of football, you’re still trying to find yourself,” Parsons said. “People tend to forget you’ve kinda got to get used to the NFL still. So I feel like I’m just starting to really get used to the play style, the assignments and everything that comes with the game.
“For me, I feel like it’s a stepping stone of what I could be capable of. I’ve just got to be consistent and keep working hard. But it shows what I can do on a weekly basis, I’ve just gotta keep going.”
